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The Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said today (June 20) that the sustained improvements in labour relations were no easy task and could not be achieved without the concerted efforts of employees, employers and the Government.
Addressing the 14th International Employment Relations Association Conference, Mr Cheung encouraged employers to adopt family-friendly policies in the workplace, which could create a win-win situation by achieving both organisational effectiveness and employee well-being.
"A family-friendly organisation is one that develops and implements policies allowing employees simultaneously to fulfil work and family responsibilities," Mr Cheung said.
"The aspirations of being able to work and providing care for one's family should not be mutually exclusive. The organisation will make the employee feel supported in balancing their work and outside work commitments.
"Introducing family-friendly practises does not always cost money; often what is needed is a little thoughtfulness, a little compassion, a little understanding and a stretch of imagination. But this small gesture - this light, but right, human touch - often pays handsome dividends," he said.
Mr Cheung saw three merits in the policy. First, the adoption of family-friendly employment practises helps to attract and retain talent in a competitive job market. Second, it allows employees to enjoy a more balanced and less stressful life, which in turn would increase their productivity. Third, it highlights the company's commitment to and fulfilment of corporate social responsibility.
Turning to the adoption of the policy by the Government, Mr Cheung summarised its work as the "3Ps", namely "Protecting", "Promoting" and "Practising".
"On protection, the enactment of the Employment Ordinance laid down the statutory entitlements of employees.
"On promotion, the Labour Department has all along been actively encouraging direct and frank communication between employers and employees; and in practise, the Government has established programmes to provide employees with professional personal advice and counselling services on stress and emotional management," he said.
In taking forward the policy, Mr Cheung said that the Government would introduce a five-day week starting on July 1.
"This initiative seeks to reduce pressure on the workforce and improve the quality of family life of civil servants without impairing operational efficiency.
"We believe that the initiative will bolster civil service morale, promote social harmony and bring about a positive impact in the community. By doing so, the Government takes the lead and exemplifies how employees can be helped to enjoy better family lives," he said.
The Permanent Secretary pointed out that the Government had no plan to mandate a five-day week in the private sector in Hong Kong.
"However, we will continue to seek partnerships with the business community and social service agencies to create a family-friendly environment in the workplace," he said.
Mr Cheung stressed that continual and sustainable support from the business sector was vital for developing family-friendly employment policies and practises in Hong Kong.
"I am acutely conscious of the fact that in the real world no policy or practise can be implemented effectively unless there is endorsement from the top. The senior management must show commitment to bringing family-friendly policies and practises into their workplaces.
"Moreover, making the workplace family-friendly should be seen as a shared responsibility. A dialogue between the management and the employees is most important for developing the policies and practises so that they can be adequately tailored to suit the needs of both the staff and the organisation," he added.
The benefits of adopting family-friendly employment policies and practises are numerous. "Even where additional costs are involved, the intrinsic benefits that can be brought to the business usually far outweigh the costs," Mr Cheung concluded.
Ends/Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Issued at HKT 10:40
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