CEP Busnesses & Unons Cluster The Communty Engagement Programme (CEP) seeks to strengthen the understandng and tes between people of dfferent races and relgons, and encourage dfferent sectors of the socety to pck up sklls and knowledge n copng wth emergences. The Busnesses and Unons Cluster s one of the fve communty clusters* that contrbute to the CEP. The Cluster ams to buld socally harmonous and secure workplaces. Ths s done through promotng understandng, respect and bondng between dfferent communtes, as well as strengthenng preparedness and reslence of workplaces for stuatons that may affect harmonous workng relatonshps. For more nformaton about the Busnesses and Unons Cluster, contact us at: Tel: 6692 5464 Fax: 6535 4811 Emal: mom_cep@mom.gov.sg Webste: www.sngaporeunted.sg www.mom.gov.sg/cep * The Mnstry of Home Affars s the overall coordnatng agency for the Communty Engagement Programme. The followng fve cluster are nvolved n the CEP: Cluster Relgous and Communty-Based Organsatons, and Cultural Groups Educatonal Insttutons Meda and Academcs Grassroots Organsatons Busnesses and Unons Supportng Agency Mnstry of Culture, Communty and Youth Mnstry of Educaton Mnstry of Communcatons and Informaton People s Assocaton Mnstry of Manpower
contents 1 Introducton 2 2 Identfy Rsks to Harmonous Relatons at the Workplace 4 3 Buld an Inclusve, Harmonous and Reslent Workplace 10 3.1 Promote Understandng and Respect for Dfferent Cultural Practces and Customs 11 3.2 Adopt Far Employment Practces 15 3.3 Handle Grevances Effectvely 16 3.4 Establsh Effectve Means of Communcaton 18 3.5 Be Open and Senstve 21 4 Be Prepared for Events that May Adversely Affect Workplace Harmony 22 5 Concluson 32 6 Resources 34 6.1 Workplace Reslence Checklst for Busnesses 35 6.2 Sample Templates and Forms 42 6.2.1 Formng a Crss Response Team 42 6.2.2 Database of Important Contacts 48 (A) Employees Detals 49 (B) Important Organsatons, Servces and Authortes 51 6.2.3 Alert and Contact Systems 52 6.3 Contacts of CEP Lason Offcers 55 6.4 Useful Lnks 56 IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 1
Introducton Workplaces n Sngapore face new challenges every day. In today s globalsed world, employers need to deal wth an ncreasngly dverse workforce wth employees of dfferent natonaltes, cultures and belefs. In addton, wth the reemployment of older workers up to 65 years and beyond, there are now dfferent generatons of employees workng together. At the same tme, the Internet and the extensve use of new meda platforms, such as socal networkng stes, have brought about greater connectvty and changed the way people communcate. In the face of these new dynamcs, workplaces need to be better prepared for crses as well as other challenges that may adversely affect employees at the workplace. Dealng wth such stuatons at the workplace requres more than just a busness contnuty plan that focuses on nfrastructure and emergency escape routes. There s a need to focus more on buldng mutual understandng and trust, strengthenng relatonshps and developng approprate plans that can help ensure workplace reslence and harmony at all tmes. 2
Accordng to a Communty Engagement Programme (CEP) Survey conducted by the Busnesses and Unons Cluster n 2009, 73% of the employers surveyed have some form of emergency response plans n place. However, the majorty of these plans consst of backup facltes and IT systems. Fewer than half of these employers have measures that address employees anxetes and concerns or deal wth ther grevances. Employers should pay close attenton to employees anxetes and grevances and ncorporate approprate plans and programmes to properly manage these ssues. If not addressed properly, negatve emotons could escalate nto workplace tensons and potentally lead to more serous workplace problems that wll affect the organsaton s operatons and bottom lne. Desgned for CEOs, human resource practtoners, emergency response teams and lne managers, ths CEP Implementaton Gude for Employers ams to help organsatons buld a reslent and unted workforce, one that can weather serous busness dsruptons together. By ncorporatng ntatves that foster mutual respect and understandng as part of your organsaton s busness plans, you wll strengthen your organsaton s preparedness and help boost your employees morale and busness productvty. The gude wll also provde some practcal steps and ntatves that you can adopt and customse accordng to your organsaton s needs, to help you buld a more reslent and unted team. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 3
2Identfy Rsks to Harmonous Relatons at the Workplace To dentfy the rsks that could affect your workforce and cause busness dsruptons, you need to have a thorough understandng of your busness envronment and the profle of your workforce. By antcpatng these rsks, you wll be able to better deal wth events and stuatons that may adversely affect harmonous workng relatons at your workplace. You need to dentfy and understand the rsks your organsaton may face and evaluate them. There s no sngle rght way. When assessng these rsks, you should consder a range of factors. Some of these could be: Nature of your busness and your busness model Sze and profle of your workforce Geographcal locaton(s), ncludng overseas offces or subsdares (f any) The envronment wthn whch your busness operates IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 5
Some questons that can help you consder the mpact of the rsks and assess your organsaton s level of preparedness are as follows: Identfyng Rsks and Understandng Ther Impact on Harmonous Relatons at the Workplace You may wsh to rank the dentfed rsks as low, medum or hgh. What are some of the possble events and stuatons that can negatvely affect my busness and staff? How wll my employees psychologcal and emotonal needs be affected by such events or stuatons? Whch of these have a greater mpact on my busness and staff? Prortsng Crtcal Busness Functons What are some of the functons that are crtcal to my busness? How would the falure or dsrupton of these functons affect my employees and the allocaton of staff resources? 6
