S1E9: Flexibility at work: The secret sauce to more babies?

Sep 3, 2024

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We ask Indranee Rajah - Minister in the Prime Minister's Office - to explain the mindset shift aim of the enhanced parental leave scheme, announced on Aug 18.

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues of the day, and finds out about what young people are talking about.

When it was announced at the National Day Rally that the parental leave scheme would be enhanced starting in April 2025, Ms Indranee recalls young parents being happy to hear the news.

Employers, she adds, on the other hand, are cautiously welcoming the news as they put forth their concerns about managing schedules and workloads.

Ms Indranee talks about the need for a well-designed workplace to make shared parental leave work for all, not just parents of newborns.

This would mean fathers giving advance notice of when they want to take their leave or compensating those who take on a parent’s workload - with the money freed up by the government-paid paternity leave.

Natasha asks Ms Indranee why fathers haven’t been so keen to take up the existing provisions - reluctant line managers seem to be standing in the way - and if this would be the game-changing move couples need to support their aspirations to start and grow their families?

Highlights (click/tap above)

1:56 Who’s happy, post-National Day Rally?

6:40 Sending a signal that dads should be more involved in child-raising

10:57 A mindset change and cultural shift in the workplace

19:06 Will the enhanced parental leave improve Singapore’s TFR?

21:42 Making a family-friendly Singapore

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

Host: Natasha Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha's related story: https://str.sg/Mieu

Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Edited by producers: Eden Soh