Remote working in Japan falls in July amid telework fatigue
The proportion of people working completely remotely in a recent week in July stood at 11.6%, down from 18.5% in April.
Philippine government prefers hybrid work model
A group of businessmen has urged the Inter-Agency Task Force to permit employees to go back to their workplaces once 80% of workers are vaccinated.
China creates 6.98 million urban jobs in H1’21
The surveyed urban unemployment rate averaged at 5.2%, down 0.6 percentage points year-on-year, as China’s economic recovery continues to gain pace.
Self-employment among women in New Zealand rises
The country’s statistics department Stats NZ said the number of self-employed women increased 13.9% year-on-year to 143,500 in March.
Australia’s unemployment rate falls to 4.9% in June
However, underemployment crept up by 0.5% to 7.9% as the economy responded to lockdowns in the states of Victoria and New South Wales.
South Korea’s labour market recovers with 582,000 jobs added
In June, the country added 582,000 jobs year-on-year, marking four consecutive months of growth in employment numbers.
Thailand approves 42 billion baht COVID-19 stimulus package
The financial aid will apply to companies in the sectors of construction, hotels, food services, art, entertainment and recreation in affected provinces.
Japan to raise average minimum wage by 3.1%
The labour ministry has recommended raising the national average minimum wage by 3.1% to 930 yen (US$8.43) per hour.
Over 50% of gig workers in New Zealand earn below minimum wage
Some 30% of gig workers estimated their hourly wage after expenses to be between NZ$18.90 and 2021’s scheduled minimum wage of NZ$20.
Embracing Industry 4.0 technologies to enable business transformation
Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Manpower Minister, urged manufacturing firms in Singapore, especially SMEs, to continue to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies.
Mastering the art of change from within by unlocking new capabilities
HR Tech Festival Asia Online 2021 will provide key insights into how organisations can strengthen their ability to drive change into the future of work.
South Korea raises minimum wage for 2022
The Minimum Wage Commission (MWC) has set the country’s minimum wage for next year at 9,160 won (US$8) per hour.
Malaysia doles out additional RM$500 aid to small businesses
The payout will be on top of the RM$1,000 assistance which was credited to the companies’ bank accounts in mid-June this year.
Australian state offers financial aid to businesses amid lockdown
The New South Wales (NSW) and federal governments have announced a financial assistance package to keep businesses afloat.
Pandemic hits women-led businesses harder than their male counterparts
In the hospitality sector, women-led firms saw a 68% fall in anticipated sales, a higher figure compared to men-led firms, reported the World Bank.
Lockdowns hamper job gains in the Philippines
The Department of Finance (DOF) has said lockdowns caused by new variants of COVID-19 will slow the recovery of job gains.
SOPs should still apply to fully vaccinated workers in Malaysia
The Malaysian Employers Federation also proposed the set up of a platform to record, monitor and report adverse events related to the COVID-19 vaccinations.
Singapore needs to create more jobs in the face of competition
The government has been urged to balance the employment needs of local workers while remaining open to foreign investment and manpower
South Korea trails APAC neighbours in female employment rate
South Korea ranks 30th place out of 36 OECD countries, and falls behind Japan, New Zealand, and Australia.
HR redefined: What does next generation HR look like?
HR Tech Festival Asia Online 2021 will take a deep dive into leadership and other key HR functions that will shape the future of work
Singapore reviews measures for workplace discrimination
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), together with unions and employer groups, will review the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices
Malaysia allocates RM$3.8 billion to extension of wage subsidy scheme
The programme is to be implemented for four months from August 1st, and would be open to all economic sectors in the first two months.
New law on workplace disaster opposed in South Korea
Employer groups are opposing a new law that will allow CEOs to be punished, even by imprisonment, for serious workplace disasters.
Fewer Australians leaving their jobs amid the pandemic
Both men and women are less likely to leave their jobs for family reasons, as they juggled more childcare with work from home commitments.
China seeks to protect rights of workers in flexible employment
The government is working out new laws to protect the rights of workers, especially those in flexible employment.
Malaysian business and trade groups warn of looming mass unemployment
The alliance urged the government to change its strategy as very little improvement has been made with regards to the COVID-19 case daily tally.
New Zealand officials opposes Labour’s Fair Pay Agreement proposal
Some government officials are rejecting Labour’s Fair Pay Agreement (FPA) plan in favour of tightening existing employment laws.
Australia’s Victoria state trials sick leave for casual workers
Consultation for the trial programme will open this month, and the scheme is slated to start in early 2022.
DOLE identifies ‘safe’ establishments in the Philippines
Business owners have been urged to get safety seals for their establishments in the country’s efforts to re-open the economy.
Singapore aims to add at least 20,000 jobs in infocomm media
Last year, economic contributions from the sector had already expanded by 4.8%, as digitalisation gains pace in Singapore.