Ref No: 070122 (2)
UEN: S97SS0046G
Key highlights from recent news on Covid-19, MOM, Human Resources, and Sustainability below
Covid-19
1/2: Omicron versus Delta: What we know so far about the Covid-19 variants
Omicron cases comprise an average of 18 per cent of all Covid-19 cases reported to MOH, and the proportion will rise further, driven by its high transmissibility compared with Delta and other variants. Here are some differences between the Omicron and Delta variants.
- Omicron is more transmissible than Delta
- Omicron infections are less severe than Delta
- Vaccines, especially boosters, provide substantial protection against severe infection
2/2: Larger work-related events of up to 1,000 people can be held from Jan 3 with some restrictions
Businesses in Singapore can hold larger work-related events for 51 to 1,000 people from Jan 3, subject to conditions such as having participants who are seated or standing in fixed positions.
There must be no mask-off activities at the event, such as the consumption of food and beverage, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on Saturday (Jan 1). This comes after the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force announced last month that it would raise the cap for events where participants are masked and seated.
Under the current rules, work-related events are capped at 50 people. Any meals are to be “incidental” and not the main feature of the event. From Jan 3, larger events are allowed – but with no consumption of food and drinks.
Participants must be “predominantly static”, meaning that they are “seated or standing in a fixed position”, said the authorities. They are required to keep a distance of at least 1m from each other and be in zones of up to 100 people each, with 2m between zones.
The Ministry of Manpower
1/2: Singapore unemployment rates continue to decline in November, labour market ‘recovering steadily’
Unemployment rates in Singapore continued to decline in November 2021, Ministry of Manpower (MOM) statistics showed on Thursday (Dec 6).
According to the data, resident unemployment fell to 3.2 per cent in November 2021, from 3.4 per cent the month before. Unemployment for citizens was at 3.5 per cent, a slight decrease from 3.6 per cent previously. Overall unemployment dipped from 2.6 per cent to 2.5 per cent.
In a Facebook post, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said that this continued decline indicates that Singapore’s labour market is “recovering steadily, with the economy rebounding from the recession in 2020 and GDP growing by 7.2 per cent last year”.
2/2: Accounting professionals to upskill, jobs to be redesigned to meet digitalisation challenges
Accounting professionals will get more support in upskilling and redesigning their job roles to meet the challenges of a post-Covid-19 world – particularly those posed by digitalisation and climate change, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah on Wednesday (Jan 5).
She was speaking at the virtual launch of new job transformation maps for the industry by the Singapore Accountancy Commission (SAC) and the Economic Development Board (EDB). The maps roll-out is also supported by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG).
Ms Indranee said: “We’re now entering a post-pandemic world, one that is driven by digitalisation and technology and is grappling urgently with climate change.
human resources
1/1: Are you listening? How to gather employee opinions – and use them to drive innovation
2022 is fast approaching – and for HR leaders it really can’t come soon enough. The past year has been one of unprecedented disruption, upheaval, evolution, and change – one that’s seen companies thrive or fall apart. HR has been front and centre through it all – shepherding employees and executives through the pandemic’s unchartered waters.
Now, it’s time to look to the future – specifically in regards to leadership development. What will the CEO of tomorrow look like? What skills will they need? What attributes will you be searching for? The overriding consensus seems to be a leader with the ability to emanate trust and compassion.
A recent report from The Workforce Institute found that trust is overwhelmingly important to the employee experience – and that a lack of trust and communication between employer and employee can lead to mass resignations.
Sustainability
1/2: Webinar Invitation: What Business do I have in Sustainability?
With the launch of Singapore Green Plan 2030, and other similar initiatives, Singapore is progressively advancing the national agenda on sustainable development. Such initiatives were undertaken to help us achieve our long-term net zero emissions aspirations as soon as viable.
ASPRI has partnered with SME DXP Foundation Ltd, and Honeywell Pte Ltd, to organise a webinar on this topic. The webinar will raise awareness on sustainability, Net Zero Carbon, and UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). It will also touch on how they impact the Process Industry, and how it directly affects you, an industry professional in Singapore.
If you are keen to learn about Net Zero, how to achieve it, and want to know how it can improve your company’s profits, register here and join us on 12 January 2022!
2/2: Sharpened focus on sustainability brings opportunities for future growth
Keppel Corporation’s focus on sustainability is nothing new, as the group had been in the business of green buildings, water treatment and waste-to-energy plants several years before the topic of climate change began garnering global attention.
Over the years, however, the conglomerate has sharpened its focus on sustainability. And today, chief executive Loh Chin Hua believes the group is “in the right place, at the right time” to tap opportunities from increasing international concern about climate change and sustainability.
Loh recalled that back in 2019, a group of young business leaders at the company was tasked to reimagine a “future Keppel” and chart the group’s Vision 2030 – taking into account key macro trends that would define its operating environment.