Support to Create National Service-friendly Workplace Environments

Mr Lee Hong Chuang asked the Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence (a) whether the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) has any plans to provide further support to employers in creating National Service-friendly workplace environments, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SME); and (b) whether there are any plans to expand other recognition programs to encourage more SME businesses to actively support National Servicemen and their families.

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) deeply appreciate the vital role that employers play in supporting our National Servicemen (NSmen). The Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) serves as an important platform for us to engage and gather feedback and suggestions from employers, so that we can refine our policies and develop initiatives to better support them and their NSmen employees.

Let me cite a few examples. To enable employers to plan ahead for alternative staff coverage or adjustments to their operations during their NSmen employees' absence from the workplace, we provide notice six months in advance for high-key In-Camp Training (ICT) or three months in advance for shorter, low-key ICT. This arrangement arose from suggestions from ACCORD. Another ACCORD initiative that supports employers with NSmen is the Supportive Employers Networking Session. Such sessions bring together businesses to share best practices and exchange ideas, as well as to provide feedback and suggestions to MINDEF, on NS-related matters. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which have more limited manpower resources and human resource (HR) units, have benefitted, in particular, from these initiatives.

Various schemes and awards have also been developed under ACCORD to recognise supportive employers. The NS Mark is a national accreditation scheme that recognises employers which have put in place policies and HR practices that support their NSmen employees, while the Total Defence Award recognises employers that have demonstrated exemplary support towards NS. Special efforts are made to identify and recognise SME awardees.

MINDEF and SAF will continue to work closely with ACCORD to better support our employers, including SMEs, as well as NSmen in fulfilling their roles in National Service, the cornerstone of Singapore's defence.