Singapore’s flexi-work guidelines another door to meaningful boss-worker relations

Amid concerns about work-life balance and the challenges for different groups of workers in a fast-changing environment, the announcement of flexible work arrangement (FWA) guidelines is a much-needed catalyst for deeper conversations between employers and employees. 

From Dec 1, 2024, all employers in Singapore must fairly consider formal requests from employees for such FWAs, under the tripartite guidelines.

The guidelines present a way to design a work environment that is more capable of supporting the multi-generational workforce that Singapore's maturing society is going to rely on in the future.

Employees are expected to experience less stress and increased life satisfaction when they can balance personal and work-based responsibilities. For their part, employers can gain access to wider talent pools in Singapore's tight labour market.

However, as that date draws nearer, significant concerns remain for both employers and employees about FWAs.

During Parliament sessions in May, concerns were raised on whether the new guidelines will prove too onerous for employers to administer or if increased flexibility will result in less focused and less accountable employees.

Employers are foremost concerned about the impact of FWAs on productivity.

Employees have their own worries. Will my career advancement be hampered if I ask for such arrangements? There is also apprehension about blurring the line between work and personal lives. Am I expected to be perpetually "on call"?

While the concerns are valid, employers and employees must first set aside these anxieties and approach this as an opportunity to make things better on both sides. How the guidelines will improve relationships

Among the key things that the guidelines facilitate is to assist in building mutual trust and understanding between boss and worker by laying the groundwork for improved communication.

Under the FWA guidelines, both parties are required to engage in honest conversations about the employee's personal needs and the employer's ability to meet them. With specific guidelines and procedures in place, employees are encouraged to be proactive in facilitating FWAs that work best for them. They will think more carefully about why they require flexibility and specifically, what type of work arrangements would suit their needs.

Interactions with employers will also allow them to consider how the specific FWA requested affects current work systems and practices, especially the nature of impact it will have on other workers. For instance, who will be best suited to be on standby or assist when the FWA requester is unavailable, and what types of training or resources will they need?

Improved communication provides clarity on the type of FWA that is being requested in terms of hours, location and workload while establishing details about how the arrangement will benefit the requester's work and well-being.

There is also a potential for deeper understanding between employers and their employees which can generate empathy towards the stressors on both sides, especially when it comes to both personal and professional challenges.

Employees with eldercare responsibilities can thus look forward to balancing their work commitments with caregiving duties better. Similarly, working parents will be better able to manage taking and picking up their children from school without affecting performance at work. 

Employers also get a chance to share their constraints from a business perspective. For instance, customer-facing jobs in retail, manufacturing and healthcare in particular require on-site presence which could make it difficult for location-based FWAs.

Small and medium-sized enterprises would also need help managing and coordinating among a limited number of staff to ensure the cover for all shifts with adequate supervision on hand. As both parties appreciate more of each other's needs and concerns, they are better equipped to work together towards an FWA that is mutually beneficial.

Better communication nudges companies to create a supportive culture where genuine information-sharing becomes the norm, paving the way for a collaborative approach to FWAs.

Initiating and managing conversations on FWAs is tough, given the diverging concerns of both employers and employees. Employees may be especially hesitant to bring up such matters, even if they have good grounds for requiring FWAs, due to fear or uncertainty about how their requests will be handled.

The guidelines take away some of this uncertainty because employers are obliged not only to attend to such requests, but also to ensure that these requests are considered properly, and responded to formally.

Importantly, this will ensure that all documented requests are handled consistently. In turn, this builds trust among employees knowing that their requests will be given due consideration and that employers are committed to administer a suitable FWA for them.

A survey conducted among Singaporean workers found that formalisation of procedures at work was associated with higher feelings of trust towards an employer. Other studies around the world conducted in the US, Europe and China also report similar positive effects.

Similarly, Google's formalisation of project management and performance reviews has also been reported to have increased trust and engagement by 35 per cent.

Through enhanced communication and the formalisation of procedures, Singapore's FWA guidelines facilitate the development of deeper employment relationships which are critical in these uncertain times of transition and disruption.

That can only bode well for workers, businesses and the country.

 

Kang Yang Trevor Yu is associate professor at Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University.

Source: The Straits Times