In Parliament: WP MP Louis Chua proposes trial of 4-day work week

Singapore — In Parliament on Tuesday (Jul 27), Workers’ Party Member of Parliament Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC) brought up the idea of a four-day work week.

He wrote in a Facebook post that he has asked the government if it can consider a limited trial of such, given that it is the “largest employer in Singapore.” 

Mr Chua called the Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA) and “seismic shift in workforce culture” due to the Covid-19 pandemic one of its “silver linings.”

He added that this policy has been adopted in many countries around the globe and that the five-day work week “that we take for granted today” is a fairly recent development, having only been introduced in 2004.

“It is essential for us as a society to recognize the benefits in the form of not only the elusive productivity gain we have been searching for, but more importantly, focus on allowing people to become ‘fuller’ people outside of their jobs,” wrote Mr Chua in his post.

Furthermore, the whole society would benefit from a shorter work week, which would mean “better mental health, productivity, and agency felt on the individual level.”

The MP said in his speech that the idea of a shorter work week is not a new one, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong saying during the 2004 National Day Rally that Singaporeans need a better work-life balance.

Mr Chua quoted PM Lee as saying, “I am not sure why, but hours have become longer, the pace is more intense.  Maybe it’s the Internet, maybe it’s email, maybe it’s globalisation, but whatever it is, you wake up at six o’clock in the morning, you check your email.  Eleven o’clock at night, before you go to sleep, you check it again and next morning, you come back, somebody replied at 2.00 am.  How to have children?” 

He added, “While not the only reason for our low birth rates, the five-day work week’ has gone beyond its intended definition and consumed our daily lives…

Most of us would have heard the case of Microsoft Japan, who had experienced a 40% increase in productivity and an overall 94% employee satisfaction rate. Iceland’s four-day work week trials were also deemed, “an overwhelming success”, with trials in Spain also underway.”

The full text of Mr Chua’s speech can be found here.

/TISG

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Culture changes needed before Singapore can accept a 4-day work week