| Happy
moms at work |
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| Rosemary
and her daughter Krissa. |
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When Rosemary Chan,
a prosecuting officer at the Ministry of Manpower
(MOM), gave birth to her daughter 16 months ago,
the first-time mum was ridden with guilt at the
thought of leaving her daughter at home with someone
else when she returned to work.
Fortunately for her, MOM provides its staff the
option of working from home a few days a week with
its flexi-work arrangements, and Rosemary jumped
at the chance for more bonding with her newborn.
“In the first year after my daughter was born,
I managed to maintain my normal workload whilst
working from home two days a week,” she said.
Rosemary, 30, feels that the flexi-work arrangements
are a boon for new mothers and enable them to develop
confidence and grow into their roles as mothers
more easily. “I believe new mums will be happier
coming back to work gradually,” she said.
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| This lactation room is specially designed for nursing mothers at MOM. |
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After returning to work, Rosemary also nursed comfortably
at Moms@MOM, a room dedicated to nursing mothers,
shielded from prying eyes in a curtain-partitioned
space.
The room also serves as a meeting point for mothers
in MOM. Said Rosemary: “Here, we are able
to trade tips on childcare and share our experiences.
These sharing sessions are important because other
colleagues who are not at the same life-stage as
me wouldn’t be able to comprehend what I’m
going through.”
In a few months’ time, Rosemary is also thinking
of taking advantage of another MOM family-friendly
initiative and enrolling her now-toddler daughter
at the childcare centre at MOM. Staff who place
their children at the centre enjoy subsidies on
the childcare fees.
Another MOM staff, Winnie Liew, a 27-year-old labour
relations officer, recently enrolled her daughter
at the centre. She cited convenience as a reason
for doing so.
“My husband can fetch my daughter and me from
the same location. I can also take a look at how
my daughter is doing at lunchtime,” said the
mother who is pregnant with her second child.
MOM’s nursing and childcare facilities, and
flexi-work arrangements are complemented by a host
of social and recreational practices for staff.
Fang Xueting, a people development officer, joins
her colleagues for weekly exercise at Amrita Spa
located at Swissotel Merchant Court. MOM staff get
to enjoy the gymnasium, pool and other facilities
like the Jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms for free
as MOM is a corporate member of the spa.
“It’s very convenient because it’s
just across from the office. And it’s exclusive
since it’s in the hotel and therefore not
very crowded,”
Xueting said.
Lim Wan Shean, Assistant Director of MOM’s
Work Pass Division and a mother of two, makes use
of the weekly laundry pick-up service, which was
a staff suggestion put into action.
She said: “With this service, I don’t
have to make a special trip to the launderette to
wash my dirty jackets anymore and that gives me
a little more time to spend with my family.”
Explaining the rationale behind the organisation’s
many family-friendly programmes and initiatives,
Director of MOM’s People Matters Department
Amy Tan said: “These initiatives help MOM
to better meet the needs and expectations of its
staff. This in turn has enabled us to better retain
our talent and enhance employee commitment.” |
