From Dec. 1, 2024, employers in Singapore will be required to have processes in place for their workers to request flexible work arrangements (FWA).
This comes after the Singapore government accepted a set of 10 recommendations by a tripartite workgroup on the matter, the Ministry of Manpower said in an Apr. 16 release.
These guidelines will cover employees who have completed their probation and submit formal requests for FWA arrangements in writing.
What kind of FWA can I ask for?
A broader definition of FWA will be issued in the guidelines.
This includes telecommuting and work-from-home arrangements, which those employed during the pandemic will likely be familiar with.
Two other categories that fall under this definition are:
- Flexi-time: e.g. staggered shifts, flexible work hours
- Flexi-load: e.g. job sharing, part-time work
Image from TAFEP.
Employees are advised to properly consider the needs of the business before submitting their requests in writing.
The guidelines state that the process for submitting a formal request and how the request will be handled should be made clear to workers.
Can my employer say no?
Under the new rules, employers must consider employees' FWA requests fairly.
They should focus on job-related factors, as well as how the requested arrangement might affect the business or the employee's job performance.
If they do decide to reject the request, it must be based on reasonable business grounds and not on personal bias against such work arrangements.
They should also communicate the decision to the employee within two months of the request.
And if the answer is no, employers are encouraged to communicate with the worker to find alternatives.
Infographic from Ministry of Manpower.
What if my employer doesn't follow the guidelines?
Workers whose employers did not adhere to the guidelines can seek advice and assistance from the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), the National Trade Unions Congress (NTUC), or their respective unions.
The guidelines will apply to all Singapore employers, including Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and employees who have completed their probation.
They will come into effect from Dec. 1, 2024.
FWA can be mutually beneficial
Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State for Manpower and co-chair of the Tripartite Workgroup, noted that FWA could be mutually beneficial for employees and employers.
She asserted that employees can enjoy better work-life harmony while offering employers an advantage in talent attraction and retention.
Edwin Ng, Honorary Secretary of the Singapore National Employers Federation, who co-chaired the workgroup, remarked that these guidelines can be helpful for employees with "specific needs" which may not be covered by their employer's policy on FWA.
Nonetheless, he noted that employers can and should continue their existing FWA practices if they have worked well for them and their employees.
An advantage of the guidelines, Gan explained, would be to shape norms and expectations around FWAs, in order to create workplaces that are "more inclusive and productive".
However, they must be implemented "on the basis of trust and mutual understanding", she said.
More information on the guidelines can be found here.
Top image from Unsplash