Work-Life Programmes, A Key Hiring Strategy

How Republic Polytechnic’s culture of work-life harmony has enabled it to attract top talents who will shape the future of tomorrow’s changemakers.

21 Apr 2020 Case studies Work-life harmony Best practices

tafep

Profile

Organisation

Republic Polytechnic

Established in 2002, Republic Polytechnic adopts a comprehensive work-life strategy to attract and retain a talented team of employees, including lecturers who possess current knowledge and industry experience, to leverage its Problem-based Learning pedagogy to teach and inspire students.

Industry

Education

Employment size

>1000

Employment profile

Lecturers and administrative support staff

Business Case

To effectively implement its unique pedagogy, RP focuses on hiring and nurturing a high-calibre team to teach and inspire students. Its potential hires include young graduates who are recent entrants to the workforce, who typically view work-life harmony as a priority. The school also employs industry practitioners who require flexible working hours that allow them to maintain their careers while nurturing the next generation of industry-ready graduates. With this unique workforce profile in mind, RP has implemented a comprehensive work-life strategy, giving it a competitive edge in its search for talent. 

As part of its strategy to attract quality talents, RP offers work-life programmes such as:

Flexible Work Arrangements

  • Part-time work
  • Staggered time
  • Telecommuting 

Leave Schemes

  • First day of school leave

Employee Support Schemes

  • Cash incentives for health & wellness activities
  • Staff lounge
  • Exercise facilities

Implementation

As it seeks to champion a thriving culture of work-life harmony, RP believes in:  

Getting Management Actively Involved

RP’s CEO and HR Director serve as the Advisor and Chairman of Work-Life@RP Committee respectively. This committee was created to involve employees in planning and implementing new work-life programmes and activities, and the strong leadership support has helped to set the tone for organisational work-life culture at RP. Leading by example, members of senior management participate in various work-life activities such as mass workouts, food-making workshops, and Family Day.

The management is also committed to continually refining the work-life strategy at RP to ensure it remains relevant and useful for its staff. Work-life policies are reviewed at the regular Executive Committee and Organisation Excellence Committee meetings, and feedback on existing work-life programmes are discussed as well. For example, based on staff feedback, RP’s nursing rooms are now listed in the Shared Calendar on Microsoft Outlook and door locks have been installed to provide greater privacy and comfort for employees who are nursing mothers. 

A Comprehensive Communication Strategy

RP’s communication strategy contributes significantly to its success in building a culture of work-life harmony. Employees have access to multiple channels to provide ideas and feedback on work-life programmes, including the following: 

  • A HR Ambassador from the HR team assigned to each department, who provides responses on HR queries and receives feedback which are then shared with management as needed.
  • Departmental staff sharing sessions that provide a platform for employees to share work-life challenges with management staff and HR.
  • Regular employee engagement and organisational climate surveys to assess work-life needs and identify possible solutions. Supervisors are also provided with team results and attend a post-assessment workshop that will guide them in interpreting results and planning follow-up action. 
  • Online surveys that are held after every work-life activity, or the pilot of a new FWA scheme, to identify areas for improvement
  • The 3i Staff Suggestion Scheme portal for employee feedback, which can be conveniently accessed via computers and smart devices. To encourage regular and timely feedback, quality ideas and solutions are awarded a 3i Star Idea or 3i Star Project Award.

Outcomes

RP’s efforts to help employees achieve better work-life harmony have been well-received. In a Work-Life Harmony Survey conducted by the Public Service Division in 2013, most RP employees cited work-life harmony as a pull factor for joining the organisation. Respondents also said that stress levels at work are manageable and that they have sufficient time for relationships and personal pursuits. Additionally, staff referrals for full-time job positions are high, as employees enjoy the work environment and are enthusiastic about recommending it to others. 

The organisation’s work-life efforts have also been recognised at the national level. In 2016, RP was conferred multiple awards by the Singapore Human Resources Institute, including the Corporate HR Champion Award. In 2014, it received the Work-Life Sustained Excellence Award from the Tripartite Committee on Work-Life Strategy. It also received the H.E.A.L.T.H Platinum Award in 2012 and was awarded the Gold Award by the Health Promotion Board in recognition of its workplace health promotion activities in 2010, 2008 and 2006. 
The engaged workforce that RP has nurtured has raised the school’s profile as an educational institution of choice, leading to a steady increase in student intake over the past few years. Above all, the organisation has demonstrated that investing in a supportive work-life culture can benefit employees and play a significant role in achieving organisational goals. 

 

This case study was first published in 2017, and has been adapted from TAFEP's Work-Life Resource Portal.