No study on impact of WFH legislations, with FWAs expected to become mainstream: Singapore's MOM

However, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said MOM will continue to work with the tripartite partners to sustain the provision and use of flexible work arrangements, "which includes but is not limited to work-from-home."

Singapore's Ministry of Manpower does not intend to conduct any study on the potential impact of work-from-home legislation on employers or employees, Manpower Minister Dr Tan See Leng has shared. 

Minister Tan was responding in writing to Member of Parliament Louis Ng's question on whether such a study has been conducted, the results of the study, and if not, whether the ministry intended to conduct such a study. 

In his reply, Minister Tan noted than in 2020 due to COVID-19 three in four employees worked in firms that provided some form of remote working. Per surveys conducted, he added, the majority of employers are keen to continue work-from-home arrangements for at least a quarter of the time, even after the pandemic ends.

"Moving forward, we expect work-from-home arrangements to become more mainstream. Employers see the value of work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements (FWAs) in talent retention and attraction, while employees enjoy the flexibility and experience better work-life balance.

"However, employers have also shared their concerns over the impact on staff engagement and effective collaboration, while employees are concerned over blurred work-life boundaries and the risk of burnout."

As such, he said the ministry will continue to work with the tripartite partners to sustain the provision and use of flexible work arrangements, "which includes but is not limited to work-from-home."

This will be done through addressing the challenges employers have faced in implementing them, and by promoting implementation resources and tools such as the Institute for Human Resource Professionals’ Playbook on Hybrid Workplaces and the Tripartite Advisory on Mental Well-being at Workplaces. These, the minister noted, will help guide companies to implement effective hybrid work arrangements and measures to support employees’ wellbeing support.

He concluded: "Even as we drive the adoption of flexible work arrangements, tripartite partners have stressed that we should not inadvertently erode trust at the workplace or create a litigious workplace culture by introducing overly rigid rules or rushing into legislation.

"We will continue to work with tripartite partners to support companies to provide FWAs in an effective and sustainable manner."

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