Developng Effectve and Relevant Preparedness Plans Are there exstng plans that wll help ensure that workplace relatons reman calm, harmonous and reslent, and that crtcal functons can contnue to operate smoothly or resume quckly n crses or stuatons that may adversely affect my employees at the workplace? These could nclude: Programmes and actvtes that promote an nclusve and harmonous workng envronment Plans that keep employees regularly nformed of developments durng a crss Programmes and plans that are amed at seekng regular feedback and addressng employees grevances quckly and approprately Provson of addtonal arrangements to support affected employees, mprove and motvate performance.e. mplementaton of flexble work arrangements, regular and effectve nternal communcaton procedures, avalablty of psychologcal counsellng servces for employees and socal support groups IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 7
An llustraton of some rsks that could adversely affect your busness and workforce: Rsks that Threaten Harmonous Relatons at the Workplace External Rsks Crss or communal events overseas that may spll over nto Sngapore and adversely affect relatons amongst employees at the workplace Internal Rsks Dscrmnatory and unfar organsatonal practces Lack of proper grevance handlng procedures Msmanagement of a dverse workforce How Do These Rsks Impact Your Workforce Dsrupts harmonous state of relatons at the workplace Adverse mpacts on emotonal well-beng (.e. fear and anxety) Hgh turnover Low morale among employees Low productvty 8
Dfferent organsatons wll take very dfferent approaches to managng smlar rsks. Havng dentfed the rsks, you should subsequently make a consdered choce about your organsaton s responses to them. You may also want to take nto account other factors such as: Probablty and the potental mpact Cost Feasblty Legal and busness oblgatons Customers expectatons You should also regularly revew the lst of dentfed rsks, to montor whether the rsk profle s changng, gan assurance that rsk management s effectve, and dentfy and mplement further acton f necessary. The next secton wll hghlght some ntatves that you can consder mplementng to enhance workplace relatons and reslence. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 9
3Buld an Inclusve, Harmonous and Reslent Workplace by adoptng some of the good practces outlned n ths secton. It s mportant to buld an nclusve, harmonous and reslent workplace, regardless of your organsaton s sze or the ndustry that you are n. The efforts requred to reap the benefts of a more cohesve workforce need not be resource-ntensve. You can begn 3.1 PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT FOR DIFFERENT CULTURAL PRACTICES AND CUSTOMS Core Values Every organsaton has ts own core values. These reflect what s mportant to the organsaton and could shape employees behavour. By ncludng values such as respect and nclusveness nto your organsaton s core values, you are recognsng the mportance of these values and encouragng your employees to put them nto practce when they nteract wth one another. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 11
The management should also lead by example by upholdng and practsng these core values. Ths wll further emphasse and demonstrate to employees the mportance of such values to your organsaton. The management can also dentfy ambassadors among themselves to champon and lead a team to develop and mplement programmes that are amed at promotng nclusveness, harmony and reslence at the workplace. Examples of Core Values: Trust Inclusveness Respect Farness Dversty Teamwork Harmony Reslence Unty Equalty Empathy Care and concern among colleagues Programmes that Promote Inclusveness, Harmony and Reslence To nstll and renforce values such as mutual understandng, respect and nclusveness at the workplace, varous actvtes can be organsed to help employees better understand one another s cultures, relgous belefs and customs. Ths also helps prevent msunderstandngs. 12
You can consder these ntatves: Festve celebratons that go beyond just feastng but also nclude the sharng of cultural tradtons and customs. For example, durng a tea celebraton for Har Raya Puasa or Md-Autumn Festval, you can nvte your colleagues to share the customs and meanngs behnd the festval whle they feast. Celebraton of Racal Harmony Day whch falls on 21 July every year. Ths allows your staff to reflect on Sngapore s racal and relgous harmony. On ths day, some organsatons n Sngapore encourage ther employees to dress n ther ethnc costumes and feature ther tradtonal delcaces and games n the celebratons. Interactve workshops and lunchtme talks on crosscultural apprecaton and nterpersonal communcaton. These tranng sessons not only buld understandng of dfferent communcaton styles across varous cultures, they also help day-to-day nteractons among employees and reduce conflcts. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 13
Regular teambuldng and bondng sessons that renforce the organsaton s core values and foster unty and teamwork, whch n turn contrbute to optmal team performance. Inducton programmes that hghlght the organsaton s core values, dfferent cultural practces among the communty, as well as the need for mutual understandng and respect among colleagues. Vsts to places of worshp to promote and broaden understandng of the dfferent relgous and cultural perspectves. 14
3.2 ADOPT FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES If your employees feel that they are dscrmnated aganst or are not treated wth farness and respect, they wll feel dscontented and tensons can smmer. Such tensons can lead to dsharmony and conflcts at the workplace, affectng employees morale and productvty. As a result, your employees wll not be as reslent and unted n a crss. Conversely, when your employees are treated farly and wth respect, they feel valued and wll be more motvated to do ther best for your organsaton. A motvated and harmonous workforce s lkely to stand unted and help the company tde through crses. The followng are some examples of far employment practces you can adopt to mnmse the occurrence of nterpersonal conflcts: Hrng based on mert rather than on based crtera that are rrelevant to the job Rewardng employees objectvely based on ther performance and contrbutons Provdng equal opportuntes for employees to be consdered for tranng and development IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 15
