Tripartite Advisory On FWAS
Tripartite Advisory On FWAS
Annex A-1 Pointers for Employees to Consider When Requesting FWAs Annex-A-1
Annex A-2 Sample Form for Employees to Request FWAs Annex-A-2
Annex B-1 Pointers for Supervisors to Consider Annex-B-1
When Evaluating FWA Requests
Annex B-2 Sample Form for Supervisors After Evaluating FWA Request Annex-B-2
Annex C Questions and Answers on FWAs Annex-C
Annex D Case Studies Annex-D
Annex E Employment Legislations to Note When Implementing FWAs Annex-E
Tripartite Advisory On
Flexible Work Arrangements 1
1
The Tripartite Committee (“TriCom”) on Work-Life Strategy comprises members from various government
agencies, employers and unions associations to promote work-life practices as a strategy that optimises
business performance and facilitates employees to manage their own work-life fit. The organisations
represented on the TriCom comprise:
1 Association of Small and Medium Enterprises
2 Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
3 Ministry of Manpower
4 Ministry of Social and Family Development
5 National Population and Talent Division, Prime Minister’s Office
6 National Trades Union Congress
7 Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office
8 Singapore Business Federation
9 Singapore Human Resources Institute
10 Singapore National Employers Federation
11 Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices
Tripartite Advisory On
2 Flexible Work Arrangements
2. Background
a. What are FWAs?
• Work timing/duration.
This includes staggered hours2 and compressed work week3.
• Work location.
This includes telecommuting4, working from home and working from
smart work centres or satellite offices.
• Work scope.
This refers to varying duties or work load. An example is part-time
work.
b. Benefits of FWAs
2
A work arrangement where employees can vary their daily start and end times to suit their work and
personal commitments. Typically, there is a core time, say 10am till 4pm, during which employees must
work. There is usually an accounting period, usually a week or a month, within which the full number of
hours is worked but where the employee has discretion about when those hours are worked.
3
A work arrangement in which an employee works his/her full-time hours (e.g. 40 hours in a week) in
fewer than the normal number of days per time period.
4
A work arrangement in which the job is performed at a location other than the workplace using
information and communication technologies.
Tripartite Advisory On
Flexible Work Arrangements 3
Step 1 : Ass
Employers are encouraged to regularly review the specific F
effectiveness of the FWAs and make adjustments where suitable for
(i.e. meet
necessary to meet business and employees’ needs. This need
can be done by seeking regular feedback from supervisors
and employees. Step 6 : Monitor
the FWAs and
review as
appropriate
sess which
FWAs are Employers are encouraged to understand their employees’
r adoption work-life needs while identifying suitable FWAs for
business
ds) implementation. This could be done through one-on-one
discussions with employees. Bigger organisations may
Step 2 : also wish to consider surveys or focus group discussions.
Understand The information gathered will be useful in deciding whether
employees’
work-life needs
there is a need to implement new FWAs or enhance existing
and identify ones. Work-life consultants may be engaged to help
suitable FWAs employers with this.
Step 3 : Get
Supervisors play an important role in ensuring the success
supervisors of FWAs. Employers are encouraged to provide supervisors
ready for FWAs with formal training or other resources to manage employees
on FWAs. Supervisors should also be empowered to give
them greater confidence in evaluating FWA requests and
managing employees on FWAs while ensuring business
Clearly results continue to be met.
unicate
ns on usage
As to all
Employers who are implementing FWAs for the first time may wish to
consider these steps:
For Employees
For Supervisors
Supervisors
7. Conclusion
FWAs will benefit both employers and employees. To successfully
implement and sustain FWAs, it is important to foster a workplace culture
based on trust and reciprocity that supports open communications on FWA
issues. Everyone has a role to play, whether it is the employer, supervisor,
employee or co-worker.
Tripartite Advisory On
Flexible Work Arrangements 11
8. Resources on FWAs
a. Questions and Answers on FWAs
Please refer to Annex C.
Some of NTUC WDS’s key initiatives include the U Flex initiative, which
includes the WorkPro, U Flex and Little Ones@Work funding schemes,
FWA Conference and Exhibitions, FWA workshops, FWA Job Fairs, and
Best Companies for Mums Awards.
