Educational approach taken to guide, support employers' compliance
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is working with the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) to ensure compliance with the recently introduced guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests (TG-FWAR).
The TG-FWAR, which took effect in December, mandates employers to consider employees' formal requests for flexible work arrangements.
The guidelines are not legislated in Singapore, raising concerns on how the government plans to track compliance from employers.
According to MOM, tripartite partners have taken on an enabling and educational approach to guide and support employers to comply with the TG-FWAR.
"To help employers understand and comply with the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests, MOM has worked with TAFEP, SNEF and NTUC to provide employers with practical resources such as toolkits and playbooks to implement FWAs effectively," it said in a statement.
MOM added that employers can tap on grants, such as the Productivity Solutions Grant, to offset the costs of adopting flexible work arrangements.
Singapore's TG-FWAR adopts a similar approach to legislation in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, where employees have the right to request flexible work.
But concerns about the approach aren't limited to compliance, as some employers are also wary of potential misuse of FWAs, which can impact productivity and business clients.
MOM said this underscores the importance of having clear communication and the right expectations at work.
"Employers should communicate upfront their expectations on how employees should use FWAs responsibly," MOM said.
"Tripartite partners have assured employers that they will have the prerogative to grant or reject requests, as FWAs must make sense for businesses to be sustainable."
