Outsourcing on-boarding and off-boarding of employees is a common practice in many companies. Outsourcing these processes can help businesses focus on their core operations, while also providing employees with a smooth transition into and out of the company.

It is not mandatory to have a written employment contract in Singapore. However, employers must provide employees with a written description of their primary duties and responsibilities within 14 days from the start of employment. The document must include the following information: Employer and employee's full name.

Allied Services provide HR advisory services to help companies drafting and reviewing their employment contracts to ensure they compliance with the local rules and regulations.

Most employment contracts in Singapore must adhere to the Employment Act. Terms set must meet or exceed the minimum standards stipulated in the said Act. Terms present in the employment agreement that do not meet these standards will be void and illegal.

Singapore's Ministry of Manpower has stringent laws regarding hours of work and conditions for working overtime. An employee is entitled to work not more than 8 hours daily, or 44 hours weekly. The Employment Act also deems that employees cannot work for more than 6 hours without a break.

Although there is no law that requires a written employee handbook, there are laws that require employers to provide certain information to employees in writing. An employee handbook can be the vehicle to help employers effectively disseminate the required information and fulfill these requirements. Signed acknowledgment forms also provide legal protection for your company in the event of a dispute that involves policies laid out in the handbook.

An employee handbook helps to establish and communicate your company's culture, mission, vision, and values. It should be written in a way that employees can easily understand and connect with these core aspects of the business.

A policies and procedures manual is a reference tool for managers and supervisors. This tool is much more complete in detail than the employee handbook and should be used for back-up when more information is needed to explain a policy or when a deeper understanding of a process is desired.

To set up employees on your company’s payroll in Singapore, you need their:

• full name;
• date of birth;
• immigration status;
• identification number;
• current job start date;
• pay frequency;
• pay currency;
• pay amount;
• self-help group contribution status;
• payment method; and
• bank account details.

Payroll processing in Singapore has to be managed properly even if it is simple and transparent, as it involves specific rules and regulations – and should take the status of resident and non-resident workers into account. If not handled properly then it may lead to discrepancies and affect the payroll accounting which will result in inaccurate report data for income tax filing.

Typical Payroll processing workflow in Singapore includes:

·        Payroll setup;

·        Raw data collection and cleaning;

·        Payroll processing;

·        Payroll payment/pay slip;

·        Statutory submission;

·        Annual report for individual income tax;

·        Employee payroll data maintenance;

·        Year-end payments like bonuses, etc.

To make payroll management successful, companies should have accurate payroll processing, good maintenance, and timely disbursement. This would help in motivating employees and keeps staff optimistic other than ensuring compliance.

• Working hours: employees in Singapore work either:
• a nine-hour workday with an average working week of no longer than 44 hours, and (most commonly) two days off per week; or
• an eight-hour workday, working six days a week.
• Pay cycles: salaries in Singapore are typically paid monthly.
• Minimum wages: there is no minimum wage in Singapore. Salaries are negotiated and mutually agreed upon by employees and employers.
• Overtime, rest day and holiday pay rates: overtime is paid at 1.5 times the employee’s hourly basic rate of pay. This rate is capped at the salary level of $2,600 or an hourly rate of $13.60 (excluding manual labourers).

Employees can work up to 72 hours of overtime per month. Rest days and public holiday pay rates vary depending on several factors outlined here.

Yes, you can process for payroll for all or a few selected employees. However, there is minimum fees charge per employee inclusive payroll calculation and submission of CPF contributions on a monthly basis.