3.3 HANDLE GRIEVANCES EFFECTIVELY When grevances and conflcts arse at the workplace, you should act quckly to address them approprately and effectvely. If dsputes are left to smmer wthout beng addressed adequately or are msmanaged, they could lead to more serous workplace ssues that would adversely affect employees morale, workplace relatons and productvty. Therefore, your organsaton should have n place a sound grevance handlng procedure to address such ssues. Ths s especally mportant durng a crss, as the shock from the stuaton and the lack of complete, accurate and factual nformaton may gve rse to crculatng rumours and feelngs of unease and anxety among employees. In such a stuaton, exstng and unresolved grevances could escalate nto more serous msunderstandngs and conflcts. 16
When puttng n place such grevance handlng procedures, the followng are mportant: Ensure that all employees are aware of the avalable feedback channels n the organsaton. Employees should know what to do and who they can approach to rase such ssues and concerns. Such nformaton can be ncluded n the organsaton s employee handbooks, the Intranet and the notce board. Ensure that stakeholders who are nvolved n the grevance handlng process are traned wth such relevant practcal sklls. These stakeholders can nclude the management, human resource practtoners and lne managers. It s also mportant for them to be aware of ther workforce profle and the senstvtes nvolved when workng n a culturally dverse envronment, so that they are better equpped to perform ther roles when addressng grevances. Dependng on the nature of the grevance, employees may fnd t more comfortable to confde n someone who s of the same race, relgon or gender. When selectng the pool of managers to handle grevances, t s advsable to nclude people of dfferent races, relgons and gender. Your organsaton should learn from past ncdents and take steps to prevent them from happenng agan. You should also be mndful of any spllover effects that may affect the morale and relatonshps among employees. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 17
Sgns of potental conflcts between ndvduals or groups of employees nclude: Smmerng tensons between ndvduals or groups of employees over nnocuous ncdents Frequent ncdences of conflcts among employees e.g. heated arguments, quarrels, fghts Colleagues are not on talkng terms Colleagues contradct and bad-mouth one another Colleagues delberately undermne or do not cooperate wth one another Clques meet to dscuss ssues n prvate A group s beng left out by others delberately Sudden spke n leave of absence Low morale 3.4 ESTABLISH EFFECTIVE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION Durng peacetme and durng emergences, effectve communcatons n an organsaton should nclude both topdown and bottom-up processes. Feedback channels should be made readly avalable for employees to surface ssues and concerns. Ths wll allow the management, lne managers and supervsors to be aware of the sentments at the workplace and be nformed of any grevances that may be smmerng. 18
There are many ways your organsaton can gather feedback from your employees. Some common ones nclude: Employee satsfacton surveys Performance apprasals Ext ntervews Informal tea sessons wth the management These platforms allow your employees to rase personal ssues, problems and grevances. They also enable employees to nform the management on other developments and conflcts that may be smmerng at the workplace. Ths gves the organsaton more tme to resolve the ssues before they escalate nto more serous problems. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 19
You may also wsh to engage opnon leaders wthn the organsaton. They may be unon leaders, managers or rank-and-fle employees who have good rapport wth ther colleagues. These nformal networks of trust are valuable platforms that you can tap on as they can help to: Montor the workplace and pre-empt conflcts Provde useful feedback on ssues and concerns Counsel and nfluence ther peers and help resolve conflcts Dspel any rumours and help convey accurate nformaton to ther colleagues durng a crss The management should also regularly communcate to employees the developments and plans that they may have for ther organsaton and the employees. Ths s especally crucal durng a crss. The transparent communcaton of plans and nformaton related to the crss can help play an mportant role n allayng any rumours, msunderstandngs, anxetes and concerns among the employees. 20
3.5 BE OPEN AND SENSITIVE Everyone apprecates a workng envronment where the organsatonal culture and practces are nclusve, and colleagues show care and respect towards one another. The key s to be open and senstve to everyone s needs. Here are some suggestons you can consder mplementng: Include representatves of dfferent races, relgons and natonaltes n your welfare or recreatonal commttees Consder and accommodate whenever possble your employees needs that arse from ther racal or relgous customs For example: Respectng the detary requrements that employees may have due to ther relgous belefs. For corporate events, avod caterng food that they are unable to consume whenever possble. Avod havng meetngs or events on festve holdays so that all employees can partcpate. Avod usng words and actons that could be deemed as offensve. For example, do not stereotype others based on hs/her races or relgons or make fun of ther relgous belefs and practces. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 21
