Australian and New Zealand businesses pressured over misuse of COVID-19 subsidies
More than 17,000 businesses in New Zealand have voluntarily repaid NZ$524 million in subsidies.
Malaysia aims to train new generation of tech leaders
PM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the country’s technology-based agencies and companies must be headed by leaders who are technical professionals.
Thai commerce chamber urges extension of economic stimulus
The tourism subsidy package will run until Jan 31 next year, while a separate co-payment scheme will end on Dec 31.
Japan: Govt approves 3rd fiscal stimulus amid surge in COVID-19 cases
Japan’s cabinet has approved a third round of fiscal stimulus of about 73.6 trillion yen (US$706 billion) to deal with the economic impact from the pandemic.
Australian government rolls out new measures to strengthen casual worker rights
The country employs 2.6 million casual workers, with 1.35 million of them working regular shifts.
Female managers still under-represented in South Korea
Women formed only 20.9% of managers in 2,486 organisations in the country, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labour.
China’s civil service exam attracted over 1.58 million jobseekers, for 85,000 open roles
The test typically covers aptitudes such as language proficiency, document writing and policy analysis.
Cambodia: Govt issues stricter COVID-19 measures for factories
The Ministry of Labour has set new risk-management rules to contain the pandemic in factories and businesses after a surge of cases on November 28th.
57% of Singapore’s publicly listed firms have sufficient cash to repay short-term debt: MAS
The proportion of SMEs that are vulnerable is about 30 percentage points higher than larger firms.
Foreign investments to create 3 million new jobs in the Philippines
Three million new jobs may be created with US$50 billion of new foreign direct investments (FDI) entering the country.
Taiwan hires fewer workers aged 50 and above
The labour participation rate of people aged 50 and above is found to be significantly lower than that of Japan, South Korea and the US.
Resident employment rate and median income dip in Singapore
The employment rate of residents aged 25 to 64, the bulk of whom are in their prime working age, fell to 80.3% from 80.8% in 2019.
Japan’s October unemployment rate rises to three-year high of 3.1%
However, Japan’s job availability ratio improved, with 104 job openings for every 100 jobseekers as the economy begins a gradual recovery.
Stranded foreign nationals in Japan can now work part time
The Justice Ministry is relaxing work restrictions for foreigners, either as students or on other visa statuses, who are stuck in the country.
South Korean female workers in non-regular jobs hit record high of 4.09 million
Non-regular jobs include temporary jobs, contract jobs, and other roles with low job security.
Remote working in India enables companies to hire from smaller cities
Companies now have the option to hire contract staff from Tier 2 and 3 cities as working from home becomes more prevalent and accepted.
SMEs can now apply for financing of up to RM$500,000: Malaysia’s central bank
The financing will have a tenure of up to 7 years, and a repayment moratorium of at least 6 months.
Capella Singapore, The Club Residences offers luxurious stay-in experience
Capella Singapore, The Club Residences, is the HRM Asia Editor’s Choice for Best Serviced Apartment.
South Korea: Govt advises SMEs to prep for shorter working week
The Ministry of Labor and Employment will implement the 52-hour cap on the working week for SMEs as scheduled.
Japan to extend jobs subsidy until February 2021
The subsidy scheme covers part of leave allowances firms pay to furloughed workers, subsidising up to ¥15,000 (US$144) per day.
Hong Kong govt staff to WFH for the third time this year
Chief executive Carrie Lam has announced sweeping measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, ordering all government employees to work from home (WFH).
Financial institutions in Singapore aim to create 1,800 new roles and 2,000 traineeships by June 2021
A survey conducted by MAS polled over 30 firms on their projected hiring for the next 12 months.
Building workforce capabilities and resilience for the future
Over 100 CHROs attended CHRO Online Singapore, which shared insights on how organisations can identify workforce capabilities and fostering workplace resilience.
Singapore civil servants will not get year-end bonus, some in private sector following suit
The Public Service Division (PSD) has announced that civil servants will not get any year-end bonus.
Malaysia imposes mandatory Covid-19 screening for foreign workers
From December 1, the HR Ministry will carry out targeted COVID-19 screening for foreign workers in zones with a high occurrence of cases.
India: 50% of Delhi public employees to WFH
From next week, except for senior officials, half of the capital city’s government staff will start to work from home (WFH).
Japan government conducts exams for mid-career jobseekers to enter public sector
A total of 5,634 applicants sat for the exams, competing for 157 positions.
Indonesia needs to boost HR and R&D in manufacturing
Manufacturing, the largest contributor to the country’s GDP, will play a big role in economic recovery, and government support will be key.
Malaysia’s dedicated jobs programme has helped 120,000 jobseekers
Over 500,000 vacancies have been posted on the national jobs platform, with more than 400,000 job seekers visiting the site every day.
India sets new rules for staggered office hours, night curfews
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has updated its guidelines to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.