Becoming a norm: People walk outside a bank in Singapore. Many companies, particularly in sectors such as professional services, technology, public service and financial institutions, have adopted some form of hybrid work arrangement. — Reuters
SINGAPORE: Hybrid working is now such a clear preference for people in Singapore that it is a crucial factor for many applicants when weighing up job offers.
The hybrid option – some time in the office and some at home – grew out of the pandemic and the resulting restrictions, but it is now firmly embedded in work culture long after those restrictions were lifted.
That was made clear in a recently published ranking of Singapore’s top employers by The Straits Times and global data firm Statista.
It showed that hybrid work and the option of flexible working arrangements were key factors in employee satisfaction.
Many companies, particularly in sectors such as professional services, technology, public service and financial institutions, have adopted some form of hybrid work arrangement.
Some positions, such as on-site laboratory work or construction roles, require employees to be physically present at the workplace, but many jobs can be done remotely, and staff like it that way.
Recruitment consultancy Robert Walters Singapore noted that hybrid working is now extremely common.
Stephanie Tan, senior consultant for tech and transformation at the firm, said: “Only very traditional companies are still enforcing full five-day office weeks. Nine out of 10 jobs we come across will have a flexible working arrangement.
“For every 10 candidates we speak to, at least nine of them will ask about the type of working arrangements available, whether the company has a flexible working environment or how many days they are allowed to work from home.
“We have come across many candidates who have rejected job offers because the employer does not offer a flexible working arrangement and enforces going to the office five days a week.”
Tan added that roles where an employee has to be always on site have been a lot harder to fill.
However, while hybrid work arrangements can be critical for some, other factors may also come into play.
Aslam Sardar, chief executive of the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, said: “People’s attitudes to work have changed with the advent of the pandemic. Employees today want meaning and greater flexibility.
“As workers return to work, many still wish to retain the flexibility they enjoy that hybrid work environments can provide.
“Increasingly, job seekers are inquiring about a company’s flexible work arrangements.
“However, hybrid work is but one of many considerations a job seeker makes in evaluating an opportunity and may not necessarily be a deal-breaker.” — The Straits Times/ANN
