Raffles Institution

Winning Year: 2011
Industry: Education
Location: Singapore
Website: www.ri.edu.sg
Employees: 545; Percentage over age 50: 15.6

Raffles Institution, a secondary school, promotes alternative work options to meet employees' work and family commitments and to accommodate individual health conditions. In addition, Raffles has created a comprehensive strategy for promoting the health and well-being of its staff. The strategy includes health and eye screenings, health counseling and information, healthy food options, gym access, sports programs, and reimbursement of up to $1,500 for spending on anything that promotes health or work-life balance.

See also: How the 2011 Best Employers winners were selected.

Lifelong Learning and Training: All employees, including mature workers, are involved in individual work plans and learning needs analysis. Together with the identified career development plan, relevant development programs are then designed for the employees. For instance, a library staff member, age 59, was trained in basic computer application skills and Standard English for communication.

The institution emphasizes innovation, learning and achievement of organization strategic goals by identifying new engines of growth to provide opportunities for all employees to reach peaks of excellence.

Flexible Work Arrangements: Under certain circumstances, employees can opt for our part-time schemes, which consist of partial work load, flexible working hours or compressed work weeks. Depending on the nature of the work commitment, employees are also given the flexibility to report for duty at staggered times as long as they fulfill the stipulated working hours per week, with the approval of a supervisor.

Employees are given more than the stipulated paid national leave of Singapore. For instance, employees are given child care leave with medical certification for children up to 12 years old instead of the national standard of 7. Employees are also given up to 10 additional days per year, besides their annual leave, to attend to their needs.

Health Promotion and Protection: The Staff Welfare Committee (SWC) promotes and organizes activities categorized in three broad areas: health and well-being, bonding and interest driven activities. In addition to the daily provision of biscuits and beverages, they also provide fresh fruit for their employees.

Next: Fitness activities such as yoga, kick-boxing and more. >>