Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-vvkck Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T03:15:08.143Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The policies, practices and predicaments of senior employment in Hong Kong and Singapore

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2017

PAUL HIGGINS  and
LINA VYAS
PAUL HIGGINS*
Affiliation:
Department of Public Policy, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
LINA VYAS
Affiliation:
Department of Asian and Policy Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong.
*
Address for correspondence: Paul Higgins, Department of Public Policy, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong E-mail: phiggins@cityu.edu.hk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The ageing of populations is an unprecedented worldwide phenomenon that has created anxiety about labour and skill shortages in many developed countries. One way to address these concerns is to extend the working lives of seniors through appropriate retirement, retention and recruitment policies. This paper utilises official policy documentation and employment data to compare the policies, practices and predicaments of senior employment in Hong Kong and Singapore, two of developed Asia's most ageing economies. It finds that while labour force participation rates among Hong Kong seniors have declined since the early 1990s, older workers in Singapore remain largely confined to the secondary labour market. This paper examines why these trends are occurring and whether longer working lives will lead to greater opportunities for ‘active ageing’ in employment or, conversely, force older workers into a reserve army of labour to maintain their incomes.

Keywords

older workersemploymentSingaporeHong Kongactive ageingreserve army of labour
Type
Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 38 , Issue 8 , August 2018 , pp. 1715 - 1739
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andrews, M. 1999. The seductiveness of agelessness. Ageing & Society, 19, 3, 301–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arnone, W. J. 2006. Are employers ready for the aging of the US workforce? Benefits Quarterly, 4th Quarter, 7–12.Google Scholar
Asian Development Bank 2001. Key Indicators of Developing Asian and Pacific Countries 2001. Asian Development Bank, Manila.Google Scholar
Aspalter, C. 2006. The East Asian welfare model. International Journal of Social Welfare, 15, 4, 290–301.Google Scholar
Beck, B. 2009. A slow burning fuse. The Economist, 21 June.Google Scholar
Biggs, S. 2001. Toward critical narrativity: stories of aging in contemporary social policy. Journal of Aging Studies, 15, 4, 303–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brooke, L. and Taylor, P. 2005. Older workers and employment: managing age relations. Ageing & Society, 25, 3, 415–29.Google Scholar
Castells, M., Goh, L., Kwok, R. Y. W. and Kee, T. L. 1988. Economic Development and Housing Policy in the Asian Pacific Rim: A Comparative Study of Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shezhen Special Economic Zone. Monograph 37, University of California at Berkeley, California.Google Scholar
Census and Statistics Department 2001. Annual Digest of Statistics. Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Census and Statistics Department 2008. Population Bi-census: Thematic Report Older Persons. Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Census and Statistics Department 2011. 2011 Population Census. Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Chan, M. L., Gustafsson, L. and Liddle, J. 2014. Mandatory retirement for older professional drivers: an exploration of experiences for older Singaporean taxi drivers. Ageing & Society, 37, 7, 1384–409.Google Scholar
Chan, R. and Wang, Y. 2009. Promoting the employment of senior citizens in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Journal of Comparative Asian Development, 8, 1, 1–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development 2013. The Value of Mature Workers to Organisations in Singapore. Survey Report. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, London.Google Scholar
Chief Secretary for Administration's Office 2015. Population Policy Strategies and Initiatives. Government Logistics Department, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Chou, K. L. and Chow, N. W. 2005. To retire or not to retire: is there an option for older workers in Hong Kong? Social Policy & Administration, 39, 3, 233–46.Google Scholar
Chow, Y. 2016. Hong Kong must end age discrimination in the workplace. South China Morning Post, 8 January.Google Scholar
Chui, E. 2012. Elderly learning in Chinese communities: China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. In Boulton-Lewis, G. and Tam, M. (eds), Active Ageing, Active Learning: Issues and Challenges. Springer, London, 141–61.Google Scholar
