The post The HR’s Guide to Maternity Leave in Singapore 2024 appeared first on BrioHR.

The post Compassionate Leave Policies in Singapore: A Guide for HR Professionals appeared first on BrioHR.

The post Unpaid Leave Malaysia appeared first on BrioHR.

The post The Basics of Employee Engagement appeared first on BrioHR.

Singapore celebrates 11 public holidays every year, reflecting the diverse cultures and religions in the country.

In general, public holidays are a rest day for employees. However, if they have to work on a public holiday, several special rules apply. This article will discuss how Singapore public holidays work for HR professionals.

Public Holidays in Singapore

The 11 gazetted public holidays

Employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to all 11 paid public holidays. In Singapore, the 11 gazetted public holidays are:

1. New Year’s Day (1 January)
2. Chinese New Year – first day (22 January)
3. Chinese New Year – second day (23 January)
4. Good Friday (7 April)
5. Hari Raya Puasa (22 April)
6. Labour Day (1 May)
7. Vesak Day (2 June)
8. Hari Raya Haji (29 June)
9. National Day (9 August)
10. Deepavali (12 November)
11. Christmas Day (25 December)

*Dates as of 2023

If the public holiday falls on a rest day, the following working day will be a paid public holiday. For example, when National Day fell on a Sunday in 2015, the Monday that followed (10 August 2015) was declared a public holiday.

Employees are not entitled to public holiday pay if they are:

• absent on the working day before or after the holiday without consent or reasonable excuse, or;
• on unpaid leave.

Public holiday on polling day

In case of a general election or presidential election, Singaporean employees will be entitled to a public holiday to enable voting, under section 35 of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 and section 17 of the Presidential Elections Act 1991 respectively. The most recent example would be the presidential elections held on 1 September 2023.

Employees Working on a Public Holiday

In case employees are required to work on public holidays, employers should pay employees an extra day’s pay on top of their monthly gross salary. Employers will also need to pay overtime pay for work done beyond working hours.

Alternatively, by mutual agreement, employers can give replacement leave or time-off in lieu to be taken at any time.

Employees working on polling day

The above also applies for employees that are required to work on public holidays declared for the purposes of an election.

In addition, employers must give employees reasonable time off from work to cast their vote. Otherwise, the employer will be in breach of section 76 of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 or section 58 of the Presidential Elections Act 1991.

Manage Leave and Public Holidays with BrioHR

With BrioHR, you can manage public holidays as well as leave and time-off in a simple, automated HR system.

Since BrioHR is cloud-based, we constantly update the system to include the latest public holidays, so you can rest assured that your team is getting their due time-off.

The post The HR Guide to Singapore Public Holidays appeared first on BrioHR.

We in Malaysia are ‘blessed’ with a bounty of public holidays. Depending on the state, organizations can observe anywhere from 21 to 25 days of public holiday per year.

And that’s not counting the holidays that are declared by the federal and state governments, such as the recent holidays for the 2023 state elections. Furthermore, it’s not uncommon for such holidays to be announced at short notice. Such holidays are known as ‘cuti peristiwa’ or ‘occasional holidays’.

As the public holidays in Malaysia can get confusing, we present to you this guide on when and how Malaysian public holidays work.

The Law on Malaysian Public Holidays

Two pieces of legislation affect which public holidays employees may take:

• Employment Act 1955.
• Holidays Act 1951.

Holidays in the Employment Act

Section 60D of the Employment Act 1955 defines which holidays employees are entitled to.

• (1) Every employee shall be entitled to a paid holiday at his ordinary rate of pay on the following days in any one calendar year:
  • (a) on eleven of the gazetted public holidays, five of which shall be—
    • (i) the National Day;
    • (ii) the Birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong;
    • (iii) the Birthday of the Ruler or the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, as the case may be, of the State in which the employee wholly or mainly works under his contract of service, or the Federal Territory Day, if the employee wholly or mainly works in the Federal Territory;
    • (iv) the Workers’ Day; and
    • (v) Malaysia Day; and
  • (b) on any day appointed as a public holiday for that particular year under section 8 of the Holidays Act 1951 [Act 369].

