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Written Answer by Minister for Manpower, Dr Tan See Leng, to PQ on Flexi Work Arrangements in Covid-19 as Endemic Stage

Employment practices

NOTICE PAPER NO. 805 OF 2021 FOR THE SITTING ON 3 NOVEMBER 2021

QUESTION NO. 2121 FOR ORAL ANSWER NOT ANSWERED BY END OF QUESTION TIME

MP: Ms Cheryl Chan

To ask the Minister for Manpower under the living with COVID-19 model (a) what are the circumstances for workers to return to work in their office; and (b) whether companies will have the flexibility to decide on flexi-work arrangements or work from home.

Answer:

  1. Safe Management Measures for the workplace, including the work-from-home requirement, are calibrated taking into account the public health situation, and employee and business interests.
  2. Currently, workplaces are required to operate on a maximum work-from-home mode. This means that all employees who are able to perform their job function from home must do so. As the public health situation improves, we will gradually ease the work-from-home requirement.
  3. Employers should consider hybrid work arrangements as part of their future operating model. This will strengthen business resilience to cope with new variants or a future pandemic. Flexible work arrangements also contribute to employees’ work-life harmony, and to staff engagement.