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Singapore to allow up to 75% of employees to be in office from 5 April 2021

The tripartite partners recently reviewed the safe management measures at workplaces to allow for more employees to return to workplaces in Singapore. This comes as a result of local community cases remaining low in the past month, and the steady progress of the vaccination programme.

According to a press release by the Ministry of Health (MOH), the updated requirements will take effect from 5 April 2021. 

For employers and workplaces, this means a shift away from working-from-home as a default to a more flexible and hybrid way of working. 

From 5 April 2021, up to 75% of the employees (who are presently able to work from home) can now be at the workplace at any one time, up from the current 50%. The current cap on the time an employee spends at the workplace will also be lifted.

That said, staggered start times and flexible working hours should continue to be implemented where possible to lower transmission risks. 

Under the new guidelines, split team arrangements are no longer mandatory, although companies may continue to adopt such arrangements for business continuity purposes if they so choose. While restrictions against cross-deployment across workplaces remain in place

Due to its management of the Covid-19 situation, Singapore has leapt into a top 10 spot for the first time as a desirable place to work, a study showed. It also found that fewer Singaporeans want to work abroad now than before the pandemic.

These findings were released on Monday (March 15) as part of a survey on workforce mobility around the world, done by employment matching firm Seek Asia and job marketplace JobStreet.

With the help of recruitment company The Network and management consulting company Boston Consulting Group, a total of 208,807 people were polled across more than 190 countries. 

Among them, 6,280 participants were from Singapore, with the majority being citizens. They have varied work backgrounds, including in retail, finance and the tech sector.

Singapore is now the eighth most attractive country to relocate to among workers. It was ranked 18th in 2018 and 24th in 2014.
Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/singapore-among-top-10-most-desirable-countries-work-fewer-singaporeans-want-work-abroad.

As more employees return to the workplace, companies are urged to remain vigilant and continue to implement the prevailing safe management measures such as regular cleaning of common spaces, demarcating safe physical distancing and mask-wearing at all times. 

When it comes to work-related events, companies are reminded to adhere to the necessary safe-distancing and capacity limits to keep employees and stakeholders safe. Due to the higher risk of transmission when people are unmasked, meals should not be the main feature of the event, and companies should avoid holding events over mealtimes as far as possible.

Additionally, social and recreational gatherings, such as team bonding events organised by the employer, will be allowed but must be limited to a total size of no more than eight people.

The MOH noted that enforcement actions will be taken against employers who fail to comply with the safe management measures, and that will include the possibility of workplace closures.

Employers also have to be prepared that the situation is a dynamic one. If there is increased risk of COVID-19 resurgence, we will have to adjust our posture and more stringent measures at workplaces will have to be re-introduced.