Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) president Low Peck Kem said not needing to “apply” to telecommute is something that will remain in the new normal, along with good meeting habits such as being concise, sending in materials to pre-read and using technology to engage with participants.
Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing has said there is high potential for more people here to work from home regularly, as 57 percent of the jobs in Singapore are done by professionals, managers, executives and technicians.
“A lot of companies are reviewing their lease agreements to potentially shrink office sizes, as more look to set up hybrid work arrangements,” said Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) chief executive Mayank Parekh.
Design firm Unispace said it has started using a new design principle it calls the propeller framework, where offices focus less on the individual desk and having space to concentrate, which workers can achieve at home.
“Employees will continue to split their time between home and the office, as they will still require the emotional, psychological and professional benefits of tightly woven teams and a strong corporate culture found in the workplace,” said Mr Toby Rakison, Unispace’s managing director for Asia.