Singapore has become the first Asian country, and also the first outside the United States, to win the prestigious Work-Life Innovative Excellence Award.
The annual award by the US-based Alliance for Work-Life Progress is to recognise development and advancement of work-life effectiveness.
It is given this year to the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports for efforts by its Work-Life Unit to promote work-life harmony and create family friendly workplaces in the country.
The judges, who are work-life experts and practitioners, gave the Ministry top marks for its ability to 'think global, act local' by adapting from overseas examples and experiences and customising strategies to suit the local needs.
They were also impressed by its holistic strategy in encouraging family friendly workplaces by collaborating with employers, unions and government and adopting a three-pronged approach of organising public awareness events, facilitating training and providing resource materials and research.
The organisers said the Ministry, through its Work-Life Unit, was able to raise awareness for the need for work-life balance among Singapore employers and workers within a short span of four years.
The unit was launched four years ago in September 2000.
The conferment of the award was announced by Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon at the launch of a seminar for family life ambassadors on Wednesday morning. - CNA