Holidays in the Holidays Act

Sections 8 and 9 of the Holidays Act 1951 define how cuti peristiwa or occasional holidays are declared.

• Section 8:
  • The Minister may, by notification in the Gazette or in such other manner as he thinks fit, appoint, in respect of Peninsular Malaysia, or the Federal Territory or, after consultation with the State Authority, in respect of a State, a day to be observed as a public holiday or a bank holiday in addition to, or in substitution for, any of the days mentioned in the Schedules and thereupon this Act shall, in Peninsular Malaysia, or in the Federal Territory, or in the State in respect of which a day is appointed to be observed as a holiday as aforesaid, be applicable to such day in the same manner as if the said day had been mentioned in the First Schedule or the Second Schedule, as the case may be.

• Section 9:
  • (1) The State Authority may, by notification in the Gazette or in such other manner as it thinks fit, appoint a day to be observed as a State public holiday in any such State, and such day shall, except as hereinafter provided, be observed in such State as a public holiday.
  • (2) The Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, or in such other manner as he thinks fit, appoint a day to be observed as a Federal Territory public holiday in the Federal Territory, and such day shall, except as hereinafter provided, be observed in the Federal Territory as a public holiday.

Which Public Holidays Should the Organization Observe?

This is governed by Section 60D of the Employment Act 1955 as shown above.

As a minimum, companies should observe 11 days of public holidays. The five compulsory holidays include:

• National Day (31 August)
• Birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (first Monday of June)
• Birthday of the Ruler or the Yang di-Pertua Negeri or the Federal Territory Day (varies by state, 1 February for Federal Territory Day)
• Workers’ Day (1 May)
• Malaysia Day (16 September)

*Dates are as of 2023.

In addition, the company needs to observe six more public holidays chosen by the company. These can be any combination of national and state holidays as defined by the Government.

Despite this, many companies choose to observe all public holidays, as do schools and the Malaysian civil service. This way, it makes administrative matters easier.

Whether the company chooses to observe the minimum amount of public holidays or all holidays, it should be spelled out in the company policy, employee handbook, or employment contract.

What About Declared Holidays?

This is what every employer dreads – holidays declared at short notice by either the Federal or State Governments.

For Malaysia-wide public holidays declared under section 8 of the Holidays Act 1951, it is compulsory for the company to observe it, regardless of their public holiday observance policy. An example of this would be the additional holiday declared by the Government in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri earlier this year.

As for state holidays declared under section 9:

• Companies that observe the minimum 11 days of public holiday do not need to observe it.
• Companies that observe all public holidays will need to observe it.

An example of a section 9 holiday would be the holidays declared due to the 2023 state elections held in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu.

What If the Employee Can’t Get the Day Off?

In case employees can’t get the day off for compulsory holidays declared on short notice, employers have three options:

• Replace the public holiday on another day as determined by the company.
• Give the employee an additional day of annual leave.
• Pay the employee overtime pay at public holiday rates.

However, for public holidays declared for the purposes of a general or state election, employers must still give employees reasonable time off from work to cast their vote. Otherwise, the employer will be in breach of section 25 of the Election Offences Act 1954.

Manage Leave and Public Holidays with BrioHR

As we can see, public holidays can get messy. Nevertheless, with BrioHR, you can manage public holidays as well as leave and time-off in a simple, automated HR system.

Since BrioHR is cloud-based, we constantly update the system to include the latest public holidays, so you can rest assured that your team is getting their due time-off.

The post The HR Guide to Malaysian Public Holidays appeared first on BrioHR.

Effective compensation and benefits management is a critical aspect of human resources. It plays a pivotal role in attracting, motivating, and retaining talent within an organization. This comprehensive guide will provide HR professionals with insights and strategies to navigate the complexities of compensation and benefits management.

Understanding Compensation

Compensation refers to the combination of wages, salaries, and benefits that an organization offers to its employees in exchange for their work and contributions. It encompasses both monetary and non-monetary rewards and is a fundamental component of the employer-employee relationship. Compensation not only provides employees with financial security but also serves as a tool to recognize and reward their efforts, skills, and accomplishments.

