Guidelines for bosses to look into requests for flexi-work

By 2024, employers must consider staff requests for flexible work arrangements fairly and properly, under a new set of guidelines for such arrangements.

But employers can consider their business needs when assessing whether or not to grant approval.

In the interim, the Government aims to increase the adoption of a voluntary tripartite standard on flexible work arrangements by employers, covering 27 per cent of all employees currently, to 40 per cent by the end of this year.

It will continue to sustain ground-up efforts that support work-life harmony and encourage greater utilisation of parental leave, with the public service taking the lead.

Minister of State for Manpower Gan Siow Huang said: "Flexible work arrangements, or FWAs, will remain a key feature of our workplaces well after the pandemic is over. This is a win-win situation for employers and employees."

She added: "FWAs benefit both women and men, and will enable those with caregiving responsibilities to continue working or return to work. In this way, employers can access a wider talent pool."

Among employees aged 25 to 64 who required FWAs, nine in 10 had access to the FWA that they required in 2020, up from six in 10 in 2014, noted the White Paper on Singapore Women's Development issued yesterday.

Last year, 73 per cent of companies that offered FWAs indicated that they were likely to continue doing so after the Covid-19 pandemic. Also, 63 per cent said they were willing to allow employees who can work from home to retain the practice at least half the time.

The Tripartite Advisory on FWAs provides guidance to companies on how to implement such initiatives.

There are three sets of tripartite standards on FWAs, work-life harmony and unpaid leave for unexpected care needs that recognise employers who voluntarily put in place recommended practices.

The White Paper also proposes enshrining the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP) in law. The guidelines encourage employees who have experienced workplace discrimination and harassment to seek help, with the assurance of confidentiality and protection from retaliation against them. Workplaces are urged to have grievance handling processes and offer a fair and safe environment to report discrimination or harassment.

Ms Gan said enshrining the TGFEP in law will send a stronger signal that unfair employment practices of all forms, including against women, are not tolerated. "We will broaden the range of remedies and penalties, and have more effective enforcement," she added. "However, we have to scope the legislation carefully, so that it provides greater protection and assurance to workers while guarding against a litigious workplace culture."

The Government recognises that mediation is still preferred to preserve a harmonious relationship.

Ms Gan said the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness has been engaging widely and aims to share its recommendations this year.

The Government will also develop career mentorship, networking opportunities and training programmes for working women and those re-entering the workforce.

To facilitate greater women's representation in leadership roles and overcome existing gender stereotypes, guidelines have also been revised to enhance board diversity in listed companies.

National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) president Mary Liew said: "We are heartened by the progressiveness of the action plans shown in the White Paper.

"The NTUC women's committee was also one of the first groups to champion flexible work arrangements in the 1990s, and we have since been engaging our tripartite partners closely to further our outreach for the implementation of flexible work arrangements, which we hope to see greater support for, moving forward."