One of the last legacies of COVID-19 is the complex issue of staff wanting to work from home and for companies to balance the needs of the business with working-from-home (WFH) flexibility. This issue has presented unique challenges for companies that require strategic solutions, particularly in a competitive labour market.
Challenges for Singaporean Businesses with WFH
The challenges with providing WFH flexibility can be grouped into the following issues:
Technological infrastructure.
Employee engagement and productivity.
Work-Life balance.
Infrastructure and resources; and
Legal and compliance issues.
Technological and infrastructure challenges
Singapore has a highly advanced communication infrastructure with extensive broadband, mobile network, and data centre capabilities. This infrastructure has been achieved through initiatives such as the Smart Nation Vision, announced in 2014. The vision aims to leverage technology to improve urban living and enhance economic growth. The Infocomm Media Development Authority is another initiative driving Singapore’s digital transformation by building a vibrant digital economy and inclusive digital society.
However, despite the advanced communication infrastructure, the surge in remote work has tested the limits of broadband networks. This means employees may experience connectivity issues that disrupt workflow and productivity.
Connectivity issues and employees accessing company systems from various locations on personal devices can increase cybersecurity risks for businesses. This means increased costs for businesses, as they must invest in cybersecurity to protect sensitive and company data.
Employee engagement and productivity
While some staff enjoy WFH for others, it can lead to a sense of isolation from colleagues, ultimately impacting team cohesion and collaboration. In pre-COVID work settings where WFH was not an option, spontaneous interactions and face-to-face meetings assisted in building team cohesion and a sense of belonging.
With WFH, businesses must be more intentional and innovative in finding effective ways to keep staff and teams connected and engaged.
Some employers in Singapore have also reported difficulties in effectively managing employee productivity remotely. There are two potential problems in managing productivity. Some employers are concerned that employees may not be as focused or diligent in their work, which may impact productivity. Conversely, other employees may overwork, blurring the boundaries between work/life balance and the potential for mental health concerns.
Managing employee productivity involves finding new techniques that effectively evaluate WFH performance for workers. The metrics traditionally used for assessing performance, based on being visible in the office, often no longer apply. Consequently, new methods and ways of evaluating performance must be found.
Work-Life Balance
This area is linked to that of productivity.
Because there is no physical separation between work and home, employees can find it difficult to disconnect from their work, leading to burnout and a reduced sense of well-being.
A sense of loneliness and disconnection from the workplace, combined with feeling burnt out, can adversely impact a person’s mental health with increased feelings of anxiety, stress and mental fatigue.
Businesses can promote healthy work-life choices by prioritising mental health initiatives and providing resources to support staff who work from home.
Office infrastructure and resources
These infrastructure challenges relate to the ergonomics requirements for staff who work from home to have a conducive and safe workspace. Poor ergonomic setups can lead to physical discomfort and health issues. In Australia, if a staff member working from home injures themselves, the company is legally responsible for providing workers' compensation.
Businesses in Singapore need to consider the ergonomic resources and guidelines they will provide to assist employees in creating a safe and comfortable home office environment.
This also applies to resources such as printers, scanners, and office supplies traditionally provided in the office. Remote work may limit access to these things, which may cause inefficiencies. Companies must facilitate ways for employees to access the necessary resources to ensure the business continues operating smoothly.
Legal and compliance issues
Some of these legal issues have been raised above, such as the requirement to ensure the privacy and security of data. There is also the need to ensure that, as much as is practical, a staff member has a safe workplace.
Other legal issues relating to employment conditions include ensuring that the person works fair hours and is paid overtime for work outside the agreed hours.
Despite these challenges, businesses need to seriously consider how they can offer flexible WFH arrangements to staff.
Two reasons Singaporean businesses need to consider WFH.
There are two main reasons why it makes good business sense for businesses to consider the flexibility of WFH arrangements.
Staff Retention and organisational knowledge
The 2024 bi-annual survey by recruitment agency Randstad of 1,000 Singapore-based respondents aged between 18 and 67 found that two in five respondents said they would only accept a job if they could work from home. A similar proportion also said they would rather be unemployed than feel unhappy in their jobs.
Hence, worker's expectations have changed in what they are prepared to accept from companies and employers.
Companies that are inflexible in considering options for their staff risk losing highly qualified staff to competitors willing to provide more flexibility. As mentioned above, Singapore has a very tight labour market and finding suitable skilled staff to replace those who have left a company can take time and be costly. When professional staff leave an organisation, they carry with them organisational knowledge that can be difficult to replace.
Despite the challenges of implementing WFH, it can be less expensive and disruptive to a company than losing and replacing staff members.
An article in the Singapore Business Times in March 2024 found that offering remote work opportunities continues to be a competitive advantage for employers.
Government Support
The Singaporean government recognises the transformative potential of remote work and is taking proactive steps to support businesses in adopting WFH practices.
Some of the assistance provided by the government includes:
Digital Resilience Bonus
This bonus provides up to SGD 10,000 in financial support to companies that adopt digital solutions in remote working, online sales, and cybersecurity. This support is particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized companies that need more resources to invest in digital infrastructure.
Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG)
This grant supports businesses adopting pre-approved IT solutions and equipment to enhance staff productivity using remote work tools.
Enhanced Training Support Packages
These packages provide subsidies for courses that assist employees in adapting to new technologies and remote work practices. This training ensures that employees remain skilled and productive when they work from home.
Tripartite Standard on Flexible Work Arrangements
The Tripartite Standard on Flexible Work Arrangements encourages employers to offer flexible work options, including WFH. The standard provides guidelines on implementing flexible work policies and ensures that businesses adhere to best practices in managing remote work.
Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Guidelines
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has issued WSH guidelines for remote work environments. These guidelines address the physical and mental well-being of employees working from home, ensuring businesses take the necessary steps to create a safe and healthy remote work environment.
The government's support enables companies, particularly small—to medium-sized enterprises, to offer flexible work conditions and WFH options to staff. By supporting WFH, the government is demonstrating a forward-thinking approach to workforce management and laying the foundation for a sustainable and successful remote work culture.
How Singaporean Businesses are adapting to the challenge of WFH
Despite the challenge of providing WFH arrangements for staff, many Singaporean businesses are implementing creative strategies to develop sustainable remote work environments.
Some of the creative strategies being used by Singaporean businesses include:
Implementing Hybrid WFH Models
These include Flexible Arrangements where employees split their time between home and office, giving them the benefit of WFH and the opportunity to build face-to-face collaborations with other staff members.
Allowing staff to split their time between home and the office allows the company to develop hot-desking arrangements and flexible office spaces. These models reduce traditional office spaces, saving on rental and operating costs.
Emphasising mental health and well-being
Companies are increasingly offering mental health support such as counselling services, wellness apps, and virtual therapy to assist employees in managing stress.
Other businesses experiment with virtual ‘water-cooler’ sessions to build social bonds and connections between staff members.
Supporting work/live balance for staff members
Companies are instituting more explicit work-hours policies and encouraging staff to have more precise boundaries between work and private lives. Some businesses allow staff to adjust their work schedules around family obligations to create a healthier balance.
These are only a few examples of how Singaporean businesses adjust traditional work practices to provide staff with greater flexibility with WFH arrangements. While some industries find it harder to provide WFH flexibility than others, given the support for WFH initiatives provided by the Singaporean government, businesses and enterprises need to consider ways the workplace can offer more flexibility for staff.
In a tight labour market where finding and retaining skilled and professional staff is increasingly challenging, an organisation's ability to provide flexibility in working arrangements makes that workplace attractive to many people struggling to balance the demands of their personal and professional lives.
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