More workers may start returning to the workplace to better support business operations.
Come 5 April 2021, some 75 per cent of workers who currently work from home will be allowed to the workplace at any one time. This is an increase from the current 50 per cent.
The current cap on the time an employee spends at the workplace will also be lifted.
The multi-ministry taskforce made the announcement on 24 March 2021 at a press conference.
The Manpower Ministry consulted NTUC and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) before deciding to allow greater flexibility for businesses and employees.
Despite the flexibility of working arrangements, employers were encouraged to continue to stagger start times and implement flexible working hours where possible.
These measures help to lower transmission risks by reducing interactions at the workplace and reducing crowding at common spaces at or near the workplace and in public places, including public transport, according to the tripartite partners.
Split team arrangements will also no longer be made mandatory, although companies may continue to adopt such arrangements for business continuity purposes if they so choose.
Restrictions against cross-deployment across workplaces will also remain in place.
NTUC supported these new measures.
NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Cham Hui Fong said: “We are happy that the economy is opening gradually and that the easing of measures is done progressively to keep our businesses going and at the same time, provide safe work arrangements for the employees.
“Flexible work arrangements are now more pervasive. Working-from-home and staggered working time have become a new normal at workplaces. We will work with companies to ensure that the transition to new working arrangements is properly planned and communicated to the employees and there must be a reasonable time for adjustment to resume operations smoothly and safely.”
Meanwhile, SNEF Executive Director Sim Gim Guan said that the health and safety of employees should remain a priority for employers even though the work-from-home arrangement need not be the default mode of working.
“At the same time, employers would be able to introduce innovative work arrangements that aligned business requirements with employees’ needs. This would enable employers to remain competitive and sustain the implementation of flexible work arrangements in the post-COVID-19 economy,” he said.
Additionally, social and recreational gatherings, such as team bonding events organised by the employer, will now be allowed but must be limited to a total size of no more than eight persons.
However, 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. Companies were also reminded to adhere to the necessary safe distancing and capacity limits to keep employees and stakeholders safe.
With the new measures taking effect, the tripartite partners urged companies to remain vigilant as more employees return to the workplace.
Employers must 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.
The multi-ministry taskforce also warned 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. It also said that employers need to be prepared for stringent measures to be re-introduced should there be a spike in infection cases.
