Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the Retail Sector

What is the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the Retail Sector?

The PWM aims to build a future-ready workforce, transforming retailers into employers of choice and retail jobs into fulfilling long-term career options for local job seekers. PWM is expanded to more sectors, including Retail, to ensure lower-wage workers’ wages close the gap with the median through higher wage growth than median wage growth.

Who does PWM covers?

The PWM requirements apply to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who are full-time or part-time employees in retail job roles on a contract of service and employed by firms which hire foreign workers, regardless of whether the firm is classified under the Retail Sector Singapore Standard Industrial Classification (SSIC) or another SSIC.

The Retail PWM covers the following job roles:

• Retail Assistant / Cashier
• Senior Retail Assistant / Senior Cashier
• Assistant Retail Supervisor
• Retail Supervisor
• Retail Manager

More details on the coverage of retail jobs and description of duties and responsibilities can be found here.

What does this mean to me as an employer?

Employers must ensure that their Singapore Citizen and Singapore PR retail workers meet the retail PWM training requirements of attaining at least 1 Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) Statement of Attainment, out of the list of approved WSQ training modules.

Alternatively, if employers have in-house WSQ training modules that have the prefix “RET” in the accompanying Technical Skills & Competencies (TSC) code, these training modules can be used to meet the training requirement as well.

Employers will be given a grace period to comply with the retail PWM training requirements:

• For new hires: six months from the new hire’s date of employment.
• For existing employees: till 31 August 2023 (one year from the retail PWM implementation on 1 September 2022).

Through proper training, retail workers will be able to increase their productivity and offer good retail experiences to customers.

What do I need to do as an employer?

These are the key recommendations and implementation details of the Retail PWM set out by the Tripartite Cluster for Retail Industry (TCR):

• A clear progression pathway comprising frontline operational and supervisory positions is mapped out to highlight the career opportunities in the sector and to encourage more jobseekers to join the retail industry
• To ensure retail workers have the necessary competencies to carry out their work, a minimum training requirement of one (1) Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) training module is recommended as a start
• A set of PWM Baseline Gross Wages is recommended that would take effect from 1 September 2022
• The PWM Baseline Gross Wages will also be adjusted upwards from 1 September 2023 and 1 September 2024 to ensure retail employees continue to see sustained wage increases.

Retail PWM Career Ladder

TCR has mapped out the frontline operational and supervisory job roles within the retail sector as shown:

WSQ Training

To encourage a continuous learning and upskilling mindset to support industry transformation, TCR recommends the setting of minimum training requirements for all PWM job roles. As a start, the TCR recommends that one (1) WSQ training module be stipulated as the minimum PWM training requirements for all PWM job roles. TCR also recommends that in-house WSQ training modules with the prefix “RET” in its TSC code be recognised as an approved training module.

SIRS offers a comprehensive suite of modules, which will enable retailers and their staff to meet training requirements. For information on class dates, please contact our Business Development team via email upskill@sirs.edu.sg.

Instead of going through training, an individual with previous experience or prior learning may choose to achieve his/her SOA through the Assessment Only Pathway (AOP), an alternative certification pathway for candidates who have work experience^# and/or formal/informal training in an area of competency.

The AOP consists of 1 to 1.5 hours of assessment. The mode of assessment under the AOP is the Challenge Test, which assesses the individual’s competencies through direct observation and questions to determine his/her competency.

^#Having at least 1 year of retail work experience within the last 2 years from the date of application for assessment.

The course fee before subsidies is S$270.

For more information, please contact our Business Development team via email upskill@sirs.edu.sg.

Retail PWM Baseline Gross Wages

The following table summarises the recommended Retail PWM Baseline Gross Wages (excluding overtime payment) from 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2025 to applicable resident workers (i.e. Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents) in the retail sector.

Where can I get more information on the Retail PWM?

You may visit the MOM website for more information.