Is your workplace pro-family?

[nms1]

As someone said earlier, I think those people who take "fake" MCs are generally those who are not happy in their job or not engaged. The manager should look at why they do it. Obviously you can’t ask it in such a way but look at whether they are a good fit for the job. Would they be better moving to another role? Are they looking for more responsibility? If they are really just plain lazy then there is little you can do unless they really underperform.


You can’t penalise someone for not meeting a deadline if they are sick but if they do it all the time then it can be raised in their appraisal.

In many cases, if the manager is more flexible then people do take less MCs. For me, if someone in my team feels under the weather (i.e. just a cold or sore throat) then they will usually go home/stay at home and do a bit of work. No need to have an official MC. But if they really need to rest then I will make sure that they rest and they don’t work. I will cover for them.

[2hotTOhandle]

Tq for feedback on stat boards! Decided not to consider as it is too diff from my current job!

[Wan]

straffan23:

Re working in Statboards... The grass may not be greener on that side. I know of people that work in Stat boards, Gov, and Non-profit... it all depends on the team/department that you are with. Some are flexible and on their staff handbook, allows you to start as early as 7am (end at 4pm) or as late as 10am (end at 7pm); and even have allocation for tele-commute (work from home) - but the fine print always state that the approval is from your immediate supervisor / HOD.


We each have different priorities in different stages of our lives - is it to establish a career, to climb the corporate ladder, to spend more time with kids, to make a lot of money, or to do something we like, etc. At the moment my priority I have decided to have mainly a low-key 9-5 job and spend a lot of time with the kids. And the nursery is just down the road from my office. So I will be here for a few more years.

I was one of those who made the switch from pte sector to stat board when my 1st born was 8mo (after clearing my entitled maternity leave over 6 mths). It has been 7 years & no turning back. I used to think once kids go pri sch, I can consider pte sector again, but the other camp said parents need to guide children in their homework & prepare PSLE with them. So I guess there is no good time.

Comparing pte & stat board-
1. Leaving on the dot- if u r someone who feels guilty when u leave office b4 ur bosses & teammates is a nono, stat board is better bcos chances are pte sector have longer working hours. Of course there are exceptional cases. My boss works round the clock & send email after midnight

2. Flexi hours- there are HR policy in place at stat boards. U can opt to start work at 8 to 9.30am & end work from 5.30 to 7pm. I always joke that I choose to start work at 9.30 & end at 5.30. That would be in my dreams...

3. Telecommuting- this is the most \"trendy\" thing. Although there is also HR policy in place, my application has been rejected twice by my boss (bcos worklife balance is not a good enough reason) We are equipped with laptop & HP & contable 24-7. So it really doesn't make a difference where I work. Office have alot of distractions (can't be helped bcos staff needs to clarify things with u & bosses need work updates) so I play by ear, if I need to concentrate, I work from home & remain contactable, just make known to all. On those days, colleagues \"disturb\" u only on urgent matters

4. Worklife Balance- my personal definition of workplace balance has changed over the years since my kids have outgrown babyhood & into school phase. My son was not close to me when he was a bb becos of limited face time. After leaving pte sector, I managed to \"salvaged\" that situation with more bonding time. My 2nd maternity leave when I had my girl was also a good time to bond with my son & new bb. I must say I wouldn't be ableto do this in pte sector unless I stop feeling guilty


2.

[leo]

2hotTOhandle:

Anyone working stat board? I wonder if it is a good idea to leave Pte sector for stat board? Will it be v different?? My current workplace is quite pro-family. I let my staff convert to pt basis as her son is taking O levels this yr. I was working pt too for 6 months after the birth of my DD2. I wonder if stat board can be flexible...

depends. better check on the stat board that u r eyeing. I work in a stat board and working past midnight at home and weekends are common. The good part is that we can work from home if required (provided your RO is OK and you have no meetings). Ditto with some people that I know who work in civil service.

