SINGAPORE: Financial executive Michelle Hong recently began a special work arrangement with her employer Chye Thiam Maintenance, an environmental service provider.
"I started my work-from-home arrangement two weeks ago, when the school holidays started. I can spend more time with my family, especially with my kids, and they’re happier to see me at home," said the mother-of-two.
The agreement allows her to work two days from home for the duration of the school holidays, following which she returns full-time to the office, with the option of reapplying for the arrangement again in the future.
Some of her colleagues who opted for flexible hours or lighter workloads also had their requests granted.
Nearly 30 per cent of Chye Thiam’s staff have some form of flexible work arrangement (FWA).
The service provider is among companies rolling out FWAs ahead of mandatory guidelines, which kick in on Sunday (Dec 1) and require businesses to have a proper process for requests.
The firm said providing such flexibility has helped to retain current staff better and attract new talent. This includes Mr Khoo Hock Soon, who quit a job that required him to work regular hours to join Chye Thiam.
“This timing of 3pm to 9pm fits me. In the morning, I can do my chores,” said the cleaner.
The company said it is working with clients and people managers to smooth out concerns on disruptions.
"Challenges faced at this juncture is the receptiveness of the service buyer to FWA,” said Mr Frankie Yung, human resources and administration director at Chye Thiam.
“(An) internal mindset change has to also come in place, whereby operation leaders and supervisors have to rethink and rejig how they do planning and scheduling of the workers on the ground.”
Some employers have voiced concerns over fears they are obliged to accommodate all FWA requests.
Minister of State for Manpower Gan Siow Huang encouraged employers to refer to the tripartite guidelines, reiterating that firms do not need to approve all FWA requests.
Guidelines state that employers should assess each request properly on a case-by-case basis, and approvals should be viable from the business point of view.
“Ultimately, flexible arrangements have to make business sense for them to be sustainable. It's also the company's prerogative to decide which requests are supportable,” Ms Gan said.
She added that while corporations can deny requests, they “have to explain to the employees the reason, based on business grounds, for the rejection”.
NTUC’s assistant secretary-general Yeo Wan Ling said it is important to balance the needs of the employees with those of the employers.
“It is important that the unions, the labour movement, weigh in together with our workers, to let people know that there is a proper way to consider FWA requests,” she said.
FWAs may fall into one or more of these three broad categories:
Flexi-place: Employees can work from different locations, such as at home instead of the office. There will be no changes to total work hours or workload.
Flexi-time: Employees can work at different timings, such as staggered hours, shifts, or a compressed work schedule. There will be no changes to the workload.
Flexi-load: Employees can choose how much to work, such as job-sharing or part-time. If employees cut their workload, there will be a proportionate reduction in pay.
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The Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) said it has been engaging employers and employees on FWA guidelines, alongside tripartite partners NTUC and the Manpower Ministry (MOM).
Since the guidelines were launched earlier this year, SNEF has held workshops and training sessions to increase employers’ awareness on FWA policies and how to evaluate requests.
The federation also launched a playbook that was circulated to 3,700 of its members and is available to the public on its website.
The organisation’s CEO-designate Hao Shuo said a research collaboration with the Singapore University of Social Sciences showed that eight in 10 employers are ready to adopt FWAs.
However, he acknowledged smaller firms may run into more difficulties with implementing such arrangements due to less manpower.
“They have a smaller workforce to manage. (But) in a way, I think they are also more familiar with the needs of their own employees and can probably devise something that's workable for both the employer as well as the employees,” he told CNA’s Singapore Tonight.
Still, Mr Hao said firms that embrace FWA may be better positioned to attract workers from certain segments of the population, including seniors, retirees and caregivers.
“They can turn this into an advantage. If the company offers FWAs, then these individuals are more likely to return to the workforce. Then employers can tap on a broader pool of talent to support their manpower needs,” he said.
With more firms summoning workers back to the office on more days, some employees said they are worried the move will contradict flexible work arrangements.
However, Mr Hao said working-from-office mandates do not go against key tripartite guidelines.
“I don't think the two concepts are at odds with each other,” he said.
“To clarify, a return to office doesn't mean the employer is not offering other flexibilities, like flexi-time or-flexi load for employees.”
He added employers should assess each employee's requests seriously and consider approving them depending on the latter’s needs, such as caregiving duties.
Among the guidelines that were launched, employees who have completed probation can make a formal request for FWAs, stating their reasons and the arrangement’s expected frequency and duration.
Firms have to communicate their decision on FWA requests within two months of application.
Rejections should be backed up by reasonable business grounds such as cost or productivity considerations. Employers are encouraged to discuss other alternatives with employees.
For those who do not comply with the guidelines, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices, or TAFEP, will step in to offer advice.
In extreme cases, companies could be issued a warning by MOM or asked to attend corrective workshops.
