Question on Staff Well-Being, Workplace Culture and Retention Outcomes in the Public Service

Parliament Sitting: 5 May 2026

Ms Elysa Chen: To ask the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) how senior management in Ministries and Statutory Boards are held accountable for staff well being, workplace culture and retention outcomes; and (b) whether the Public Service Division incorporates culture and management related indicators into performance assessments and succession planning for senior leaders.

Written Reply by Mr Chan Chun Sing, Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister-in-charge of the Public Service

Staff well-being, workplace culture, and good retention are important priorities for the Public Service, as they are in many other leading organisations. These are factors that ensure our public officers serve with purpose and deliver effectively for Singaporeans and Singapore.

Our Public Sector leaders are accountable not only for delivering on the agency’s mission, but also for organisational health and workforce outcomes. We take a holistic approach to assessing leadership performance and succession planning. Our leaders are evaluated across organisational and people outcomes and their abilities to deliver effectively on policies and programmes. These aspects are all essential competencies demanded of our leaders in the Public Sector. When planning for succession, we consider their dispositions, strengths, experience, and the specific needs of the agency. We recognise that not all leaders can be equally strong in all competencies. Our system therefore places strong emphasis on developing our leaders throughout their careers, while also developing leadership teams where individuals complement each other’s strengths to achieve high performance and meaningful impact.