1. L&D opportunities are big draw for MENA employees
More than three-quarters (85 per cent) of employees would be tempted to leave their job if another position offered greater opportunities for training and development. In the On-The-Job Training in the Middle East and North Africa survey by Bayt.com, more than 90 per cent of respondents intentionally searched for companies with obvious training and development programmes during their job hunt, suggesting this could be the key to retaining or attracting employees.
2. Singapore introduces Tripartite Standard on Grievance Handling
The Singapore government is working to strengthen its dispute resolution mechanisms with the launch of a new Tripartite Standard on Grievance Handling. It is the latest in a series of attempts to promote a ‘holistic’ approach to managing disputes, and requires organisations to put in place, and communicate to employees, a grievance handling procedure that clearly states the appropriate authority in the company to hear an appeal, and the timeframe within which action should be taken.
3. Employee Insurance Scheme launched in Malaysia
A new bill has been implemented by the Malaysian government that will seek to provide retrenched workers with temporary financial assistance and appropriate training that will help them return to work. The new insurance system is predicted to benefit 6.5 million workers in the eligible age bracket of 40 to 50-years-old, in the event that they lose their job.
4. Room for improvement for Middle East in Gender Gap Index
The World Economic Forum has named the Middle East as the worst-performing region in its annual Global Gender Gap Index, despite it having crossed the threshold of having a gender gap of slightly less than 40 per cent for the first time. The UAE was the best-performing country in the Middle East, coming 120th overall, scoring highest in the education (62nd) and political (67th) categories. Bahrain came 126th overall, Kuwait 129th and Saudi Arabia 138th.
5. Poor wellbeing on the up as Singapore employees battle with workplace stress
The Singapore-based Centre for Effective Living has said it has seen between a 10 and 20 per cent increase in the number of clients from the public and private sector seeking help with wellbeing issues. Singaporeans put in longer hours than the rest of Asia and it has been suggested that innovative schemes are needed to prevent workplace stress and prevent dips in productivity.