Too often, hiring managers may rely only on past experiences or old job descriptions when putting together the requirements in job advertisements. They fail to check alignment with the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP). The result? Roles may be described in ways that unintentionally exclude qualified candidates.
With the upcoming Workplace Fairness Act (WFA), Singapore is strengthening efforts to reinforce existing fair and harmonious workplace norms. It’s now more important than ever for employers to get this right from the start. Crafting non-discriminatory job advertisements begins with a proper job analysis to ensure job requirements are clear, justifiable, and compliant with both TGFEP and the impending WFA.
Job analysis is more than just an HR formality. It’s a simple yet powerful way to ensure that organisations recruit the right talent for the right roles. By identifying the skills, experience, qualifications, experience and the working conditions required for a job, employers significantly expand their talent pool and gain confidence that shortlisted candidates can perform effectively. This approach, coupled with an understanding of the TGFEP, ensures a better fit between the job and the candidate. On top of that, it further supports fair and merit-based hiring practices aligned with the TGFEP.
Skipping job analysis: A real-world consequence
Sally, a HR manager at an F&B company, was asked by her CEO to post a job advertisement for a fruit packer. He didn’t give a formal job description and told her to reflect a “male only” requirement in the job advertisement. That’s because he assumed the job wasn’t suitable for women since it involved heavy lifting and standing for long hours.
Following her CEO’s instructions, Sally posted a job advertisement that included a preference for male workers. A jobseeker saw the discriminatory job advertisement and lodged a complaint with Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP). As such, a TAFEP officer was assigned to assess the case and engaged Sally to find out the reason for the requirements. Upon closer review, it was clear the candidate preference was based on stereotypes, not genuine job requirements.
How job analysis prevents bias and builds fairness
To address the issue, Sally worked with TAFEP to make changes to the job advertisement. She took the following steps:
- Analyse the job properly: She spoke to the incumbent fruit packers to understand the job requirements better. With that information, she was able to list objective requirements, such as lifting loads over 15kg and standing for extended periods.
- Remove discriminatory language: She identified that sex was not a valid requirement of the job and revised the job advertisement with clear requirements that focused solely on ability and relevant skills.
- Align with TGFEP: Sally updated the company’s recruitment practices by introducing a job analysis step and implemented a review process to ensure job advertisements reflect fair and merit-based criteria.
After the incident, Sally took the opportunity to educate her line managers on TGFEP and how to ensure that all future hiring is fair and objective.
Why job analysis matters more than ever
Under the upcoming Workplace Fairness Act, employers must not include protected characteristics — like age, nationality, sex, marital status, pregnancy status, caregiving responsibilities, race, religion, language, disability and mental health condition — in job advertisements as a basis for employment, unless allowed by specific exemptions.
Job analysis will help to ensure:
- Job needs are clarified: By clearly defining what the job entails, job advertisements help attract suitable candidates based on actual needs.
- Remove bias: This grounds hiring criteria in objective information, not in assumptions or stereotypes.
- Consistent practices: Hiring decisions are aligned across departments and stakeholders through a standardised, transparent process.
- Strengthened legal compliance: Documented, role-based justifications are provided for selection criteria to support fair and merit-based hiring.
Job analysis process: Best practices for employers
To embed job analysis into your recruitment process:
- Use a structured job analysis template to define tasks, qualifications, and other job requirements.
- Identify the competencies necessary to perform the job effectively.
- Regularly review job descriptions to ensure they reflect the genuine occupational requirements.
- Train hiring managers on how job analysis supports fair and inclusive hiring.
Job analysis is the first step of fair and consistent hiring. By focusing on objective requirements instead of assumptions, employers can attract the right candidates and build a more inclusive workplace.
Take the TGFEP self-assessment module in the Fair and Progressive Employment Index to know how well your organisation adheres with the Tripartite Guidelines and to get useful insights, resources, and assistance that would be relevant to you.
This article is contributed by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP). To learn more about Recruitment Practices and the Tripartite Standard on Recruitment Practices, visit tafep.sg.
