Singapore — A new study from a global jobs portal finds that more than half of the respondents in Singapore say they’ve been overworked since the pandemic started.
What’s more, many say they are thinking of working less this year, with an even larger number supporting the implementation of a four-day work week.
The Future of Work study was conducted by Indeed, a US-based worldwide employment website for job listings, which was established in 2004.
One thousand employees in Singapore participated in the December 2021 study across several sectors, including info-communications, financial services, professional services, manufacturing, healthcare and wholesale trade.
Three out of five said that the reason they want to work fewer hours sis to able to spend more time with the family.v In ranking what matters to them, they put family in the first place, followed by physical health and relaxation.
On their wish list of employment benefits, working people in Singapore include better work-life balance with increased flexibility, better financial compensation and a less stressful workplace as the top three
The study’s results found that 51 per cent of professionals working in Singapore who took part in the study said they’ve put in more hours at work since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
Nishita Lalvani, senior manager for marketing at Indeed SEA, said: “Singapore workers are known to work some of the longest hours in the world. But the pandemic seems to have worsened this situation, and remote working arrangements have blurred the boundaries between work and personal space.
“However, the workers would like a better work-life balance and to spend more time with their families or exercise.”
More than half of them also said that they work beyond the present Singaporean workweek of 44 hours, and 88 per cent want a four-day workweek with the same pay. Moreover, 63 per cent of the respondents said they are considering working less this year.
One noteworthy aspect the study picked out is that more than half of the employees said their companies do not offer the possibility of working fewer hours for smaller paychecks. Two years into the pandemic, this finding reflects how workplaces continue to be resistant to flexiible work arrangements.
Ms Lalvani commented: “This inflexibility is likely the result of an organisational culture that is conservative and has low trust.
“Despite two years of very unconventional working arrangements, management leaders might not be ready for flexible work options. However, our research indicates that most workers want this flexibility, and it’s probably a good time for local employers to rethink their policies.”
Although the employeees surveyed say they are working more during this time, respondents from Singapore generally feel optimistic about this year and the job market, with 57 per cent expecting job offers to rise and 37 per cent feeling confident that 2022 will be a positive one for Singapore’s economy.
/TISG