Civil Service Bureau 2014. Extension of the Service of Civil Servants Consultation Paper. Civil Service Bureau, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Civil Service College 2006. Successful Ageing: A Review of Singapore's Policy Approaches. Available online at https://www.cscollege.gov.sg/Knowledge/Ethos/Issue%201%20Oct%202006/Pages/Successful-Ageing-A-Review-of-Singapores-Policy-Approaches.aspx [Accessed 30 August 2016].Google Scholar
Debrah, Y. A. 1996. Tackling age discrimination in employment in Singapore. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 7, 4, 813–31.Google Scholar
Doeringer, P. B. 1990. Bridges to Retirement: Older Workers in a Changing Labor Market. ILR Press, New York.Google Scholar
Fields, G. S. 1994. Changing labor market conditions and economic development in Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan, China. The World Bank Economic Review, 8, 3, 395–414.Google Scholar
Gal, J. 2002. How well does a partnership in pensions really work? The Israeli public/private pension mix. Ageing & Society, 22, 2, 161–83.Google Scholar
Haoxiang, C. 2011. Older workers getting fair or raw deal? The Straits Times, 19 July.Google Scholar
Heller, P. 2006. Is Asia prepared for an ageing population? IMF Working Paper 06/272, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ho, L. S., Wei, X. D. and Voon, J. P. 2000. Are older workers disadvantaged in the Hong Kong labour market? Asian Economic Journal, 14, 3, 283–300.Google Scholar
Hock, K. S., Ser, T. E. and Teng, Y. M. 2013. National Survey of Senior Citizens 2011. Ministry of Social and Family Development, Singapore.Google Scholar
Holliday, I. and Wilding, P. (eds) 2003. Welfare Capitalism in East Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, UK.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holstein, M. B. and Minkler, M. 2003. Self, society, and the ‘new gerontology’. The Gerontologist, 43, 6, 787–96.Google Scholar
Hong Kong Council of Social Services 2009. Elderly Services in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Council of Social Services, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Information Services Department 2012. Hong Kong: The Facts. Information Services Department, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
International Labour Organization (ILO) 2009. International Symposium to Discuss Responses to the Demographic Challenges in the Workplace. ILO, Geneva.Google Scholar
Labour Department 2006. Practical Guidelines for Employers on Eliminating Age Discrimination in Employment. Labour Department, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Labour Department 2015. Employment Programme for the Middle-aged. Labour Department, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Lain, D. 2012. Working past 65 in the UK and the USA: segregation into ‘Lopaq’ occupations? Work, Employment & Society, 26, 1, 78–94.Google Scholar
Lee, W. K. M. 2001. The poor in Singapore: issues and options. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 31, 1, 57–70.Google Scholar
Leung, C. Y. 2015. The 2015 Policy Address. The Printing Department, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Lim, J. Y. 2013. Retire or rehire: learning from the Singapore story. In Maclean, R., Jagannathan, S., Sarvi, J. (eds), Skills Development for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in Developing Asia-Pacific. Springer, Netherlands, 241–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Loretto, W., Duncan, C. and White, P. J. 2000. Ageism and employment: controversies, ambiguities and younger people's perceptions. Ageing & Society, 20, 3, 279–302.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Luo, Q. 2014. Unfair workplaces an alarming trend. The Standard (Hong Kong), 5 September.Google Scholar
Lutz, W., Sanderson, W. and Scherbov, S. 2008. The coming acceleration of population ageing. Nature, 451, 7179, 716–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Magdoff, F. and Magdoff, H. 2004. Disposable workers: today's reserve army of labor. Monthly Review, 55, 11, 18–30.Google Scholar
Manpower Research and Statistics Department 2015. Singapore Yearbook of Manpower Statistics. Manpower Research and Statistics Department, Singapore.Google Scholar
Masud, J. and Haron, S. A. 2008. Income differences among elderly in Malaysia: a regional comparison. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 32, 4, 335–40.Google Scholar
Minimum Wage Commission 2012. 2012 Report of the Minimum Wage Commission. Minimum Wage Commission, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Minimum Wage Commission 2014. 2014 Report of the Minimum Wage Commission. Minimum Wage Commission, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports 2005. The National Survey of Senior Citizens in Singapore 2005. Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, Singapore.Google Scholar
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports 2009 a. Adding Life to Years! Happy, Healthy, Active Seniors. Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, Singapore.Google Scholar
