WANT TO HIRE OLDER WORKERS? HERE'S HOW
Free HR courses to help small firms hire and retain mature workers
Cheow Xin Yicheowxinyi@mediacorp.com.sg
MORE help is on the way for SMEs looking to hire older workers.
Following the 2005 "Advantage! Scheme" to spur firms to recruit, retrainor re-employ mature workers over 40, smaller businesses can now get helpin implementing their human resource (HR) policies to retain their workersbeyond the retirement age of 62.
Yesterday, the Enterprise Development Centre @ Association of Small &Medium Enterprises, supported by Workforce Development Agency (WDA),offered "Advantage! for SMEs", a new initiative for SMEs that providesfree HR-related courses starting in September.
"We have received feedback from SMEs that they are unsure how they canbenefit from the (Advantage!) scheme as many of them have only a handfulof older workers in their companies," said WDA chief executive Mr Ong YeKung.
"The new initiative is a practical way for SMEs to receive some assistancein implementing re-employment policy, even if they do not apply for thefinancial grant," he said.
Under the earlier scheme, companies can apply for a grant of up to$400,000 to fund efforts in hiring seniors.
The schemes play a role in preparing companies for a new law on re-hiringmature workers that is scheduled to kick in by 2012.
MORE help is on the way for SMEs looking to hire older workers.
Following the 2005 "Advantage! Scheme" to spur firms to recruit, retrainor re-employ mature workers over 40, smaller businesses can now get helpin implementing their human resource (HR) policies to retain their workersbeyond the retirement age of 62.
Yesterday, the Enterprise Development Centre @ Association of Small &Medium Enterprises, supported by Workforce Development Agency (WDA),offered "Advantage! for SMEs", a new initiative for SMEs that providesfree HR-related courses starting in September.
"We have received feedback from SMEs that they are unsure how they canbenefit from the (Advantage!) scheme as many of them have only a handfulof older workers in their companies," said WDA chief executive Mr Ong YeKung.
"The new initiative is a practical way for SMEs to receive some assistancein implementing re-employment policy, even if they do not apply for thefinancial grant," he said.
Under the earlier scheme, companies can apply for a grant of up to$400,000 to fund efforts in hiring seniors.
The schemes play a role in preparing companies for a new law on re-hiringmature workers that is scheduled to kick in by 2012.
