You Can Now ‘Trial’ Part Time Jobs & Leave If You Don’t Fit The Company

You’ve heard of a probation period for full-time jobs.

But what about part-time?

Part-time still need probation meh? According to the government, yes.

Companies & Part-Timers Get Help To Get Used To Each Other

Compare a company hiring part-timers and full-timers, who do you think have a harder time?

Full-timers because they’re expensive and hard to find? Nope.

It’s part-timers, as Skechers will tell you.

According to Ms Zann Lee, regional director for sales and products of Skechers, they’ve been trying to fill 66 vacancies in retail and logistics with part-time sales associates through recruitment agencies.

However, most of said workers didn’t want to work during the crowded evening and weekend hours.

Which defeats the purpose as that’s when the company needs that most, and about 40% of them resigned.

The company has to spend more money trying to get more part-timers in and in the meantime, existing staff are overworked.

And they’re not the only company facing this issue.

Which is why the government decided to step in.

Introducing Career Trial 2.0

Previously, the government has a Career Trial scheme for full-time positions, in which 30% of 730 participants found a full-time job and stayed on for three months.

In this year alone, more than 100 people have found full-time jobs through the Career Trial.

And in May 2019, the scheme has expanded to include part-time work as well.

Here’s How It Works

Employers and job seekers can try out working arrangements with each other for a period of up to three months.

During these three months, a training allowance of $7.50 to $15 per hour will be paid by the government.

Part-timers will be capped at 80 hours while full-timers will be capped at 480 hours.

After the trial period, if the employer (or company) is happy with the performance of the worker, they can choose to offer full-time employment or a contract for a year.

Meant For People Who Needs Flexibility

Imagine you have a daughter you have to pick up at 4 pm every day. Or you’re a caregiver to your aged mom.

You need to work because money not enough, but you can’t get a full-time job too because the hours are too extensive for you.

With this latest move by the government, it’ll open up the supply of part-time jobs in Singapore.

Plus, companies, especially those in the service industry who needs part-timers, have more opportunities to hire.

I mean, yes, huge chains like Starbucks can afford to spend the money to search, hire and train new recruits part-timers but for standalone cafes or businesses? That’s a whole different story.

Currently, companies in the scheme include Courts, Han’s and Marina Bay Sands (MBS).