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports 2009 b. State of the Elderly in Singapore 2008/2009 Release 2: Employment Incomes and Assets. Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, Singapore.Google Scholar
Ministry of Finance 2014. Opportunities for the Future, Assurance for Our Seniors, Budget 2014. Ministry of Finance, Singapore.Google Scholar
Ministry of Finance 2015. Building Our Future, Strengthening Social, Budget 2015. Ministry of Finance, Singapore.Google Scholar
Ministry of Manpower 2007. Final Report of the Tripartite Committee on Employability of Older Workers. Manpower Research and Statistics Department, Singapore.Google Scholar
Ministry of Manpower 2011 a. Tripartite Guidelines on Re-employment of Older Employees Released. Available online at http://www.re-employment.sg/web/contents/Contents.aspx?ContId=263 [Accessed 30 December 2015].Google Scholar
Ministry of Manpower 2011 b. Report on Labour Force in Singapore. Manpower Research and Statistics Department, Singapore.Google Scholar
Ministry of Manpower 2012. Salary. Manpower Research and Statistics Department, Singapore.Google Scholar
Ministry of Manpower 2013. Labour Force in Singapore. Ministry of Manpower, Singapore.Google Scholar
Moulaert, T. and Biggs, S. 2013. International and European policy on work and retirement: reinventing critical perspectives on active ageing and mature subjectivity. Human Relations, 66, 1, 23–43.Google Scholar
Ng, K. H. 2013. The prospects for old-age income security in Hong Kong and Singapore. PhD dissertation, London School of Economics and Political Science, London.Google Scholar
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 2006. Ageing and Employment Policies: Live Longer, Work Longer. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris.Google Scholar
Phang, S.-Y. 2000. Hong Kong and Singapore. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 59, 5, 337–52.Google Scholar
Ramesh, M. 2000. The politics of social security in Singapore. The Pacific Review, 13, 2, 243–56.Google Scholar
Ruhm, C. J. 1996. Historical trends in the employment and labour force participation of older Americans. In Crown, W. (ed.), Handbook on Employment and the Elderly. Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut, 81–202.Google Scholar
Senior Community Legal Information 2014. Older Age Living Allowance. Available online at http://www.s100.hk/en/topics/Work-and-retirement/Social-Welfare-for-the-Elderly/Old-Age-Living-Allowance/#content [Accessed 12 November 2015].Google Scholar
Siu, P. 2013. Industry leaders warn of serious manpower shortage in Hong Kong. South China Morning Post, 18 November.Google Scholar
Steering Committee on Population Policy 2013. Report of the Task Force on Population Policy. Hong Kong Government, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Taylor, P. and Walker, A. 1998. Employers and older workers: attitudes and employment practices. Ageing & Society, 18, 6, 641–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thang, L. L. 2011. Population aging, older workers and productivity issues: the case of Singapore. Journal of Comparative Social Welfare, 27, 1, 17–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tsang, T. C. 2015. Speech by the Financial Secretary, the Hon John C Tsang Moving the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill 2015, Wednesday, 25 February 2015. Financial Secretary Office, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
United Nations 2002. Report of the Second World Assembly on Ageing. United Nations, New York.Google Scholar
United Nations 2010. World Population Prospects, the 2010 Revision. Available online at http://esa.un.org/wpp/unpp/panel_population.htm [Accessed 12 November 2015].Google Scholar
Vernon, K. 2010. Ageing: Impact on Companies in Asia. Diversity & Inclusion in Asia Network. Community Business, Hong Kong.Google Scholar
Vickerstaff, S., Loretto, W. and White, P. 2007. The future of older workers: opportunities and constraints. In Vickerstaff, S., Loretto, W. and White, P. (eds), The Future for Older Workers: Opportunities and Constraints. Policy Press, Bristol, UK, 203–26.Google Scholar
Walker, A. 1990. The economic ‘burden’ of ageing and the prospect of intergenerational conflict. Ageing & Society, 10, 4, 377–96.Google Scholar
Walker, A. 2009. Commentary: The emergence and application of active aging in Europe. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 21, 1, 75–93.Google Scholar
Wong, C. H. 2013. In Singapore, calls for poverty line amid rising inequality. The Wall Street Journal, 11 November.Google Scholar
Wong, K. W. 2013. Futures of ageing in Singapore. Journal of Future Studies, 17, 3, 81–102.Google Scholar
World Health Organization 2002. Active Ageing: A Policy Framework. World Health Organization, Geneva.Google Scholar
Yip, P. 2013. Hong Kong should take its cue from Singapore for a sound population policy. South China Morning Post, 7 February.Google Scholar
Yu, W. K. 2007. Pension reforms in urban China and Hong Kong. Ageing & Society, 27, 2, 249–68.Google Scholar