Singapore Urges Companies to Retain Senior Workers Through Flexible Roles

Singapore’s push to keep older workers in the workforce faces a key hurdle: the lack of flexible work options and employer know-how in redesigning roles for senior staff, according to Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Health Koh Poh Koon.

Speaking to the media at Bulim Bus Depot on April 23, 2026, Dr Koh highlighted that while more seniors wish to remain employed, many companies struggle to adapt. “The lack of flexible work options as well as the know-how to train seniors for flexible roles is challenging,” he said.

Dr Koh, who co-chairs a tripartite workgroup focused on enabling seniors to work longer if they choose, urged employers to take an “active role” in creating innovative solutions. “We hope that companies who are prepared to do so will display the way and allow us to share with more companies,” he added, noting that policy support from the ground up could help scale successful models across industries.

His remarks came during a tour of Tower Transit’s facilities, where the bus operator is trialling modern job roles to retain experienced bus captains. The initiative reflects broader efforts to address Singapore’s ageing workforce by helping older employees transition into part-time, flexible, or redesigned positions rather than exiting the workforce entirely.

The government continues to support tripartite partnerships between unions, employers, and the state to develop age-friendly workplace practices. These include job redesign, skills upgrading, and flexible work arrangements tailored to older workers’ needs, and preferences.

As Singapore advances its refreshed re-employment framework, the focus remains on enabling inclusive growth where experience and longevity are valued in the economy.