Remote Work in Singapore: Employers in Singapore Should Get Ready
Is the New Normal Getting Back to the Old Normal in Singapore? Why can't we all just be digital nomads?
This is year 3. The WHO has declared the end of the pandemic. 3 years on, the benefits of continuing remote work couldn’t be clearer, even in a small nation like Singapore. 86% of their respondents say remote work made them happier and more motivated, 84% say they saved money through hybrid work in 2022, and 74% reported improved family relationships after switching to remote work. But can remote work in Singapore stay? Are we really ready to head back to the office? Will remote work in Singapore survive the pandemic?
Table of Contents
The State of Remote Work in Singapore
Ah, remember when hotels were offering their hotel rooms for remote work? Remember when you worked in your own home or Singapore serviced apartments? And then you could just cook up a storm in your fully-equipped kitchen whenever you want to?
Professionals in Singapore welcomed the remote work experience early on in the pandemic. In a survey of 110 professionals by Robert Walters, 7 of 9 professionals in Singapore were satisfied with their remote work arrangements then. 7 out of 10 reported increased productivity at home or in their living spaces. Today, Cisco reported that Singapore remains one of the places where companies are least in favour of working in the traditional office full time. 66% of respondents said a flexible work schedule was the most important.
Even then, the signs aren’t looking good for working remotely in Singapore. Looks like the new normal will not hold, despite Singapore being previously hailed as a champion of hybrid work in the Asia Pacific. (So long, Work-Live Housing of the future.)
The Ministry of Manpower reported that the number of job vacancies that offer remote work opportunities dropped from 31% in 2021 to 21% in 2022. And employees are feeling the chill: only 19.4% of respondents in the Cisco report feel their employers are ‘very prepared’ for a hybrid working future.
Remote Work Across the World
Singapore is an outlier when it comes to embracing remote work. According to a survey by Okta, 45% of employers in the EU allow up to 3 days of remote work in a week. Most companies adopt the office-first hybrid, where the organisation decides when teams and employees can work remotely. And even then, they consider remote employees as typically more productive than their in-office counterparts.
The winds of change are sweeping across the EU, and the Netherlands is taking the lead in giving workers the ultimate freedom: the right to work from home! It’s no longer just a perk—remote work is now a legal entitlement for the Dutch.
The rest of Europe is following suit, enshrining remote work into law, while ensuring equal protection and compensation for remote workers. You can see the same in the Philippines, where the law states that ‘Telecommuting employees should be treated fairly and afforded the same treatment as employees who work at the regular workplace.’
Elsewhere, Australia passed a law that requires employers to meet with employees to discuss flexible work arrangements in December 2022. The law requires employers to try and execute flexible working arrangements. If both the employer and the employee cannot reach an agreement, the employer is required to provide a written explanation to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) within 21 days of receiving the employee’s request. Employees will be allowed to apply to the FWC to challenge an employer’s refusal or failure to respond to a flexible work arrangement request, where the FWC will arbitrate and conciliate.
Hitting a Grind: Challenges to Remote Work in Singapore
The state of remote work in Singapore remains relatively nascent. Despite calls for a hassle-free hybrid work culture, many companies are only still adapting to the shift toward remote work. After all, many renters are still looking for spacious homes when they’re looking for Singapore condo rentals or a room for rent.
So far, there is only some expression that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) ‘expects work-from-home arrangements to become a more mainstream option‘, and that they will not rush into hasty legislation that infringes workplace flexibility and hampers economic recovery.
Furthermore, remote workers in Singapore can only negotiate flexible work arrangements with their employers, unless they’re lucky enough to work for an organisation that has remote work as part of their company policy. Not only that, there is no legislation in Singapore that obliges the employer to provide office equipment and supplies, even as some countries require employers to pay for office equipment and supplies for remote workers.
All that doesn’t bode well with fostering a well-established culture and infrastructure for working remotely in Singapore, which can lead to communication and collaboration difficulties. Additionally, a considerable amount of employers feel that remote work may hinder innovation and creativity, as face-to-face interactions can foster better collaboration and brainstorming. After all, there’s only so much collaboration if you’re just in your own living room.
That also feeds into professionals in Singapore feeling that employee support and HR policies and processes were the areas of least preparedness for the hybrid work environment in Singapore. In fact, it’s common for some remote workers in Singapore often feel that they’re less likely to get promoted and see more career growth.
3 Reasons Why Remote Work in Singapore Needs to Happen
As we move past the pandemic, it’s easy to get back to old habits. But remote work is increasingly seen as a right across the EU and the world, what with all the benefits it can provide. Still, major employers in Singapore have yet to announce their preference for remote work; only Western tech companies are more welcome to the idea.
1. Singaporean companies can be more competitive with talent acquisition and rentention
But the old normal may not hold for long. Singaporean companies may soon have to contend with a more competitive talent landscape. By offering remote work or flexible work arrangements, Singaporean companies can get a competitive edge in not only attracting top talents, but retaining them too. Sure, younger generations tend to prioritise work-life balance and flexibility. But the rest of the population is catching up too: 4 in 10 Singapore workers would give up bigger bonuses for remote working.
2. Singaporean companies get to be more environmentally sustainable
But beyond that, remote work can help companies be more sustainable in the long term with their operations. After all, physical office spaces require significant energy consumption for cooling, lighting, and other operations. By reducing the need for office space, remote work can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable energy use. Plus, remote work also means reduced paper and plastic waste from office supplies with the help of digital tools. That all amounts to a significant reduction of office expenses.
3. Singaporean companies can achieve more cost savings
Ah, remember when hotels were offering their hotel rooms for remote work? Remember when you worked in your own home or Singapore serviced apartments? And then you could just cook up a storm in your fully-equipped kitchen whenever you want to?
Professionals in Singapore welcomed the remote work experience early on in the pandemic. In a survey of 110 professionals by Robert Walters, 7 of 9 professionals in Singapore were satisfied with their remote work arrangements then. 7 out of 10 reported increased productivity at home or in their living spaces. Today, Cisco reported that Singapore remains one of the places where companies are least in favour of working in the traditional office full time. 66% of respondents said a flexible work schedule was the most important.
Even then, the signs aren’t looking good for working remotely in Singapore. Looks like the new normal will not hold, despite Singapore being previously hailed as a champion of hybrid work in the Asia Pacific. (So long, Work-Live Housing of the future.)
The Ministry of Manpower reported that the number of job vacancies that offer remote work opportunities dropped from 31% in 2021 to 21% in 2022. And employees are feeling the chill: only 19.4% of respondents in the Cisco report feel their employers are ‘very prepared’ for a hybrid working future.
Hybrid Work is Just Work
This bears repeating: hybrid work is just work. Both the government and the private sector should work together to ensure that remote work is supported and integrated into the broader workforce culture. Organisation leaders should learn how to balance employee interests with the success of the organisation by trusting remote workers and their remote teams with clear remote work policies and maintaining a close-knit team culture. Perhaps companies could foster a more fulfilling hybrid work environment by converting some of their office working spaces into shared spaces, where people can come together and get to know each other. Of course, companies should also invest in remote tech, collaboration tools, and better cybersecurity infrastructure for their digital tools as well.
Meanwhile, the government could pass legislation supporting and protecting equal treatment between remote workers and on-site workers. By embracing remote work and fostering a culture that supports it, companies and the government can create a more flexible, sustainable, and productive workforce for the future.
About the Writer: Benedict Lim
As the resident punmaker, Benedict is really bad at making people laugh. They’re much better at diving into the nuances of the things they write about.
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