Progressive bosses key to success of enhanced parental leave scheme

They will be instrumental in managing expectations of all employees: Indranee

- Natasha Ann Zachariah

Progressive employers, line managers and human resources (HR) departments will be instrumental in the success of a plan to expand the parental leave scheme and in managing the expectations of all employees, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah.

In turn, parents who want to take time off work to look after their newborn babies should provide their employers with advance notice to help with planning. They could also offer to onboard the people covering their workload, she added.

Pointing out that the Government “will pick up the tab” for employees on the mandated government-paid paternity leave, Ms Indranee said employers can consider giving extra pay to the colleagues who take on the additional workload to ensure fairness.

"But you need really good HR for this," said Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development. "You need an HR (department) which can manage this, and have that negotiation, conversation, compromise, and a more flexible workplace."

Ms Indranee was on The Usual Place, a podcast by The Straits Times, on Aug 30 to discuss changes in paternity leave and the increase in shared parental leave key announcements in Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's National Day Rally speech on Aug 18.