THE downturn should not cause Singapore to relent in its drive to get older people to work longer, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday.
The reason? Members of this generation will be assets for many more years.
However, many outdated social attitudes and systems that were formed when the population was younger now need fixing, he told the Reinventing Retirement Asia conference.
In a downturn, it is tougher to lift the employment rate for the 55-64 age group, he noted, but also stressed: 'We should not lose the ground that we have arduously won over the last few years.'
He presented Singapore's panoply of efforts to support successful ageing, speaking before a global audience of 370 policymakers, workforce experts, non-profit delegates and entrepreneurs.
The two-day conference is co-hosted by Singapore's Council for Third Age and the United States' AARP, a powerful lobby for the 50-plus population.
From the outset, Mr Lee made it clear that the best way to adjust to a longer life is for people to work longer.But old attitudes and systems must change, he said.
In this light, he discussed Singapore's achievements and also the work ahead for all parties in all spheres - in national policy, at the workplace, within families.
The Government, in updating its employment laws and structures, will require bosses to offer re-employment to workers at 62 for another three years. This comes into force in 2012.
Older women are also being encouraged to return to work.
The plan is to push up the job rate of the 55-64 age group - from 57 per cent last year to 65 per cent by 2012.
Focusing often on the workplace, he said: 'Employers need to appreciate that older workers, with their years of experience, wisdom and loyalty, can be a valuable resource at the workplace.'
So companies can modify job specifications and operations, or redesign work for their older employees, he said. The Workforce Development Agency has created the Advantage grant scheme to help fund such changes.
On the other side, seniors too need to adjust to different responsibilities - and possibly lighter work and less pay. 'This is understandably harder to accept.'
Sometimes, family attitudes need changing. He gave the example of hotels favouring older women attendants to clean rooms. But they tend to drop out, often under pressure from their children. 'This is a delicate matter of face and status,' he said.
Speaking up for such jobs which may be 'humble' but 'honourable', he said: 'We should not discourage anyone from taking on such jobs. To do so would limit his options to be active, engaged and to earn an income.'
Beyond jobs, the national focus is on an active, engaged lifestyle for older Singaporeans.
So the Government is creating, over time, barrier-free public transport and housing, with lifts on every floor. Seniors can do gentle workouts and socialise in playgrounds, which are not just for children.
Delegates told The Straits Times that Mr Lee's strategy for the elderly is forward-looking.
'Your country's situation is not as severe as Japan's, but Mr Lee is looking far into the future,' said Mr Tadaaki Masuda, 71, a retired corporate chief who is now international affairs director of the Japan NGO Council on Aging
Mr Mah Wee Beng, 42, director of Ngee Ann Polytechnic's engineering school, agreed with Mr Lee's call for flexible work arrangements for seniors. And older workers can accept that they can still contribute 'at a pace they are comfortable with', he added.
The conference at Pan Pacific Hotel is also exploring issues of financial literacy, lifelong learning, new careers, media messages and inter-generational bonds.
With the downturn in the news, AARP board member William Hall said his organisation constantly works with financial planning companies to lift standards, and it endorses those with top-of-the-line products.
'We can then raise the entire market because these are new standards.'
This article was first published in The Straits Times on January 09, 2009.