Now I am thinking if I should go back to private sector because with my work-life-integration (integrate your work into your life), I had been neglecting DD and her studies

[zarahsmom]

leo:

2hotTOhandle:

Anyone working stat board? I wonder if it is a good idea to leave Pte sector for stat board? Will it be v different?? My current workplace is quite pro-family. I let my staff convert to pt basis as her son is taking O levels this yr. I was working pt too for 6 months after the birth of my DD2. I wonder if stat board can be flexible...

depends. better check on the stat board that u r eyeing. I work in a stat board and working past midnight at home and weekends are common. The good part is that we can work from home if required (provided your RO is OK and you have no meetings). Ditto with some people that I know who work in civil service.

Now I am thinking if I should go back to private sector because with my work-life-integration (integrate your work into your life), I had been neglecting DD and her studies

i used to work for an MNC who promotes work-life balance via work from home.. i've had the same issues as you do..

am better off with my current employer now.. they also allow work from home, but the culture (people) have not totally adopted WFH yet.. and i have better work life balance here (for some reason).. as I am not expected to work after 7pm or early morning hours.. our global HQ is UK not US.. so that helps perhaps..

[Coolkidsrock2]

Channel News Asia just reported that OCBC announced that they will be granting staff (minimum 5 years tenure with them) sabbatical leave for PSLE preparation. :rahrah: :rahrah: :rahrah:


Hope more corporations will be similarly enlightened and roll out similar work life balance initiative. :xedfingers:

[straffan23]

Coolkidsrock2:

Channel News Asia just reported that OCBC announced that they will be granting staff (minimum 5 years tenure with them) sabbatical leave for PSLE preparation. :rahrah: :rahrah: :rahrah:


Hope more corporations will be similarly enlightened and roll out similar work life balance initiative. :xedfingers:

It just goes to show, how much stress PSLE imposes on the parents and children! MOE should be ashamed! :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

[nms1]

straffan23:

Coolkidsrock2:

Channel News Asia just reported that OCBC announced that they will be granting staff (minimum 5 years tenure with them) sabbatical leave for PSLE preparation. :rahrah: :rahrah: :rahrah:


Hope more corporations will be similarly enlightened and roll out similar work life balance initiative. :xedfingers:

It just goes to show, how much stress PSLE imposes on the parents and children! MOE should be ashamed! :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

That is exactly what I said. Isn't something seriously wrong if people need to take time off work for their childrens' exams? Am I really expected to give up all my annual leave for 3 years for each of my children because the system is such that the preparation done in school is insufficient.

It's a great initiative on the part of OCBC but a sad reflection on our society.

[SarChar]

Funz:

Joule:

[quote=\"SarChar\"]
Imagine once I heard Colleague A said she would have 40 days leave next yr. She meant \"20 days leave + MC 14 days + 6 days Child Leave\" to me. Really got such people okie :yikes:

yes, horrible, isn't it

Really wonder which doctor they go to. Is it they buy a season pass or MC booklet beforehand....

And they play punk. Leave not approved, on the day that they applied for that leave, they will say they not well, got MC.[/quote]Colleague A went on MC on last Monday and today again becos her husband is on leave today. Isnt it obvious?! So someone needs to do her work today! Next wk she is going for 2 wks vacation.....She has no more leave so resort to taking MC now.

[Imami]

[quote]Imagine once I heard Colleague A said she would have 40 days leave next yr. She meant \"20 days leave + MC 14 days + 6 days Child Leave\" to me. Really got such people okie :yikes:
[/quote]yes, horrible, isn't it

Really wonder which doctor they go to. Is it they buy a season pass or MC booklet beforehand.... [/quote]

I had a good lesson today. Met an old bird of my organization. She just got her long service award of 35years. Well done, right?

She told me she would be clearing her leave soon and that we would meet next year. :yikes: she going nom pay leave, I asked? Nah... She said. She would be clearing the rest of her mc entitlement of 30 days + extended mc of 10 days + 13 days of annual leave brought forward from last year. Wah..... I was concerned, was she erm... Sick? She said no, all she did was to ask her doc to issue letter for her weak knees.
Well done. Win hands down. I pity her team.