Workplace discrimination in Singapore falls again, but fewer people seek help: MOM

Workplace discrimination in Singapore has fallen again in 2023, according to the Ministry of Manpower's Fair Employment Practices report released on Tuesday (Sept 24).

In 2023, 6 per cent of employees faced workplace discrimination, down from 8.2 per cent in 2022, and 8.5 per cent in 2021.

Among job seekers, 23.4 per cent said they experienced discrimination, as compared to 23.8 per cent in 2022 and 25.8 per cent in 2021.

However, only 29.3 per cent of employees who experienced workplace discrimination sought help in 2023, down from 35.3 per cent the year before.

"This means that around seven in 10 who experienced workplace discrimination did not seek help," said MOM's director for the research and statistics department Ang Boon Heng.

The report also noted a general downward trend across all forms of workplace discrimination, including age, race, nationality, mental health, family status, sex, disability and religion.

In 2023, age was the most common form of workplace discrimination, affecting 2.6 per cent of employees. This was followed by race (1.7 per cent), nationality (1.6 per cent) and mental health (1.6%).

While MOM's analysis showed that having formal procedures to manage discrimination at work was effective in reducing the likelihood of experiencing age discrimination, employees are still apprehensive about seeking help.

The top reasons that employees cited for not doing so include fear of being marginalised at work or causing work relations to sour (24.4 per cent), followed by fear of impacting their career or future job opportunities (18.2 per cent).

According to the report, a bigger proportion of employees are working in organisations with formal procedures to manage workplace discrimination. In 2023, 63.2 per cent of employees worked in such organisations, up from 59.8 per cent in 2022 and 54 per cent in 2021.

"The improvements in overall workplace fairness standards reflect the collective efforts of the government, employers, workers, and unions in ensuring a fair work environment for all," MOM said.

"However, more can be done to strengthen employees' confidence in reporting workplace discrimination."

The upcoming Workplace Fairness Legislation aims to complement existing Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices and will protect workers against retaliation if they report discriminatory work practices, the manpower ministry added.

Employers will also be required to put in place proper grievance handling processes to support their employees. 

"By strengthening protections against workplace discrimination, employers will benefit from a more engaged workforce, strengthen positive reputation, and build a harmonious workplace that attracts and retains talent - all of which leads to better business outcomes," MOM said.

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khooyihang@asiaone.com