Report: Flexible work arrangements now preferred by Singaporeans

Workers now say that flexible work arrangements should be the new norm for Singapore, with four in 10 also saying that employees should be allowed to work from home three days a week. — Lifestyle photo created by freepik - www.freepik.com

SINGAPORE: Workers now say that flexible work arrangements should be the new norm for Singapore, with four in 10 also saying that employees should be allowed to work from home three days a week.

These were among the results of a paper by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) that examined attitudes towards work and workplace arrangements amid the coronavirus outbreak.

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Here are the top 10 takeaways from the report:

1. Flexible work arrangements should be the new norm for workplaces here, according to about half of the survey respondents.

2. Working from home on most days should be the norm, around 20% to 35% of those polled said. Recently, around four in 10 also felt that employees should be allowed to work from home three days a week.

3. Most women polled also wanted flexible arrangements, with 73% saying that should be the new norm, especially those with dependents.

4. Employers should allow the workers to choose the days they prefer to return to the office, nearly half of the respondents said.

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5. Some said they would consider looking for another job if their employer required them to return to the office on most days.

6. Some would rather work from the office for three reasons: easy access to tech systems, collaborating with colleagues and being in a conducive space for work.

7. Working from home has three benefits: workers felt they are less likely to catch Covid-19, have flexibility in balancing personal life and work schedules and are able to attend to family needs.

8. About half of the respondents said they learnt new skills during the pandemic that would help them in their careers.

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9. Work aspirations have changed due to the pandemic, said nearly half of the people polled, with some considering a career switch.

10. Workers were more likely to prefer taking precautions, like taking tests, to lower their risk of getting infected with Covid-19 at the workplace. – The Straits Times (Singapore)/Asia News Network