Key Components of Compensation:

• Base salary: The fixed amount of money an employee receives on a regular basis for their role and responsibilities. It forms the foundation of an employee’s compensation package.
• Incentives, commissions, and bonuses: Variable payments tied to individual or group performance. These rewards are designed to motivate employees to achieve specific goals or outcomes.
• Benefits: Non-monetary rewards provided by the organization to enhance the overall well-being of employees. Benefits can include health insurance, leave packages, additional contribution to EPF/CPF etc.
• Perks: Additional offerings that contribute to the overall work experience, such as flexible work arrangements, on-site amenities, and professional development opportunities.

Exploring Employee Benefits

Employee benefits are a vital part of the compensation package and play a crucial role in attracting and retaining employees. These benefits go beyond monetary compensation and contribute to employees’ quality of life, job satisfaction, and overall work-life balance. Here are some common types of employee benefits:

• Health and wellness benefits: These include medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as wellness programs that encourage employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
• Leave and time-off: Leave encompasses annual leave, sick leave, and other types of leave. Providing adequate leave allows employees to rest, recharge, and manage personal commitments.
• Flexible work arrangements: Flexibility in work hours or the option to work remotely can greatly improve employees’ work-life balance and job satisfaction.
• Educational and professional development: Supporting employees’ growth through training programs, workshops, and tuition reimbursement can enhance their skills and contribute to their career advancement.
• Childcare and family benefits: Offering assistance with childcare expenses or parental leave helps employees manage their family responsibilities effectively.
• Commuting benefits and other allowances: Providing allowances or options for commuting expenses, such as parking reimbursement or a transportation allowance can ease the financial burden on employees.

As an HR professional, your role involves designing and managing a compensation and benefits package that aligns with the organization’s goals, values, and industry standards while meeting the diverse needs of employees. A well-crafted compensation strategy not only attracts and retains top talent but also fosters a positive work environment and contributes to the company’s overall success. In the following chapters, we will delve deeper into the strategies and best practices for effective compensation and benefits management.

Designing a Compensation Strategy

Internal Equity vs. External Competitiveness

When creating a compensation strategy, HR professionals must balance the concepts of internal equity and external competitiveness.

• Internal Equity: This principle focuses on ensuring fairness and consistency within the organization. Employees performing similar roles should be compensated fairly, regardless of personal characteristics or background. Internal equity is essential to maintain a harmonious workplace and prevent feelings of inequality among employees.
• External Competitiveness: This aspect revolves around aligning your compensation packages with the external job market. To attract and retain top talent, your organization’s compensation should be competitive with industry norms and other companies in your region or sector.

Job Analysis and Evaluation

Job analysis involves studying and documenting the tasks, responsibilities, skills, and qualifications required for each position within the organization. Job evaluation, on the other hand, is the process of assigning relative values to different jobs based on their complexity, impact, and contribution to the organization.

Methods of Job Evaluation:

• Job ranking: Jobs are ranked in order of importance, with the highest-ranked job receiving the highest compensation.
• Point method: Jobs are assigned points based on various factors like skill requirements, complexity, and responsibility levels.
• Market pricing: Jobs are valued based on market data, ensuring your compensation is competitive.

Market Research and Benchmarking

Conducting market research and benchmarking is crucial to determine how your organization’s compensation offerings compare to industry standards. This involves collecting data on compensation practices from other companies in your industry and geographic region.

Steps for Market Research:

1. Gather data: Collect information on base salaries, bonuses, and benefits offered by similar organizations.
2. Analyze data: Compare the collected data to your current compensation practices to identify gaps and areas for improvement.
3. Adjustment strategies: Decide whether you need to adjust your compensation packages to align with market trends. This could involve salary increases, benefits enhancements, or other adjustments.

Market research provides insights into the current competitive landscape, allowing you to make informed decisions that will attract and retain top talent while keeping your organization’s compensation strategy up to date.

Determining Salary and Monetary Compensation

Base salary forms the foundation of an employee’s compensation package and reflects the value the organization places on the employee’s role and responsibilities. Determining an appropriate base salary involves careful consideration of several factors to ensure fairness, competitiveness, and alignment with both internal and external standards.

