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SINGAPORE – Singapore’s largest employer, the Government, is encouraging civil servants who can work from home to return to the office three out of every five working days as a general guideline.
This follows a loosening of the Covid-19 measures announced last week, allowing up to three-quarters of a company’s employees who can work from home to return to the workplace at any time, up from 50 per current cent.
The guideline, as of April 5, is to switch to a hybrid work mode, rather than working from home by default, which has been in place for nearly a year since last April.
The Public Service Division told The Sunday Times that officers whose agencies allow them to work from home for more than two days a week can continue to do so even after April 5.
Split team arrangements are no longer mandatory for many public officials, but can be retained for critical areas that require safeguards for business continuity, he said.
It will also encourage staggered hours and hybrid forms of work whenever possible, to reduce travel on public transportation during peak hours.
There are about 153,000 civil servants working in 16 ministries and more than 50 statutory boards.
The number of public transport users is expected to increase along with the return of more workers to the offices.
The Land Transportation Authority (LTA) said the total number of passengers on public transportation during March 8-12 was about 74 percent of pre-Covid-19 levels. Meanwhile, the number of MRT commuters tapping at Central Business District stations during the morning rush is roughly 40 percent of usual levels.
Train and bus frequencies were reduced during the circuit breaker in April last year, but returned to regular frequency when the circuit breaker ended in June.
LTA reiterated that travelers should refrain from talking and avoid taking public transport if they are unwell. He also urged employers to stagger working hours.
The private sector is expected to follow the lead of public service as it persuades employees, many of whom have become accustomed to the convenience of working from home, to return more to the workplace.
The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises said that while greater flexibility should be encouraged for employees to divide their time between work at home and the office, face-to-face interactions in the work are also important. “Physical interactions remain important in building relationships and establishing trust and rapport,” said Mr. Lam Yi Young, CEO of SBF.
Given that Singapore has been able to control infections in the community, as well as the smooth implementation of vaccines, with more than 799,000 people receiving at least one dose, more workers are sure to return to the office, said Dr. Ling. Li Min, an infectious disease specialist at the Rophi Clinic at Gleneagles Hospital.
“If we continue what we’ve been doing for the entire past year, I think we should be fine,” added Dr. Ling, highlighting the mandatory use of masks, social distancing and the use of TraceTogether.
The Ministry of Manpower said that the application of safe management measures will be maintained, and errant employers will be charged, even asked to stop working.
Most of the 16 employers interviewed said they seek to bring more workers to the workplace, although flexible arrangements will remain. But a poll of about 2,600 people by The Sunday Times found that three out of four are reluctant to return to the office, even part-time.
Mr. Alvin Goh, executive director of the Singapore Institute of Human Resources, said workers should return to the office if necessary, but urged employers to be empathetic. “Employers should not resort to punitive measures as the only course of action.”
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