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4Be Prepared for Events that May Adversely Affect Workplace Harmony Employees are crtcal assets to any organsaton. In addton to physcal health and safety rsks, they can also suffer psychologcal trauma and emotonal dstress. Durng crses, they could have strong emotons of fear and anxety as well as concerns about ther job securty. They could also experence low morale, whch could lead to lower productvty. More nformaton on Formng a Crss Response Team can be found n Secton 6: Resources (page 42) Hence where relevant, your organsaton should have ready and effectve preparedness plans to mtgate the adverse mpact of major nternatonal/local events or stuatons on the harmonous workng relatons among your employees, and on ther emotonal well-beng. Plans that support and help employees deal wth the stuatons can help mantan reslence durng dffcult tmes, mnmse dsruptons to busness operatons and facltate qucker resumpton to normal operatons. When developng these plans, a cross-sectonal Crss Response Team that nvolves personnel across management and operatonal functons can help ensure that such plans are well conceved, up-to-date and could be well executed when requred. Examples of plans that help to address employees needs and emotons nclude flexble work arrangements, crss communcaton plans and the avalablty of support networks. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 23
Flexble Work Arrangements Flexble work arrangements can be an effectve way to ensure mnmal dsruptons to busness operatons. Such arrangements could also allow employees to take some tme off work to recover emotonally or to attend to famly needs. You could also mplement flexble work arrangements as part of your organsaton s efforts to cut costs and save jobs durng severe economc recessons or n stuatons when the vablty of the busness s at rsk. You can consder mplementng the followng arrangements, n consultaton wth workers or unons (f your company s unonsed): Allowng employees to take ther annual leave Grantng employees tme-off Askng employees to utlse ther chldcare leave (e.g. f there s an ongong crss that affects your employees chldren, such as H1N1 flu pandemc) Consder grantng no-pay leave f employees have utlsed all ther leave enttlement Implementng part-tme arrangements that help retan jobs whle mnmsng costs for your organsaton Communcaton Plans It s mportant that employees are kept nformed and are regularly updated n a tmely manner. Ths wll help allay fears and anxetes and quell crculatng rumours that could adversely affect employees morale and lead to msunderstandngs and conflcts. 24
Sample templates for recordng mportant contact nformaton can be found n Secton 6: Resources, under Database of Important Contacts (page 48) To enable your organsaton to nform and update your employees quckly and effectvely, you should consder ncorporatng the followng elements nto your communcaton plans: Essental contact detals, ncludng: Contact numbers, emals and addresses of all employees and ther next-of-kn Names and contact detals of employees who are traned n grevance handlng and counsellng Important contact detals such as for the polce, counsellng hotlnes and key unon representatves These mportant contact detals should be revewed and updated regularly. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 25
Some examples are provded n Secton 6: Resources, under Alert and Contact Systems (page 52) Establsh procedures to dssemnate accurate nformaton Outlne the flow of nformaton to ensure every key stakeholder n your organsaton s kept nformed and updated regularly Include key ponts of contacts, such as the management and representatves from each of the crss response teams Alert and contact systems can help your organsaton quckly and effectvely contact and send messages to a large number of employees. Draw up postons or nformaton sheets to address employees concerns Durng a crss, t s essental that employees concerns are managed properly. The management should address these concerns quckly and approprately, provde assurance and take steps to rally employees and foster unty at the workplace. You can consder drawng up sutable key messages that convey empathy, assurance and soldarty wth the employees as part of your organsaton s communcaton plans. Some tps and suggestons to consder when developng such draft messages are as follows: 26
Issues to address What can you do? Example Emotons (such as fear and anxety) Show empathy and understandng to your employees Assure employees of your organsaton s commtment to resolve the crss to the best of ts abltes Ths crss has been a dffcult experence for us. We all feel the mpact from ths ncdent. We wll support each other and work together to resolve the stuaton as soon as possble. Apart from the counsellng servces that are avalable, the organsaton s takng the followng steps... Stuatonal and job concerns (such as job securty) Encourage your employees to surface ther concerns Reassure your employees by expressng commtment to address ther concerns If you have any concerns, do approach your supervsors or any of the senor management staff. We are commtted to seeng our organsaton through ths stuaton. We are dong everythng possble to ensure that busness operatons proceed as normal and your employment s not affected. Morale of employees The management takes the lead to rally and unte employees Provde nformaton and updates on the stuaton regularly Ths crss has affected every one of us, regardless of race, relgon or natonalty. Let us work together to pull through ths crss and help each other cope wth the mpact from ths ncdent. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 27
