"Singapore fully implements a 4-day work week"!
In the past two days, this message has gone viral on the Internet.
It is said that "it will be implemented from December 1." ”
It was also said that "all companies operating in the country are required to develop and maintain formal processes." ”
There is also a video saying that after the full implementation of the 4-day work week in Singapore, there will be different packages for employees to choose their own time, and salary and benefits will remain unchanged.
A search on WeChat can also see many reports that Singapore will try to implement a four-day work week.
As soon as the news was announced, it immediately sparked heated discussions, and netizens left messages at the bottom, some people thought that this was the light of Asia.
Others say it's here to enjoy life.
There are also people who say that Singaporeans work less and pay more.
Some netizens even asked, teachers are in 4-day classes, what should students do?
Some people are already imagining a good life of working for 4 days and then traveling abroad for 3 days.
Only 4 days in Singapore?
Is that really the case?
4月16日，新加坡人力部发布文告一开始就开宗明义地说，新加坡政府接受了劳资政灵活工作安排要求指导原则（Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests）。
The statement mentions that from December 1 this year, employees can make a written request to their employer to arrange flexible working hours, and the employer must reply in writing within two months whether or not to accept the application.
So, let's first figure out what "flexible working arrangements" are.
Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) include three main areas: Remote Work, Flexi-Time, and Flexi-Load.
Remote work locations
Employers can implement different types of flexible work arrangements depending on the circumstances. For example, employees are allowed to work from home and remotely, but the workload and hours remain the same.
Telecommuting and a four-day workweek are two different things, and even if employees are working from home, they still have to work five days when they should be working from home, and they won't have to work fewer hours because of working from home. In addition to saving employees time on the commute, remote work can also benefit employees who have loved ones or children to care for.
Source: pixabay
Flexible working hours
Employers allow employees to stagger their commutes, compress the work week, allow them to complete their job duties in fewer working days, or work shifts, among other things. These arrangements do not affect the workload, but may adjust the number of hours worked.
Employees can try to reduce the number of working days from 5 to 4 days through flexible working hours, but the workload remains the same as before, simply put, what was originally done in 5 days can be completed in 4 days. As a result, employees either increase their productivity or work longer hours, from 8 to 10 hours a day, to complete assigned tasks.
Flexible working hours can also be the same 5-day workweek, but with a change in the commute time. Some parents may have to pick up and drop off their children, and they can ask to leave work earlier in exchange for leaving work early, or conversely, by leaving work late in exchange for not having to come to work so early. Such flexible adjustments are also helpful in alleviating the rush of office workers during peak periods.
Flexible workload
Employers share responsibilities through part-time or shared work to promote more people to participate in employment. This option will reduce the number of hours and workload of the employee, so the salary will also be reduced.
What should I do if I don't want to work longer hours and I only work 4 days?
Two words, pay cut.
This should be well understood, if you can only do 80% of the work, it is impossible to ask your boss to pay you 100% of your salary. The boss uses the employee's salary cut money to hire part-time workers, which can be regarded as promoting employment to a certain extent.
Companies can also consider a sharing model in which employee A works four days one week and employee B is responsible for the rest, and the next week employee B works for four days and employee A completes employee B's work, so that both employees can enjoy the benefits of a four-day work week without increasing the workload too much.
Non-mandatory and non-binding
This guideline, endorsed by the Ministry of Manpower of Singapore, applies to all employees who have passed the probationary period.
It is important to emphasize that the guidelines are not legally binding and do not require employers to offer flexible work arrangements to their employees.
Upon receipt of an employee's written application, the employer may refuse to approve the employee's application on the grounds that it would increase costs, be detrimental to production, or be ineffective.
If the employer does not seriously consider the employee's request, the employee who has been rejected may seek assistance from the union or the Labour Fair and Good Employment Coalition (TAFEP).
How far is it from a "four-day workweek"?
Singapore has been open to flexible working arrangements to identify and adopt the most appropriate formats, including the adoption of a four-day workweek.
According to a survey released by the National Employers Federation of Singapore on November 20 last year, employers want to attract and retain talent by offering a better work-life balance, with about a quarter of employers already implementing or intending to implement a four-day workweek.
Source: pixabay
In the report, released on 20 November, the Singapore Federation of Employees suggested that companies should not simply force a reduction in the number of working days to implement a four-day workweek, but should consider it carefully, and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the workplace, increase team productivity, achieve a balance between work and rest, and achieve sustainable business development by optimizing work processes, reducing unnecessary work, and shortening work meetings. ”
Whether it is a four-day or five-day system, Brother Yan sincerely hopes that all workers can "work smarter not harder", and finding the best work-life balance is no longer an unattainable dream!
CY丨EDITOR
HQ丨Editor
Network data collation丨Source
Network data collation丨Image source
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