Employers introduced flexible work arrangements and working hours, and granted a wider range of benefits such as paternity and compassionate leave, according to a report on the survey, which was conducted in the middle of this year.

Close to one in 10 of all employers polled adopted flexible arrangements, such as letting employees work from home, work part-time and do shift work.

In the private sector, 7.4 per cent of firms had some form of flexible work schedule this year, up from 5.1 per cent two years ago.

Such changes will benefit women most, said observers, who noted that the changes were the result of efforts made by the unions and the Government to get more employers to recognise and give room for employees' family and other commitments.

The Government has set aside $20 million in total since 2004 to help firms adopt family-friendly policies and unions have urged firms to initiate policies to encourage more women to get back to work.

National Trades Union Congress deputy secretary-general Halimah Yacob, who heads the NTUC Women's Development Secretariat, was encouraged by the survey results but said more can be done: 'Advanced countries have 15 to 20 per cent of their employees on flexible work arrangements so employers here can be more creative in making this happen.'

The ministry's survey found that bosses were also going beyond what is legally required of them when it comes to granting leave. In Singapore, employers are required by law to provide only annual, sick, maternity and childcare leave. But the survey of 2,940 establishments employing some 840,000 workers found that more than eight in 10 granted compassionate leave. Seven in 10 gave employees 'wedding' leave.

Almost half the employers polled also gave fathers time off to be with their newborn children.

Likewise, four in 10 workers received at least 15 days of annual leave, although employers are only required to give them up to 14 days.

While these figures were encouraging, human resource experts noted that these gains were made at a time when the economy here was growing.

Human resource firm GMP Group's chief executive Annie Yap warned that the current gloomy economic conditions could see a change to these figures.

'Some companies may view these as perks and unnecessary costs' and thus slash them, she said.

But Madam Halimah urged companies to see this as a 'win-win' situation. 'In a downturn, there will be times where firms need fewer people, so flexible hours will help companies too,' she said.

One company heeding her call and which believes that good work-life balance is beneficial to workers and productivity is the Cherie Hearts Group. The childcare centre operator is implementing a four-day work week and making flexible work arrangements available for its 447 staff. Said its vice-president (corporate development) Imeelia Ismail: 'Our philosophy is that it doesn't matter how many hours one takes to do the job as long as it is done.'

The ministry's report also showed that more employees were enjoying a five-day work-week - 44 per cent this year from 43 per cent in 2006.

aaronl@sph.com.sg

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