If your organsaton s unonsed, you may consder workng wth unon representatves when developng your crss communcaton plans and when drawng up key messages to employees. Unons and employers should work together to rally employees and calm emotons. You can also consder drawng up n advance draft nformaton crculars for your employees, for quck dssemnaton f requred. These can contan useful nformaton such as advce on how they can cope wth the emotonal and psychologcal mpact as well as the support and assstance channels that are avalable. Sample of an nformaton crcular/sheet on managng emotonal mpact n the aftermath of a terrorst attack Ths crss has been a dffcult tme for all of us. You may experence the followng as a result of the ncdent: Feelngs of wthdrawal, dsconnectedness, fear, anger and gref Confuson, dsorentaton and dffculty n concentratng Dffculty n sleepng and loss of appette Feelngs of solaton, conflct wth colleagues, frends and famly Please be assured that ths s normal. Let us rally together to tde through ths dffcult tme and support one another. Wth everyone s efforts and support, we can overcome any problems and return the stuaton to normal as soon as possble. Should you requre assstance or advce, do not hestate to approach your colleagues: Lst contact detals of persons whom they can approach for support servces such as grevance handlng and counsellng * Ths s only an example. Employers should customse ths crcular accordng to your organsatons needs. Ths ncludes obtanng the latest updates from offcal sources, as and when necessary. 28
Socal Support Network Employees are lkely to feel anxous and fearful durng a crss. The support of frends and colleagues wll ncrease ther sense of securty and help them cope wth the stuaton. Human resource managers, lne managers/supervsors and selected employees can be dentfed and be traned n counsellng, so that they can support ther peers and help them cope wth the emotonal trauma and stress when a crss occurs. Regularly Test and Revew Your Plans Crss preparedness plans are more effectve f employees are aware of and are famlar wth them. It s thus mportant that regular exercses are conducted to test these plans. Ths also ensures that these processes and procedures are contnuously mproved and reman relevant. The followng lst ncludes some common types of smulaton exercses that you can consder mplementng. These exercses may not be as resource-ntensve and tme-consumng as they appear to be. You can adapt deas from these examples and customse smulaton exercses accordng to your organsaton s needs. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 29
Some common types of smulaton exercses that you can consder are: Type of exercse Tabletop exercse What s t? A tabletop exercse s desgned to assess the level of preparedness of the staff nvolved, as well as the relevance of exstng plans, polces and procedures when respondng to the mpact of a possble emergency. The exercse can begn wth the smulaton of an ncdent that has dsrupted smooth busness operatons. Possble supplementary scenaros can also be njected durng the exercse to test the dfferent aspects of the plans. Example: A major fre has occurred and operatons have been dsrupted. Teams are requred to come up wth mtgaton measures wth reference to your crss response plans. Possble scenaros can nclude, for example, one that nvolve employees sufferng from psychologcal trauma and emotonal dstress.. Case study A case study s a detaled examnaton and analyss of an event or ncdent. It enables teams to better understand the crcumstances that have led to the event and the relevant learnng ponts that could be used to mprove ther own plans. Example: The crss communcatons team s requred to dscuss the areas n whch the organsaton, ABC, has done well when respondng to a crss and the areas of mprovement. 30
Role-playng Role-playng s an actvty-based exercse where relevant staff can rehearse and act out ther roles n response to a smulated scenaro. Role-playng can help relevant staff famlarse themselves wth ther respectve roles. It s also useful for tranng that nvolves varous partes (e.g. n a grevance handlng stuaton) as t provdes ample opportuntes for practce and coordnaton. Example: An employee s requred to take on the role of an aggreved employee, whle hs colleague wll take on the role of the conclator. The conclator should resolve the matter by followng the organsaton s grevance handlng polces and procedures whle applyng the soft sklls and knowledge acqured durng tranng sessons. Drll A drll s an exercse that helps the organsaton practse what to do n an emergency. Organsatons that are vulnerable to rsks (such as fre, exploson and chemcal attacks) can conduct drlls to famlarse employees wth escape routes and safety procedures. Example: A chemcal leak has occurred n a manufacturng plant. All employees are requred to evacuate to a safe gatherng pont n accordance wth the plan. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 31
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5Concluson Events and stuatons that adversely affect harmonous workplace relatons can happen any tme. Your organsaton s ablty to weather them depends on the reslence of your workforce and how prepared your organsaton s. Such reslence and preparedness need to be bult up durng peacetme and cannot be taken for granted. To better safeguard and strengthen the reslence of your organsaton, you should address your employees needs n such stuatons. In ths gude, the practcal tps and suggestons provded wll help you buld a more nclusve, harmonous and reslent workplace. When plans, programmes and ntatves are n place, your organsaton wll be more ready to deal wth such workplace challenges effectvely. Tps on Buldng an Inclusve, Harmonous and Reslent Workplace Identfy Rsks to Harmonous Relatons at the Workplace Buld an Inclusve, Harmonous and Reslent Workplace Promote Understandng and Respect for Dfferent Cultural Practces and Customs Adopt Far Employment Practces Handle Grevances Effectvely Establsh Effectve Means of Communcaton Be Open and Senstve Be Prepared for Events that May Adversely Affect Workplace Harmony IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 33
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6Resources Ths secton ncludes a checklst and sample templates that you can use for developng preparedness plans and to enhance harmonous relatons at your workplace. 6.1 WORKPLACE RESILIENCE CHECKLIST FOR BUSINESSES Ths checklst wll help you put n place the approprate measures to boost your employees morale, and productvty and strengthen your organsaton s preparedness for serous busness dsruptons. The lst s meant to serve as a gude and s not exhaustve. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 35
