Flexible work arrangements gain ground in Singapore but stigma remains, says PAP Women’s Wing survey

SINGAPORE – As

flexible work arrangements (FWAs) gain wider adoption and acceptance,

the focus is now shifting to how these practices can be taken to the next level, said PAP Women’s Wing chairwoman Sim Ann. 

She was discussing the results of a survey by the Women’s Wing,

the women’s advocacy arm of the PAP,

and the National Trades Union Congress, which found that nine in 10 respondents who applied for FWAs had them fully approved or approved with some modifications.

The survey of 1,500 men and women showed that three in four respondents said their workplaces offered such arrangements.

But one-third of this group said stigma remains a primary concern preventing them from asking for FWAs.

Presenting the survey’s findings at an event marking International Women’s Day organised by the group at One Farrer Hotel on March 7, the Women’s Wing’s head of research Yeo Wan Ling said that, despite the high approval rate, there are still “rumblings” that people are not asking for FWAs.  

“We have passed the necessary legislation and necessary guidelines for protecting people, but a culture of safety has yet to be developed,” said Ms Yeo, who is also assistant secretary-general of NTUC and an MP for Punggol GRC. She co-chaired the workgroup on guidelines governing these arrangements.

These

Tripartite Guidelines, which came into force on Dec 1, 2024,

require all employers in Singapore to fairly consider formal requests from employees for flexible work. 

The guidelines set out processes for submitting and evaluating such requests, but do not govern outcomes. They adopt a broad definition of FWAs including remote or hybrid work, staggered work hours, part-time work or job sharing.

Ms Yeo said female workers and caregivers have raised concerns such as being “marked” or singled out at work, or not being supported by colleagues and managers, as reasons they hesitate to ask for FWAs. 

It is now important to have more conversations between employees about the benefits of FWAs in the face of their widening adoption, she said. 

These can benefit not only workers but also the health of the firm in the long term, she added. 

“We hope to be a part of that process to facilitate these constructive conversations,” she said, adding that empathy for what women go through in juggling caregiving with their careers will grow as more women join the workforce and take on leadership roles.

In her speech, Ms Sim announced that the Women’s Wing will launch a series of listening sessions, with members receiving more party funding to run them and other programmes.

From 2026, each of the Women’s Wing’s five districts will receive $10,000 annually for five years, Ms Sim said, and a capacity assistance fund will be set up for members to tap to support activities and engagements they have been meaning to start.

The listening sessions will be organised around the four advocacy areas the Women’s Wing adopted in 2025: careers and leadership, seasons of life, health and well-being and safety and respect. 

The first session will begin in April 2026 and will be led by Bishan-Toa Payoh MP Elysa Chen, who is adviser to the Women’s Wing’s central district. 

Policy advocacy is an important part of the Women’s Wing – but this does not only mean gathering views and asking for change while making laws in Parliament, Ms Sim said. 

“That is important. But there’s also another step, which is that we should also monitor how policies are being implemented. And if we think that some adjustments or tweaks are needed, we should also raise it.”

In a panel discussion moderated by East Coast GRC MP Hazlina Abdul Halim following Ms Sim’s opening remarks, union and business leaders discussed challenges to normalising FWAs, and their role in supporting broader goals like raising the birth rate. 

Former transport union leader Pravita Nithiah Nandan said such arrangements can be especially difficult to achieve for shift workers or front-liners, raising the example of how a bus captain cannot simply drive off to attend to other responsibilities during work hours. 

But companies are working towards implementing or expanding processes to support such workers, both men and women – including restructuring rosters or redesigning jobs. “Implementing processes is one thing, but I think it’s very important to make sure that the processes are sustainable,” she said.

Mr Aslam Sardar, chief executive of the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, said people should also be creative when implementing FWAs.

He cited an example from his own organisation: FWA guidelines did not yet apply to employees on probation, but a staff member a few months into her role requested flexible work to care for her father, who had suffered a major stroke.

He approved it, even though she was still on probation. “When we think about the guidelines, you don’t have to follow them like a rule. You can actually do better than them.”

The proliferation of such arrangements has also led to a “baby boom” in his office, he said.

On the relationship between flexible work and

Singapore’s “plunging” fertility rate,

Mr Ang Yuit, president of the Association of Small-and Medium-Enterprises, said businesses should consider which roles require staff to be physically present. 

Singapore’s total fertility rate

fell to a historic low of 0.87 in 2025,

well below the rate required to replace the population at 2.1. 

Mr Ang said: “There are many roles that don’t require what we call ‘warm seats’… You don’t really need to be physically present.” Recognising this, he said, will ease some pressure on both men and women, and help support families in having children.