Singaporeans prefer flexibility over four-day work weeks

In the advent of new working arrangements, a new study has revealed that Singaporeans prefer flexibility over a four-day work week.

The latest Qualtrics research showed that 64% of full-time employees in Singapore would prefer having flexibility in the workplace, much higher than 36% who prefer having one less day to work.

Despite this, 87% of employees said they are still willing to support their employers should they implement a four-day work week, citing the following benefits under the work arrangement:

• Improvement of work-life balance (89%)
• Improvement of mental health (86%)
• Loyalty to employer (87%)
• Increased productivity (86%)

These pros do not come without cons, however, as employees also expressed the following concerns over the implementation of a four-day work week:

• Working for longer hours (78%)
• More frustrated customers (62%)
• Company performance would suffer (55%)

A four-day work week is a policy that could be interpreted as a move from some employers to deliver better work-life balance that is highly requested by employees in their organisations.

Read more: Four-day work week: The good and the bad for Southeast Asians

However, the study revealed that 33% of Singaporeans see flexibility as having the capability to control the hours they want to work. Some 26% said this is having the freedom to work from any location, while 19% said this means having the freedom to choose the days they work.

Lauren Huntington, Employee Experience Solution Strategist - Southeast Asia, Qualtrics, said employers should be able to clearly point out what employees want as their way of working.

"Among the buzz surrounding new working models, employers must not lose sight of the fact that what employees really want and have come accustomed to is the flexibility to adjust their work schedules to fit the demands of their lives," said Huntington. "Increasingly, we're seeing people make career decisions and find fulfillment in their jobs by working for organisations that truly understand and respond to their needs, and where they feel they belong."

"That's why the most important part of any working model isn't simply the hours or days worked - it's being able to understand and meaningfully deliver what people want and expect to ensure everyone benefit from the transformations underway."