MOM Latest News for August 2023: Foreign Work Permit Policies and Employee Experience Trends

Employment Agent Fraudulently Obtains Work Permit for Foreigner

An employment agent has been sentenced to four weeks in jail under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. He was barred from the employment agency industry after he was found guilty of falsifying documents to obtain a work permit for a foreigner.

MOM reminded employers that making false declarations is a serious offence. Conviction of this offense can result in a fine of up to $20,000, imprisonment for up to two years, or both.

Employers who violate the rules will have their work pass privileges suspended, and the work pass applicant will also be barred from working in Singapore

Foreign Nationals Charged with Money Laundering Held Singapore Employment or Dependant’s Passes

10 foreign nationals, all of whom held either an Employment Pass (EP) or a Dependant’s Pass (DP) were charged over suspected involvement in offences including with forgery, money laundering, and resisting arrest.

MOM will assess all work pass applications and investigate any suspicious information. Employers and applicants must declare that all information in their applications is true and correct.

False declaration offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act can result in a fine of up to $20,000, imprisonment for up to two years, or both. Employers who are found guilty of these offences will also have their work pass privileges suspended.

50% of Job Candidates Back Out of Offers Before Starting

According to the new Gartner survey, the majority of the job candidates or new hires have backed out of the job offer before their first day.

The main reason for this is the mismatch in employee value proposition including compensation and benefits, flexibility in working hours, career paths, and other factors.

The survey found that applicants are more likely to apply for a job that includes salary and compensation details in the job description as well as having flexibility in their work arrangements.

3 in 4 HR Leaders Struggle to Get Employees Back to the Office

A recent survey shows that the majority of HR leaders are struggling to bring back their staff to the office.

The survey found that forcing employees to return on site will only cause the companies to lose their best talents.

Therefore, HR leaders are considering or implementing talent strategies to increase on-site work and one of them is offering flexible work schedule options to encourage employees to return to workplaces as well as boost retention rate.

How to Align HR with Business Outcomes

In response to the changing economic and social landscape, HR teams are leading the way in transforming workforce strategies and encouraging organisations to listen to their employees more often and with greater conviction.

One of the best ways HR leaders can do to make their employee experience efforts more strategic is to align human experiences with operational outcomes, such as increasing efficiency in people operations or productivity.