WORKPLACE RESILIENCE CHECKLIST FOR BUSINESSES Indcate besde each CEP Reslence Measure whether your organsaton has a correspondng measure n place. In the Remarks column, note down the exstng measures or the plans to mplement some of these recommended ntatves. Buldng an Inclusve and Harmonous Workng Envronment CEP Reslence Measures 1. Your organsaton has n place a set of core values that outlnes ts commtment towards nclusveness and harmony at the workplace. e.g. core values may nclude respect, nclusvesness, trust, etc Yes/No Remarks/ Next Acton 2. Your organsaton organses actvtes and ntatves to promote bondng and mutual understandng regularly. e.g. celebratng ethnc festvals to enhance the awareness of the customs and practces of dfferent communtes 3. Far and nclusve human resource polces and employment terms are part of your organsaton s practces. e.g. hrng and rewardng employees based on ther contrbutons 36
4. Your organsaton has n place proper grevance handlng procedures to help your employees resolve grevances effectvely. e.g. havng a step-by-step process and planned measures for dfferent ssues 5. Your employees are well nformed of the grevance handlng procedures and the proper feedback channels they can use to resolve ther conflcts and dscontentment. e.g. nformng your employees through shared nternal platforms such as emals, posters, lunchtme talks and forums 6. Your organsaton s human resource staff, lne managers and key supervsors are traned n sklls essental for managng workplace relatons. e.g. grevance handlng, counsellng sklls, conflct management and medaton 7. Racal and relgous senstvtes of your employees are mportant consderatons when plannng for corporate functons. e.g. detary restrctons, dates of ethnc and/or relgous festvals IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 37
WORKPLACE RESILIENCE CHECKLIST FOR BUSINESSES Indcate besde each CEP Reslence Measure whether your organsaton has a correspondng measure n place. In the Remarks column, note down the exstng measures or the plans to mplement some of these recommended ntatves. Strengthenng Workforce Reslence Through Crss Preparedness Plans CEP Reslence Measures 8. Your organsaton has dentfed the possble rsks that could affect your employees and cause busness dsruptons. e.g. dentfyng external events and/or stuatons that may adversely affect harmonous workng relatonshps Yes/No Remarks/ Next Acton 9. Your organsaton s crss response plans nclude those dealng wth employees anxety and manpower allocaton. e.g. flexble workng arrangements to mtgate sgnfcant absence 10. Your organsaton has set up support groups to help your employees cope wth the emotonal mpact of crses and to preserve harmonous workplace relatons. e.g. settng up employee assstance programmes, nvolvng unon leaders (f your company s unonsed) and staff welfare groups n crss plannng 38
11. Your employees are well nformed of your organsaton s response plans and are famlar wth ther respectve roles. e.g. nducton programmes for new employees, nformaton crculars, forums and talks on the organsaton s response plans 12. Your organsaton holds smulaton exercses regularly to revew and update exstng response plans and to ensure ther robustness and relevance. e.g. tabletop exercses, role-playng exercses based on smulated crss scenaros, sharng case studes, drlls 13. Your organsaton has developed feedback channels for dentfyng and montorng rsks to workplace harmony. e.g. dscussons wth unon leaders (f your company s unonsed), regular nformal feedback or tea sessons wth supervsors and management, ext ntervews IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 39
WORKPLACE RESILIENCE CHECKLIST FOR BUSINESSES Indcate besde each CEP Reslence Measure whether your organsaton has a correspondng measure n place. In the Remarks column, note down the exstng measures or the plans to mplement some of these recommended ntatves. Communcatng Effectvely CEP Reslence Measures 14. Your organsaton has n place a crss communcaton team that s responsble for ensurng smooth and coordnated communcaton durng crses. Yes/No Remarks/ Next Acton 15. Your organsaton has n place nternal crss communcaton plans that nclude provdng for tmely updates and open channels to receve feedback. 16. Your organsaton has collected employee contacts and personal detals and updates them regularly for ease of contact durng an emergency. 17. Your organsaton has n place communcaton tools and supportng nfrastructure and has backed them up to facltate crss communcaton. 40
18. Your organsaton has dentfed sutable platforms and methods for communcatng nformaton quckly and relably to employees durng a crss. e.g. Intranet, emal crculars, mass SMS, call trees, lunch forums, organsed sharng sessons (nvolvng unon leaders, f your company s unonsed) 19. Your organsaton has prepared sutable key messages to address employee concerns, convey assurance and foster unty at the workplace. e.g. nformaton crculars to address the emotonal and psychologcal mpact on employees 20. Your organsaton has factored n communcaton plans that facltate postncdent recovery. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 41
6.2 SAMPLE TEMPLATES AND FORMS 6.2.1 Formng a Crss Response Team You can consder settng up a Crss Response Team to coordnate busness contngences. Ths team should partcpate actvely n the plannng process. The team should also be famlar wth the procedures so that t s able to respond effectvely to any busness dsrupton. Where possble, the Crss Response Team should be crosssectonal and nvolve staff from senor management as well as supervsory and operatonal levels. If your company s unonsed, unon leaders should also be nvolved. The roles and responsbltes of each functonal secton (and subsectons, f there are any) should be lad out clearly so that everyone nvolved understands hs/her role durng a crss. The Crss Response Team can also play an actve role n educatng staff about crss response procedures. It should regularly revew crss response plans and conduct exercses to test these plans. 42
