September 21, 2026

As Singapore’s population ages, enabling older people to remain meaningfully employed has become increasingly important for sustaining economic growth and improving retirement adequacy. In the 2024 report ‘Tripartism in Action – Strategic Policies in an Ageing Workforce’, Associate Professor Chia Ngee Choon (NUS Economics) and the Tripartite Collective examine how cooperation among the government, employers, and unions has shaped Singapore’s retirement and re-employment policies.

The report traces Singapore’s gradual shift away from the former practice of retiring workers at 55. The Retirement Age Act introduced a minimum retirement age of 60 in 1993, which was subsequently raised to 62. From 2012, employers were also required to offer eligible workers re-employment from age 62 to 65, with the re-employment age later increased to 67.

Rather than simply extending existing employment arrangements, Singapore adopted a flexible re-employment model inspired by Japan. Employers could offer older workers different responsibilities, working hours, or remuneration, allowing companies to remain competitive while enabling employees to continue working. The model was adapted to include legal obligations, dispute-resolution mechanisms, and financial assistance when re-employment could not be offered.

The report shows that these policies required extensive preparation and negotiation. Employers raised concerns about wages, medical costs, and productivity, while workers worried about salary reductions and job security. Tripartite partners responded through job redesign, skills training, age-neutral wage systems, workplace health programmes, and guidelines to support fair implementation.

These efforts have coincided with a substantial increase in older workers’ employment. Among those aged 60 to 64, the employment rate rose from 29.5 per cent in 1991 to 64.9 per cent in 2023. More than 90 per cent of eligible workers who wished to continue working after age 62 also received re-employment offers following the introduction of the legislation.

The report asserts that raising statutory ages alone will not be sufficient as technology and business models continue to change. Employers must redesign jobs to make them easier, safer, and smarter, while workers must remain open to retraining and new responsibilities. Strong tripartite trust will therefore remain crucial to supporting productive longevity and creating inclusive, multigenerational workplaces.

Read the report here.