SINGAPORE — Consumers here must be willing to pay more for certain goods and services in order to raise the wages of those who provide them, said Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday (Jan 16).
"Basically, we cannot demand for services delivered by our fellow citizens to be priced cheaply, and in the same breath lament their wages are too low," said Mr Wong, speaking at a conference on the perspectives of work organised by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).
Mr Wong, who is also Minister for Finance, was reiterating the concerns he raised last year on the growing divergence in salaries between workers of different educational backgrounds.
This, he said then, could lead to Singapore placing too much of a premium on intellectual work, while undervaluing technical, service and community care roles.
Mr Wong acknowledged on Monday that the issue is not an easy one to tackle, especially at a time when people are also concerned about rising costs.
"That’s why we will have to manage this economic restructuring carefully, and the Government will do whatever we can to provide support during the transition," he said.
Mr Wong said that the economic restructuring process is not just about reshaping the labour market.
"It is also about shifting our perceptions towards work, and embracing a broader definition of what counts as ‘good jobs’; for us to recognise skills and competencies rather than be overly focused on paper qualifications."
A study by IPS released on Monday showed that professionals, managers, executives and technicians are more likely to find meaning and purpose in their work than those in vocational roles.
Mr Wong said that everyone in society has to play his part.
Employers can do more to hire, train and recognise all workers, not pigeonhole or hold them back unfairly based on their starting qualifications.
Consumers should be willing to pay more for goods and services to raise the wages of those who provide them.
Everyone else, including parents, teachers, colleagues and friends, can also "do our part to recognise and value one another, and accord dignity and respect to everyone for the work they do", he added.
Mr Wong said that there is always a temptation to compare with others and to see who is “better”, but sometimes these comparisons are motivated by the desire to acquire status and social prestige, and these are "wrong reasons".
He alluded to the recent case of a 17-year-old TikToker who was lambasted online for labelling an S$80 bag a "luxury bag".
"We saw this recently when there was a social media debate about luxury bags and what is deemed 'branded'... it extends to other areas too," he said.
For instance, there continues to be parental preferences for certain “branded” or top schools, even though the Ministry of Education has said that “every school is a good school”.
There also continues to be a preference for “branded” jobs that confer higher status in life, he said. Even within an industry, there is sometimes a perception of a hierarchy of jobs, with some areas deemed more prestigious than others.
"I wish things were different," said Mr Wong. "But I am a realist and I know it’s not going to be easy to change these mindsets."
He added that everyone should try to appreciate and recognise one another for who they are, and that "at the end of day, everyone is different; we are each blessed with unique gifts and talents".
"There’s no need to compare with others... The only comparison we need to make is an internal one — to focus on our own lives; to keep learning, improving and, ultimately, to be better versions of ourselves."
In his speech, Mr Wong touched on challenges facing the workforce in the future, such as how technological advancements in the workplace may lead to some being left behind.
He said that the fear of being left behind is "very real" and especially daunting for mid-career workers who have to switch to a new field.
He added that the Government will need to "review our policies and strengthen our institutions to ensure that work remains a central way for Singaporeans to thrive".
Mr Wong also spoke about retirement adequacy in a future where some Singaporeans may find it harder to consistently build up their Central Provident Fund savings.
He said that the Government has "evolved" the CPF system over the years to help Singaporeans earn and save more for retirement.
He added that as more disruptions and volatility is expected, the Government will "consider what we can do together to help Singaporeans better meet their retirement needs".
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/raise-wages-goods-services-lawrence-wong-ips-2090371?
