Singapore says it'll let workers ask for their dream schedule. There's just one obstacle.

Singapore's new guideline is part of a global trend toward workforce flexibility.

Getty Images; BI

• Singapore employees can formally request flexible work arrangements starting December 1, the government announced.
• The guideline is part of a global trend toward workforce flexibility.
• While not legally binding, workers can approach unions for support if requests are not considered.

Singapore's government just announced that employees in the country will soon be able to request arrangements like working from home, shorter workweeks, and flexible hours.

Under the new guidelines, which will kick in on December 1, bosses will officially have to consider requests for flexible arrangements that help workers manage their personal and professional lives, according to a government release on Tuesday.

Bosses will not, however, be legally obligated to meet the employee's request.

The announcement highlights a global effort by governments to give employees more flexibility and relax in-office policies. The UK, Ireland, and Australia have implemented similar arrangements.

In Singapore, 73% of young employees said they preferred remote jobs, according to a 2023 survey by research firm Universum. 

While the guidelines are not legally binding, employees can seek assistance from the national trade union or their individual union if they feel their request was not properly considered, the government said. Employers can reject the request if they believe it affects the company's productivity and ability to meet a client's demand.

Women and older workers are more likely to request flexible work arrangements, the government said. Women are more likely to work from home than men: 41% of women, compared with 28% of men, worked remotely in the US, according to the 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey.

"Flexible work arrangements can be beneficial for both employees and employers," said Gan Siow Huang, Singapore's minister of state for manpower, in the press release. "They enable employees to achieve better work-life harmony, and give employers a competitive advantage in talent attraction and retention."

Singapore's version of the guideline applies to all businesses, regardless of size. It includes all workers once they have completed probation, the trial period at the beginning of the job when the employer can asses if someone is a good fit.

Having a formal process in place for workers to make requests can improve employees' mental health and work-life balance, Theodoric Chew, the CEO of workplace mental health platform Intellect, told Business Insider.

If early adopters, like government agencies, show that flexible work helps employees without sacrificing productivity, companies will follow, Chew said.

Several American leaders, including Bernie Sanders, Point72 CEO Steve Cohen, and IAC and Expedia chairman Barry Diller, have called for, or predicted, four-day workweeks.

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