Speech by Mr Bob Tan, Chairman, Tripartite Alliance Limited at Tripartite Connect 2025

7/24/2025 12:00:00 AMSpeeches

MOS for Manpower Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash,
Board, Council, and Committee Members of TAL, WSH, and TAFEP,
Tripartite and Industry Partners,
Ladies and gentlemen.

Introduction

Good morning and a very warm welcome to all of you.
Today’s event is about workplace health and safety and progressive employment practices for sustainable businesses.
This event is organised by the Tripartite Alliance Limited or TAL for short together with its agencies, WSH Council and TAFEP.
Many of you would be familiar with WSH Council and TAFEP but not necessarily with TAL.

About TAL & its Mission
TAL was formed in 2016 by the tripartite partners – MOM, NTUC, and SNEF to advance the spirit of tripartism by bringing together the expertise and resources of the partners to foster progressive workplaces and harmonious work relations.
It currently does its work through its 3 agencies – WSH Council, TAFEP and TADM – each playing different roles, but complementing each other:
1. the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council instils upon the industry the importance of WSH ownership and builds capabilities through programmes such as bizSAFE. Since its formation in 2008, Singapore’s workplace fatality rate has reduced by almost 60% from 2.8 per 100,000 workers to 1.2 in 2024.
2. the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) helps employees and employers resolve employment disputes such as non-payment of salaries and contractual issues effectively, efficiently and amicably through advisory and mediation services. In 2023, more than 80% of employment disputes were resolved at TADM through mediation.
3. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) helps employers adopt fair and progressive employment practices through training and resources. Today, over 20,000 organisations have adopted various Tripartite Standards, which are a set of good employment practices developed by MOM, NTUC and SNEF. The Tripartite Standards include areas such as grievance handling and recruitment practices, benefitting 1.48 million employees. This is approximately 37% of Singapore’s workforce. It demonstrates these companies’ commitment to building better work environments for their employees. In turn, there is higher employee morale, trust, and retention, which are key drivers of workplace harmony.
Although much progress has been made, there is more to be done, particularly in the SME sector – hence today’s event.
So why was TAL set up as a tripartite entity instead of being run by just one organisation like MOM?
The answer lies in the strength of Singapore’s unique model of tripartism, which has consistently enabled us to achieve win-win-win outcomes – for workers, for businesses, and for Singapore.
Let me explain. Promoting safe, healthy, and progressive workplaces is not straightforward. There are trade-offs involved that need to be managed sensitively.
Take flexible work arrangements, for example. Many employees appreciate it when employers provide flexi-shift or work from home options, as these support work-life harmony and inclusivity. But if productivity starts to fall, and companies begin losing revenue, it eventually becomes a lose-lose situation where both employers and workers suffer.
That’s why decisions on progressive workplace practices should be made with tripartite consensus. When tripartite partners come together, we are able to weigh the different interests and design optimal solutions that strike the right balance.
This is exactly why TAL was set up as a tripartite body. Many of the initiatives we champion, be it in safety, health, or progressive employment practices require negotiation, understanding, and consensus. By bringing the government, employers, and unions to the table, we can make better, more sustainable decisions.
Because of this collective strength, we have been able to play an active role in shaping key economic and manpower policies. Just to name a few: the Workplace Fairness Act, the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices, and the Tripartite Guidelines on Re-employment of Older Employees. All of which were made possible through strong tripartite collaboration.
We also rely on our tripartite partners to move the ground – to rally employers and workers alike and translate policies into real impact on the ground.
For instance, our push for the bizSAFE programme to build workplace safety capability would not have been successful without the strong support of industry associations and unions. As of April 2025, close to 29,000 companies have attained bizSAFE Level 3 and above, and injury rates are among the lowest in the world because we moved forward together.
On a broader level, tripartism has long been Singapore’s competitive edge, built on a foundation of mutual respect, shared responsibility, consultative problem-solving, and a commitment to win-win outcomes.
It has enabled us to weather crises and most importantly, create a vibrant economy that offers good jobs with good wages for our people.
This spirit of tripartism is exactly what today’s Tripartite Connect is about.
As the name suggests, Tripartite Connect is about letting you connect with the thinking among the tripartite partners on how safe, healthy and progressive workplace practices can benefit your company.
We understand that SMEs may not have the same resources as larger corporations. That’s why we have provided this platform for you to learn the best workplace practices from progressive employers including other SMEs.
Later, you will also hear from our tripartite partners during the dialogue sessions, where they will share insights and ground experiences on how integrating safety and health into business strategy and implementing proper grievance handling can drive lasting improvements at the workplace.
While today’s platform is a good starting point, we know it may not be enough to meet all your needs. For those who wish to take the next step, TAFEP and WSH Council offer resources such as e-learning modules, guides and templates, as well as workshops to help you adopt safe, healthier, and progressive employment practices.
So, to all the SME leaders present here today, you are not alone in this journey. Together with our tripartite partners, TAL stands ready to support you in strengthening your workplace practices.
Empowering All to Co-Create a Safe, Healthy, and Progressive Workplace
Ultimately, the goal of Tripartite Connect is simple but powerful:
To empower each of you to co-create and lead workplaces that are safe, healthy, and progressive.
Let’s work together so that every business, no matter its size, can succeed with people at the heart of its strategy.
Closing
Once again, thank you for being here.
We invite you to contribute actively to Tripartite Connect – as we shape a safer, stronger, and more inclusive future of work together.