Measures to Further Close Gender Pay Gap

The gender pay gap in Singapore has narrowed from 16.3% in 2018 to 14.3% in 2023. When we compare men and women with similar characteristics in age, education, occupation, industry and usual hours worked, the gender pay gap is lower at 6.0%. This adjusted gender pay gap is comparable to that of US and Canada where equal pay legislation or pay transparency legislation have been introduced.

One key reason for the gender pay gap in Singapore is occupational differences. In other words, there tends to be a lower share of women in higher-paying occupations, such as those in science, technology and engineering. The gender pay gap in Singapore is also affected by other factors, such as the effects of parenthood and caregiving responsibilities, which women tend to shoulder more than men, as well as workplace discrimination. Addressing the gender pay gap will therefore require a multi-pronged approach.

Firstly, we need to encourage more women to enter and stay in occupations related to science, technology and engineering and sectors where there's good potential for salary growth and career progression. The Government has focused efforts on addressing gender stereotypes about careers, starting from schools and by organising career fairs and mentorship programmes. For example, the Government has been working with schools, industry and community partners under the SG Women in Tech movement to attract, retain, and develop female talent in the tech sector.

Second, we need to encourage a more equal sharing of caregiving duties at home and create workplaces that enable caregivers to continue working as much as possible. To encourage fathers to take on a greater share of caregiving responsibilities, Government-Paid Paternity Leave has been increased by an additional two weeks on a voluntary basis in 2024, to a total of four weeks. For workplaces, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) continues to work closely with Tripartite Partners to encourage family-friendly workplace practices that help both male and female employees better manage their work and caregiving responsibilities. For example, we will be introducing the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) Requests this year, which will establish norms for employees to request for FWAs and have these requests be properly considered by their employers.

Third, we must ensure that women have equal opportunities in the workplace. The Government will be introducing the Workplace Fairness Legislation later this year, which will strengthen protections against workplace discrimination on the basis of sex, marital status and caregiving responsibilities, among other protected characteristics.

Issuing guidelines for pay transparency, as suggested by the Member, may not be effective if we do not tackle the underlying causes of the gender pay gap in Singapore. Instead, such guidelines could be counter-productive in the long term if they affect how firms choose to hire their employees.

MOM and the Tripartite Partners will continue to work closely with the business and HR community, on initiatives that will contribute to reducing the gender pay gap. MOM had set up an Alliance for Action on Work Life Harmony in 2021 to co-create tangible solutions to improve family-friendly workplace practices, which benefit employees with caregiving responsibilities, empowering more women to pursue their careers. If there is strong interest among employers and unions to lead similar initiatives, MOM would be happy to support these efforts.