Factors Influencing Base Salary

• Job role and responsibilities: The complexity, scope, and level of responsibilities associated with a job play a significant role in determining its base salary. Higher-level positions with more significant impact on the organization often command higher salaries.
• Skill and experience: Employees with specialized skills or extensive experience in their field are often compensated more generously. A candidate’s education, certifications, and years of relevant experience contribute to their market value.
• Market conditions: External market factors, such as industry norms, geographic location, and regional cost of living, influence how much organizations should pay to remain competitive in attracting talent.
• Internal equity: Ensuring that salaries are consistent and fair within the organization is vital for maintaining a harmonious work environment. Employees performing similar roles should receive comparable compensation.
• Performance and contribution: High-performing employees who consistently exceed expectations and contribute to the organization’s success may be eligible for performance-based raises or bonuses.

Pay Grades and Ranges

Organizations often use pay grades and salary ranges to structure their compensation system. Pay grades group similar jobs together based on factors like job level, responsibilities, and required skills. Within each pay grade, a range of salaries is established, with a minimum, midpoint, and maximum value.

Advantages of Pay Grades and Ranges:

• Consistency: Pay grades provide a structured approach to compensation that ensures fairness and equity.
• Flexibility: Salary ranges allow for some variation in compensation while staying within predetermined boundaries.
• Transparency: Clearly defined pay grades and ranges enable employees to understand how their salary was determined and what potential for growth exists.

Salary Structure and Bands

A salary structure is a framework that outlines how various job roles are organized into bands or levels, each with its own salary range. This structure aligns with the organization’s hierarchy and career progression.

Benefits of a Salary Structure:

• Clear progression: Employees can see the path for advancement within the organization, encouraging professional growth.
• Fairness: Transparent salary bands help prevent wage gaps and ensure employees are compensated fairly.
• Attracting talent: A well-defined structure can attract candidates by demonstrating opportunities for career development.

When designing a salary structure, consider factors such as the number of bands, the criteria for moving between bands, and the frequency of salary reviews.

By carefully considering these factors and using tools like pay grades, salary ranges, and structured salary bands, HR professionals can establish a fair and competitive base salary structure that attracts and retains qualified employees while maintaining internal equity. In the next chapter, we will explore the various types of incentive and bonus programs that can further motivate and reward employees for their exceptional performance.

Non-Monetary Rewards

While monetary compensation is a significant factor in attracting and retaining employees, non-monetary rewards play a crucial role in creating a positive and motivating work environment. These rewards focus on enhancing employees’ job satisfaction, engagement, and overall well-being. Here are various non-monetary rewards that HR professionals can implement to create a well-rounded compensation package.

Recognition and Appreciation

Recognition is a powerful tool for boosting employee morale and motivation. Regularly acknowledging employees’ hard work and contributions fosters a culture of appreciation and reinforces positive behaviors.

Ways to Implement Recognition Programs:

• Employee of the month: Highlight outstanding employees and their achievements on a monthly basis.
• Peer recognition: Allow employees to recognize and commend their colleagues for exceptional work.
• Managerial recognition: Encourage managers to provide timely and specific feedback to their team members.

Career Development Opportunities

Investing in employees’ professional growth not only benefits them individually but also contributes to the organization’s success. Providing opportunities for learning and advancement demonstrates a commitment to employee development.

Methods to Offer Career Development:

• Training programs: Offer workshops, seminars, and online courses to enhance employees’ skills and knowledge.
• Mentorship programs: Pair experienced employees with those seeking guidance and career advice.
• Promotion pathways: Clearly define paths for advancement within the organization to give employees a sense of direction.

Work-Life Balance Initiatives

Promoting work-life balance demonstrates that the organization values employees’ personal well-being. Employees who can maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life are often more engaged and productive.

Initiatives to Promote Work-Life Balance:

• Flexible work arrangements: Allow employees to adjust their work hours or work remotely when feasible.
• Leave policies: Offer sufficient paid vacation days and encourage employees to use them for relaxation.
• Wellness programs: Provide resources for physical and mental well-being, such as gym memberships, stress reduction activities, or company-organized sports activities.

Employee Engagement Activities

Engaged employees are more committed to their work and the organization. Engaging activities help foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie among employees.

