Our data shows that broadly, the experience of non-permanent work in Singapore is challenging, and in part because social institutions and players within it do not adequately understand and appreciate the unique ways of being of non-permanent work. There is thus a need to develop this broad-based appreciation of nonpermanent work. The following entities are particularly important: Ministry of Manpower •
Develop new terms/ nomenclature to capture the heterogeneity of nonpermanent work e.g. independent contractor, casual.
•
Explore this segment’s recognition & protection under the law (with union).
•
Undertake dedicated data collection to understand the population of nonpermanent workers in Singapore.
Industry and workforce development agencies (e.g. Media Development Authority, Singapore Workforce Development Agency) •
Move beyond a “permanent work” paradigm towards understanding the “ways of being” of non-permanent work to guide industry development efforts.
•
Understand the heterogeneity of non-permanent workers, the terrain they work in, and the different types of support they require.
National Trades Union Congress •
Facilitate the organisation of non-permanent workers where possible, including articulating common rights e.g. issue of late payment.
5.3. Summary This is the first comprehensive study of its kind to understand the learning and development of non-permanent workers in Singapore, a workforce segment that is often ignored or misunderstood both locally and internationally. It has identified new understandings of the identities, learning and trajectories of non-permanent workers that are important as inputs into Singapore’s policies related to the workforce, learning and development sector, as well as to broaden practitioners’ understanding of non-permanent work to better inform the delivery and design of learning and development programmes. Internationally, the research is a significant new contribution to the often contested understanding of non-permanent workers evident in the academic literature. We encourage policy-makers, practitioners and researchers to leverage our findings and trawl them further in the various areas towards a deeper understanding of this important group of workers.
Developing non-permanent workers in Singapore
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