Crss Response Team Roles and Responsbltes Crss Response Team Leader The team leader oversees and manages the plannng and mplementaton of crss response measures across functonal sectons n the organsaton. He/She wll provde leadershp durng busness contngences to ensure that the organsaton s response s well coordnated. Key Roles and Responsbltes: 1. Oversee and coordnate crss response plannng and mplementaton 2. Prepare senor management on crss response measures 3. Consult the crss response team and mplement approprate plans * You may customse the specfc roles and responsbltes of ths team accordng to your organsaton s needs. Team Leader Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: Alternatve Team Leader Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 43
Crss Response Team Roles and Responsbltes Crss Communcaton The crss communcaton team should help to develop and revew the organsaton s crss communcaton plans. Durng busness contngences, t should recommend approprate communcaton responses and manage both nternal and external communcaton. Key Roles and Responsbltes: 1. Meda management 2. Inform and update all staff of emergency stuatons and the correspondng measures 3. Develop prepared lnes and messages that could be used to address crss stuatons * You may customse the specfc roles and responsbltes of ths team accordng to your organsaton s needs. Secton Lead Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: Secton Members Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: 44
Crss Response Team Roles and Responsbltes Human Resource The human resource team should coordnate and mplement work arrangements to help mnmse dsruptons to core busness functons. Key Roles and Responsbltes: 1. Ensure payroll contnuty 2. Allocate manpower and mplement contngency and alternatve work arrangements 3. Ensure employees well-beng and harmonous workplace relatons 4. Recommend and coordnate programmes that support employees welfare and mantan good relatons and morale at the workplace 5. Arrange welfare and psychologcal support through varous platforms, e.g. nformal counsellng, semnars or forums 6. Gather feedback on employee concerns and anxetes 7. Work wth unons (f company s unonsed) * You may customse the specfc roles and responsbltes of ths team accordng to your organsaton s needs. Secton Lead Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: Secton Members Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 45
Crss Response Team Roles and Responsbltes Workplace Safety and Heath Ths team s responsble for employees physcal safety and health. It should mplement plans to mnmse damage or physcal harm to employees, e.g. evacuaton plans, safer work procedures. Key Roles and Responsbltes: 1. Assess and revew exstng rsks to workplace safety and health; manage them by establshng safe work procedures 2. Ensure that all staff are famlar wth safety procedures 3. Report ncdents to relevant authortes mmedately 4. Manage ssues related to workplace njures * You may customse the specfc roles and responsbltes of ths team accordng to your organsaton s needs. Secton Lead Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: Secton Members Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: 46
Crss Response Team Roles and Responsbltes Facltes Management and Operatons Ths team should coordnate wth dfferent departments n the organsaton to ensure the contnuty and/or recovery of facltes and supples needed for crtcal busness functons. Key Roles and Responsbltes: 1. Plan and prepare for dsruptons to facltes and operatons, e.g. utlty dsruptons, workplace accdents, buldng dsasters, crtcal supplers experencng a crss 2. Prepare for alternatve locatons, facltes and supples, e.g. alternatve work locatons and storage stes, and alternatve supplers, contractors and vendors 3. Back up crtcal records, computer systems and facltes * You may customse the specfc roles and responsbltes of ths team accordng to your organsaton s needs. Secton Lead Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: Secton Members Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: Name: Contact No.: Desgnaton: Alternatve Contact No.: IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 47
In addton to the varous areas that are suggested above, you can nclude other teams and representatves from dfferent busness unts who can play an mportant role n safeguardng the smooth operatons and vablty of your busness. 6.2.2 Database of Important Contacts You should consder creatng a database of mportant contacts needed for the contnuaton of your busness n the event of a dsrupton. Dfferent groups of mportant contacts should also be updated and revewed regularly, as the database can also serve as your emergency phone drectory. Such a database should be backed up regularly. Lsted below are some examples of the dfferent groups of nformaton that you can consder ncludng n your database of mportant contacts: Employees detals Contacts of prmary and alternatve supplers, contractors, vendors Contacts and nformaton of prmary customers Important organsatons and authortes e.g. counsellng centres, healthcare servces, chldcare/ eldercare facltes n the vcnty, and relevant government authortes Venue owners and ponts of contact for alternatve stes Unon contacts Meda contacts Included n ths secton are some examples and templates that you can use to create your organsaton s database of mportant contacts. 48
(A) Employees Detals A well organsed database of employees detals wll help your organsaton respond to emergences more effectvely and effcently. Ths nformaton can be used for alertng, nformng and moblsng employees quckly when requred. The example below s lad out as a form but you could also collate the nformaton nto a database. Where possble, you can make use of wdely avalable software to document and retreve the nformaton quckly when needed. It s also advsable to keep backup copes of the nformaton. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 49