For more stories on employees who have successfully used FWAs, please
visit www.tafep.sg.
Tripartite Advisory On
Annex A-1 Flexible Work Arrangements
Employees may wish to consider the following before they discuss their
FWA request with their supervisors:
2. The proposed FWA, which includes the type of work schedule and
location.
To be completed by Employee
• Working days:
• Working Location:
3. Duration of FWA
• Start date:
• End date:
1. Can the required work deliverables and standards be met under the
proposed FWA?
2. Does the proposed FWA allow the employee to interact with his/her
supervisor and/or peers?
Evaluation Process
To be completed by Supervisor
• Type of FWA:
• Working days:
• Work location
2. Duration of FWA
• Start date:
• End date:
For Employers
Q2. How can the employer ensure that business outcomes are
still met with FWAs?
For example, the employer has a duty under the Workplace Safety
and Health Act (WSHA) to take reasonably practicable measures
to ensure the safety and health of the employees at work. In the
context of ‘telecommuting’ or ‘working from home’, however, it
is not practical for the employer to ensure that all hazards that
exist in the employee’s home are eliminated or mitigated in view
that the employer will not have control and management over the
employee’s home.
For Supervisors
5
The Straits Times-Employer Alliance (ST-EA) Survey on Work-Life Integration and Flexible Work
Arrangements (FWAs) released in July 2014 found that 88% of employers recognised improved employee
satisfaction as one of the benefits of implementing work-life initiatives such as FWAs while 81% of
employers recognised improved employee productivity as one of the benefits of implementing work-life
initiatives.
Tripartite Advisory On
Annex C Flexible Work Arrangements
For Employees
“
Kian Mun, Vice-President of Asia Pacific Compliance, whose job
let her tap on these FWAs, said: “When working in the office posed
various challenges for me to meet my changing and urgent family
commitments, the CWS Programme gave me the flexibility to juggle
effectively between work and family needs. Not only does my job get
done, there are minimal work disruptions. As my job does not require
“
me to face customers, most meetings can be held via conference calls
and I am reachable any time by email or cell phone.”
Case Study 3. Home-Fix The D.I.Y. Store: Part Time Work, Full Time
Success
“
Mohd Hoesny Bin Mustafa, Retail Supervisor, said “Because of
the five-day work week scheme, I was able to take up a course on
“Advanced Certificate in Retail Supervision”. Having two off days
allowed me to do two modules at the same time - one module in the
day and another module in the evening. This has helped me get my
“
Advanced Certificate in a much shorter time. Thank you, Home-Fix
management!”
Applicable Description
Law
Employment WORKING HOURS
Act (EA)
1. The contractual working hours should not exceed
Refer to the 8 hours in a day or 44 hours in a week. However,
Ministry of flexibility can be exercised for the following
Manpower circumstances, and such variations should be stated
website clearly in the employment contract:
(www.mom.
gov.sg) a) If the employee works less than 8 hours on
for more 1 or more days in a week (i.e. on flexi-time
information arrangement), he/she can work up to 9 hours in
on a day but the total working hours in a week is still
calculation capped at 44;
of overtime
b) If the employee works 5 days or less in a week
and public
(e.g. shifting from a 6-day to 5-day work week), he/
holiday pay,
she can work up to 9 hours in a day but the total
pro-ration of
working hours in a week is still capped at 44;
benefits, etc.
c) If the employee works less than 44 hours every
alternative week, he/she can work more than 44
hours in the other week. This arrangement must
be stated in the employment contract, and is
subject to a cap of 48 hours in 1 week or 88 hours
in any continuous 2-week period;
d) If the employee works in shift, he/she can work
up to 12 hours in a day, provided that the average
working hours each week are capped at 44 when
computed over a continuous 3 week period.
e) If the employee works consecutively for 8 hours
or more, the duration in which he/she works must
include a break of at least 45 minutes during which
he/she will have the opportunity to have a meal.
Tripartite Advisory On
Flexible Work Arrangements Annex E
OVERTIME
© Ministry of Manpower
Information correct as at 7 November 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission
in writing from the Ministry of Manpower.