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Success Stories
PSD
 About Public Service Division,
Prime Minister’s Office
The Public Service Division (PSD) sets policies for attracting and developing public sector talent and leadership, as well as ongoing training programmes. PSD analyses the potential impact of future trends on Singapore, develops strategic planning capabilities and helps shape whole-of-government policy. There are 9 departments in the organisation with a workforce of about 240 staff.
The senior management’s leadership by example has contributed to the success of work-life in PSD. The Permanent Secretary is a keen advocate of work-life harmony; she regularly discusses work-life issues with line managers and staff, and emails work and life opinions in her “A Thought To Share” column. The Deputy Secretary (Policy) pays close attention to Employee Lifestyle surveys and holds meetings with middle and line managers to improve productivity and reduce work stress.
PSD’s work-life strategies have proven results with lowered consumption of medical leave and decreased staff turnover. Public Service Division was awarded the Work-Life Excellence Award 2008.
| Flexible Work Arrangement – Telecommuting |
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PSD recognises that its officers need to balance work and personal commitments. Thus, it accommodates arrangements whereby officers can apply to telecommute from home if this does not conflict with their job responsibilities. For example, Strategic Planning Office workers work from home once a week as their work is mainly research-based. This enhances their effectiveness as they need to work long hours but not necessarily in the office. Officers are also allowed to telecommute on ad hoc basis, for example when they need to attend to sick family members. Heads of Department are given the authority to approve telecommuting requests; and this has increased the efficiency of processing such requests. |
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Workplace Health Programme. PSD has a dedicated Workplace Health Programme (WHP) Committee with members from different departments to ensure maximum outreach to all staff. The committee has organised biennial health screening and fitness assessment exercises; regular fruits distribution and workshops on health and personal development issues.
Activity Interest Groups. This is an innovative programme which enables staff with similar interests to get together for joint activities once a week during office hours. The activities cover a wide range of interests, like yoga, taichi, bellydancing, brisk walking, running, swimming, and even book review sessions and photography. The fees of such activities are partly subsidised. At least 20 percent of the staff have participated in an Activity Interest Group.
Family Movie Passes. To promote family bonding, staff are given movie passes during school holidays or festive periods.
Back to School with Parents. Time-off is given to parents to bring their children to school during the first week of school in January. This is in line with PSD’s initiative to encourage positive parenting and help ease parents’ anxieties/stress about their young school-going children. |
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Employee Quote
“I appreciate the option to telecommute once a week. Flexibility, sense of autonomy, reduced commuting time and improved productivity are just some of the benefits. To me, the most appealing aspect of this arrangement is the mutual trust, respect and goodwill between enlightened bosses and staff. It really does not matter that I only manage to telecommute once a month or even less, due to meetings. What is important is knowing that I can exercise this option whenever necessary and that our bosses trust us and we will ensure the trust is reciprocated.”
Pei Ling, Strategic Policy Department
To find out more about PSD, please visit: http://www.psd.gov.sg
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