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More Singapore employers offering flexible work arrangements: MOM
THE share of workers in Singapore whose companies offer formal flexible work arrangements continues to grow, and employers are offering more types of arrangements.
Last year, 72 per cent of employees worked in companies that offer at least one such arrangement, such as part-time work, flexible hours or tele-working, up from 70 per cent in 2017.
More were offered at least one ad-hoc arrangement as well: the figure rose to 87 per cent last year, up from 81 per cent in 2017, according to the latest Conditions of Employment Report released by the Manpower Ministry on Wednesday.
The share of firms offering at least two types of flexi-work arrangements also rose to 22.7 per cent last year, from 16.8 per cent in 2017.
Offering these arrangements makes business sense as employees are more likely to stay with a company with such options, especially as the new generation of workers value flexibility a lot more, said Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad on Wednesday at an event to share the findings at the NTUC Centre.
“Employees, likewise, when offered flexible work arrangements, see it as a sign that they are valued by the company and that the company is willing to accommodate employees’ responsibilities outside of work. It is also about trust, employees feel ‘You trust me to get the work done even though I’m not sitting at my desk’,” he said.
The provision of flexible arrangements had the greatest impact on staff retention among various workplace practices, the MOM report said.
The biennial report, which covered some 1.3 million workers and 3,700 firms, said that increases in annual leave entitlement and reductions in the number of work days per week led to the next biggest decreases in resignation rates.
Compared with the previous survey in 2016, a greater proportion of firms offered paid marriage leave and family care leave last year but a smaller proportion offered paid study or examination leave and compassionate leave.
THE STRAITS TIMES
Source: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/more-singapore-employers-offering-flexible-work-arrangements-mom