Louis Chua calls for laws for flexible work arrangements, but MOM warns they could create a ‘more acrimonious work culture’

SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party MP Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC) outlined the benefits of Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA) such as work from home or hybrid schedules for employees, noting that studies have shown that many Singaporean workers have expressed their preference for such arrangements. However, when he called for legislating FWAs in Parliament on Wednesday (Oct 4), Minister of State for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Gan Siow Huang warned that such arrangements may end up not working for everyone.

The past few years have shown that FWAs are “transformational” for workers, said Mr Chua, which is why it’s an issue he’s embraced since he started in Parliament in 2020. He has consistently called on the Government “to give employees the legislative right to FWAs rather than non-legally binding advisories, and for the Government to lead by example.”

Mr Chua told the story of one Sengkang resident who had asked for a FWA. The mother of two, who has one child needing special attention, asked if she could keep to an FWA to take better care of her children.

“Her boss quipped that her kids are not even dying, if they were, then the company can consider giving more flexibility,” the MP said, adding that he finds the mindset of “if you are not in the office, how do I know that you are working” very troubling.

He also cited the country’s troublingly low fertility rate, with a CNA and YouGov poll showing that some are reluctant to start families as this would affect their work and lifestyles. But these issues could be addressed by FWAs, he said.

Workers in Singapore have said that they would prefer FWAs, with one recent study showing that Singapore jobseekers are still looking to work from home, even though employers may be feeling otherwise. Another showed that workers would consider resigning if their bosses insist on daily work from the office, instead of flexible work from home.

“Mr Speaker, let us take bold and decisive steps to enshrine flexible work arrangements in law, and send a strong signal to the world that our economy, our workplace, and our workforce are ready for the future economy,” urged Mr Chua.

Ms Gan acknowledged that the issue is an important one but cautioned, “Turning flexible work arrangements into something rigid could be detrimental to businesses, and even to workers themselves.”

She added that employers are encouraged by MOM to find arrangements that would be beneficial to both workers and companies and said that tripartite guidelines on flexible work arrangements will be introduced by MOM next year.

She added, ”We have to be mindful of the risk of creating a more acrimonious workplace culture if both parties can easily take their flexible work arrangement disputes to court or tribunal, instead of working out mutually suitable arrangements amicably.”

/TISG

Singapore jobseekers are still looking to work from home, but employers may be feeling otherwise