Engagement Initiatives to Consider:

• Team-building Activities: Organize team outings, workshops, or volunteer events to strengthen team bonds.
• Employee Surveys: Collect feedback through periodic pulse surveys to understand employee needs and preferences.
• Open Communication Channels: Create opportunities for employees to share their ideas and feedback with management.

Personalized Benefits

Recognize that each employee has unique needs and preferences. Offering a degree of personalization in benefits allows employees to choose what matters most to them.

Ways to Implement Personalization:

• Flexible Benefits: Allow employees to choose from a range of benefits that suit their individual circumstances.
• Customized Development Plans: Tailor career development plans based on employees’ aspirations and strengths.

By incorporating these non-monetary rewards into your compensation strategy, you can create a holistic package that addresses both financial and non-financial needs. Remember that an effective compensation package not only attracts talent but also promotes a positive workplace culture and supports employees’ overall well-being.

The post The HR Professional’s Guide to Compensation and Benefits appeared first on BrioHR.

Since the Industrial Revolution, we’ve gotten used to the five-day work week that we’re all familiar with: Mondays to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays off. That was more than a century ago.

Since then, labour productivity has almost tripled, but we’re working the same hours we did back in 1950, if not more. Wages also haven’t kept up with productivity.

This trend has led to a conversation about the four-day work week as the future of work. The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated the debate, when it demonstrated that employees could be just as productive working independently.

In the world’s largest trial run of a four-day work week conducted in the United Kingdom, employees reported feeling happier, healthier and are doing better in their jobs. But, does Monday to Thursday (or some variation thereof) actually work? What are the pros and cons of it? Let’s take a deeper look.

The Case for a Four-Day Work Week

Simply put, a four-day work week results in happier, more satisfied employees. Consequently, their work improves, and so does their productivity – even when adjusted for the four-day week. In trial after trial, from Iceland to Belgium, employees across various sectors took less sick leave, felt healthier, and boosted productivity.

Furthermore, a four-day work week could also increase access to the workforce. A shorter working week would promote better work-life balance, as well as freeing up the time for working parents to work on a flexible schedule. Part of the reason why governments are so keen on trialling four-day work weeks is to make their labour markets more sustainable, while making it easier for working adults to start a family and raise children.

A shorter work week also means a smaller carbon footprint as commutes are eliminated. Office buildings can also conserve power under a four-day work week by turning off power and air-conditioning.

Why a Four-Day Work Week Wouldn’t Work

While the advantages of a four-day work week came through in trials, it isn’t clear how it will perform in the long term, across a wide range of industries and markets.

Four-day work weeks are unsuitable for most customer-facing jobs, such as retail employees or customer service representatives. Theoretically, companies could hire more employees to cover the four-day week. But, with unemployment at a historic low, the labour market is far too tight – potentially hurting smaller businesses that can’t afford the increased labour costs.

The transition to a four-day work week could also be messy. During a four-day work week trial in Sweden, some employees reported feeling uncomfortable when skipping work. Additionally, Sweden’s flexible work culture already allowed for a great degree of autonomy in determining work schedules, rendering four-day weeks moot in some cases.

But the biggest problem is that the four-day week trials were mostly conducted in advanced European economies, which already see productivity and wages hitting a ceiling. In developing economies like Asia and Africa, a four-day work week could see productivity plummet. Otherwise, workers would have to work more hours per day in a four-day week, likely resulting in increased stress, fatigue etc.

The Future of Work

However, given the changing future of work, it is more than likely that a four-day work week will come to fruition in our working lifetime. Malaysia has already taken steps to reduce working hours from 48 hours to 45 hours in the latest amendments to the Employment Act 1955. While still a long way from the 32 hours of a four-day week, it is a step towards modernizing the workforce.

A century and a half ago, the weekend was almost unheard of. Yet with the help of unions, governments, and forward-thinking businesses, we have Saturdays and Sundays that we take for granted. Will we see the same thing with the four-day work week? Implausible as it may seem to some employers, it may yet come to pass.

Learn how BrioHR can simplify HR for your business by getting a free demo here.

The post Four-Day Work Week: Will It Work? appeared first on BrioHR.