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"I started my work-from-home arrangement two weeks ago, when the school holidays started. I can spend more time with my family, especially with my kids, and they’re happier to see me at home," said the mother-of-two.
The agreement allows her to work two days from home for the duration of the school holidays, following which she returns full-time to the office, with the option of reapplying for the arrangement again in the future.
Some of her colleagues who opted for flexible hours or lighter workloads also had their requests granted.
Nearly 30 per cent of Chye Thiam’s staff have some form of flexible work arrangement (FWA).
The service provider is among companies rolling out FWAs ahead of mandatory guidelines, which kick in on Sunday (Dec 1) and require businesses to have a proper process for requests.
The firm said providing such flexibility has helped to retain current staff better and attract new talent. This includes Mr Khoo Hock Soon, who quit a job that required him to work regular hours to join Chye Thiam.
“This timing of 3pm to 9pm fits me. In the morning, I can do my chores,” said the cleaner.
The company said it is working with clients and people managers to smooth out concerns on disruptions.
"Challenges faced at this juncture is the receptiveness of the service buyer to FWA,” said Mr Frankie Yung, human resources and administration director at Chye Thiam.
“(An) internal mindset change has to also come in place, whereby operation leaders and supervisors have to rethink and rejig how they do planning and scheduling of the workers on the ground.”
CONCERNS OVER FWA APPROVALS
Some employers have voiced concerns over fears they are obliged to accommodate all FWA requests.
Minister of State for Manpower Gan Siow Huang encouraged employers to refer to the tripartite guidelines, reiterating that firms do not need to approve all FWA requests.
Guidelines state that employers should assess each request properly on a case-by-case basis, and approvals should be viable from the business point of view.
“Ultimately, flexible arrangements have to make business sense for them to be sustainable. It's also the company's prerogative to decide which requests are supportable,” Ms Gan said.
She added that while corporations can deny requests, they “have to explain to the employees the reason, based on business grounds, for the rejection”.
NTUC’s assistant secretary-general Yeo Wan Ling said it is important to balance the needs of the employees with those of the employers.
“It is important that the unions, the labour movement, weigh in together with our workers, to let people know that there is a proper way to consider FWA requests,” she said.
TYPES OF FWAs
FWAs may fall into one or more of these three broad categories:
Flexi-place: Employees can work from different locations, such as at home instead of the office. There will be no changes to total work hours or workload.
Flexi-time: Employees can work at different timings, such as staggered hours, shifts, or a compressed work schedule. There will be no changes to the workload.
Flexi-load: Employees can choose how much to work, such as job-sharing or part-time. If employees cut their workload, there will be a proportionate reduction in pay.
Collapse Expand
8 IN 10 EMPLOYERS FWA-READY
The Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) said it has been engaging employers and employees on FWA guidelines, alongside tripartite partners NTUC and the Manpower Ministry (MOM).
Since the guidelines were launched earlier this year, SNEF has held workshops and training sessions to increase employers’ awareness on FWA policies and how to evaluate requests.
The federation also launched a playbook that was circulated to 3,700 of its members and is available to the public on its website.
The organisation’s CEO-designate Hao Shuo said a research collaboration with the Singapore University of Social Sciences showed that eight in 10 employers are ready to adopt FWAs.
However, he acknowledged smaller firms may run into more difficulties with implementing such arrangements due to less manpower.
“They have a smaller workforce to manage. (But) in a way, I think they are also more familiar with the needs of their own employees and can probably devise something that's workable for both the employer as well as the employees,” he told CNA’s Singapore Tonight.
Still, Mr Hao said firms that embrace FWA may be better positioned to attract workers from certain segments of the population, including seniors, retirees and caregivers.
“They can turn this into an advantage. If the company offers FWAs, then these individuals are more likely to return to the workforce. Then employers can tap on a broader pool of talent to support their manpower needs,” he said.
WFO VERSUS FWA
With more firms summoning workers back to the office on more days, some employees said they are worried the move will contradict flexible work arrangements.
However, Mr Hao said working-from-office mandates do not go against key tripartite guidelines.
“I don't think the two concepts are at odds with each other,” he said.
“To clarify, a return to office doesn't mean the employer is not offering other flexibilities, like flexi-time or-flexi load for employees.”
He added employers should assess each employee's requests seriously and consider approving them depending on the latter’s needs, such as caregiving duties.
Among the guidelines that were launched, employees who have completed probation can make a formal request for FWAs, stating their reasons and the arrangement’s expected frequency and duration.
Firms have to communicate their decision on FWA requests within two months of application.
Rejections should be backed up by reasonable business grounds such as cost or productivity considerations. Employers are encouraged to discuss other alternatives with employees.
For those who do not comply with the guidelines, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices, or TAFEP, will step in to offer advice.
In extreme cases, companies could be issued a warning by MOM or asked to attend corrective workshops.
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