Employee s Detals WORK-RELATED INFORMATION Employee ID: Name: Desgnaton: Dvson: Key Responsbltes: Offcal Work Hours: Work Locaton: Offce Telephone No.: Company-Issued Moble Phone No. (f any): Emal address: Emergency Sklls: e.g. sklls n crss preparedness such as CPR, frst ad, psychologcal counsellng, crss management, etc. PERSONAL AND FAMILY INFORMATION Home Address(es): Home Telephone No.: Personal Moble No.: Personal Emal Address(es): Avalablty of Internet Access at Home (Yes/No): Avalablty of Personal Vehcle (Yes/No): If no, usual mode(s) of transport: Emergency Contact 1: Name: Relatonshp: Offce Telephone No.: Home Telephone No.: Moble No.: Emergency Contact 2: Name: Relatonshp: Offce Telephone No.: Home Telephone No.: Moble No.: OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION Drug Allerges: Detary Restrctons: Specal Needs and Requrements: 50
(B) Important Organsatons, Servces and Authortes Organsaton Purpose/ Related Busness Functon Hotlne & Man Emal Contact Person(s): Polce Fre & Cvl Emergences Buldng & Constructon Agency Housng Development Board Town Councl Hosptal X Hosptal Y Unon Contact Emergency Counsellng Contact No. Contact Person s Emal Info Webste Address IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 51
6.2.3 Alert and Contact Systems (A) Call Trees See 6.2.2 (A) Employee s Detals A call tree can be used to contact people and convey nformaton durng emergences. It can help your organsaton reach a large number of your staff quckly f well-rehearsed. Ths contact method can also help to track or montor your employees safety and locatons. It can be easly created and customsed usng your employees names and emergency contact numbers. The dagram below shows an example of how a call tree works: INFRASTRUCTURE/ FACILITIES HEAD + Alternate IT HEAD + Alternate SALES & MARKETING HEAD + Alternate Infra Call Lst Leader Facltes Call Lst Leader Call Lst A Leader Call Lst B Leader Call Lst A Leader Call Lst B Leader Contact 1 Contact 1 Contact 1 Contact 1 Contact 1 Contact 1 Contact 2 Contact 2 Contact 2 Contact 2 Contact 2 Contact 2 Contact 3 Contact 3 Contact 3 Contact 3 Contact 3 Contact 3 52
Leaders of call lsts are responsble for contactng the employees n ther lst. They should thereafter report to the assgned heads of call lsts for each department. The heads can then relay the reported nformaton to the crss response coordnator, who wll then have an overvew of the latest employee stuaton durng serous busness dsruptons. Ths system s more effectve f the key contact nformaton s regularly updated and employees are famlar wth ths process. CRISIS RESPONSE COORDINATOR + Alternate TIP: Organse call lsts accordng to functonal work groups & keep the no. of people n each call lst manageable. Ths can help to ensure that the process s more effectve. HUMAN RESOURCE HEAD + Alternate CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS HEAD + Alternate CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM LEADER + Alternate Call Lst A Leader Call Lst B Leader Call Lst A Leader Call Lst B Leader Call Lst A Leader Call Lst B Leader Contact 1 Contact 1 Contact 1 Contact 1 Contact 1 Contact 1 Contact 2 Contact 2 Contact 2 Contact 2 Contact 2 Contact 2 Contact 3 Contact 3 Contact 3 Contact 3 Contact 3 Contact 3 IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 53
(B) Mass Contact Systems Lsted below are some types of automated mass contact systems that are avalable commercally. You may consder whch system best suts your organsaton s needs. Short Message Servce (SMS) The SMS can reach a large number of your employees who need to be quckly nformed of the stuaton, whle trackng ther safety and/or locaton. Ths s partcularly useful f nearly all or most of your employees carry moble phones and know how to read and reply to SMS. Mass Emalng System An automated mass emal wth Return Recept can send out more comprehensve nformaton and help your organsaton track the rate of contact. Ths system s more effectve for organsatons where many or most of the employees have been assgned laptops and/or work off-ste. Automated Call Tree An automated call tree helps convey messages to call recpents who wll hear a voce message upon pckng up the call. Vocemals A company vocemal system can help you nform customers, contractors, vendors, supplers and general callers when you are experencng and dealng wth a dsrupton n your busness. If the stuaton s expected to be protracted, the vocemal system can also help provde updates on the stuaton and drect calls elsewhere. 54
6.3 CEP LIAISON CONTACTS Trpartte Partners Lason Contacts Mnstry of Manpower (MOM) CEP Secretarat Tel: 6692 5464 Fax: 6535 4811 Emal: mom_cep@mom.gov.sg Natonal Trade Unons Congress (NTUC) Tel: 6213 8250 Fax: 6327 3753 Emal: ntucrd@ntuc.org.sg Sngapore Natonal Employers Federaton (SNEF) Tel: 6827 6955 Fax: 6733 1644 Emal: cep@snef.org.sg Sngapore Busness Federaton (SBF) Tel: 6827 6865/828 Fax: 6827 6801 Emal: cep@sbf.org.sg Assocaton of Small and Medum Enterprses (ASME) Tel: 6513 0388 Fax: 6513 0399 Emal: cep@asme.org.sg Sngapore Chnese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) Tel: 6337 8381 Fax: 6339 0605 Emal: cep@sccc.org.sg Sngapore Indan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) Tel: 6222 2855 Fax: 6223 1707 Emal: scc@scc.com Sngapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI) Tel: 6297 9296 Fax: 6392 4527 Emal: smcc.nfoc.cccccccc@smcc.org.sg IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS 55
6.4 USEFUL LINKS Informaton More about the Communty Engagement Programme Webste http://www.sngaporeunted.sg Communty Engagement Programme http://www.mom.gov.sg/cep Busnesses and Unons Cluster Latest nformaton on threats and emergency stuatons n Sngapore http://www.e101.gov.sg Far employment practces and grevance handlng http://www.faremployment.sg Natonal Busness Contnuty Management Programme http://www.bcm.org.sg 56
Produced by In partnershp wth All contents (ncludng mages and graphcs) n ths publcaton may not be used or reproduced, n part or whole, wthout the wrtten consent of the Mnstry of Manpower. 57
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