Staggered working hours already the norm at some companies
Past year has made employers more accepting of arrangement
Staggered hours have been the norm at some firms here, as companies prepare to bring more employees back to the office when Covid-19 regulations at workplaces ease today.
The Straits Times spoke to about 10 employers ahead of the eased restrictions that will allow up to 75 per cent of workers to return to the office.
They said that the past year has made them more accepting of office hours being tailored to individual needs. Their staff are now able to operate without having to be in a particular place for a mandated length of time.
"There is greater ease in picking up your work from wherever you are and less of a need to be on site. We no longer need all staff to report to work at the same set time," said TSMP Law joint managing partner Stefanie Yuen Thio.
As Covid-19 has not been eradicated, she is mindful that her employees may want to avoid the morning and evening peak-hour commutes, and encourages them to start work after 10am or even after lunch.
"This will allow everyone to organise their personal and family arrangements as they need to," she said.
Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said staggering commuter traffic throughout the day would be a better use of the public transport network.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah said more flexible work arrangements could lead to heartland areas having more places for people to work from, childcare options and green spaces for people to get fresh air.
While few companies have fixed staggered hours for their employees, most that ST spoke to said staggered hours have become a matter of course.
Public relations firm AKA Asia is developing a booking system for staff to decide how long and when they want to work from the office.
There are companies with stricter, more defined staggered hours, however. Immigration consultancy Cayman Group Holdings has two starting times. Staff who start at 8.30am end their shift between 4.30pm and 5pm, while those who start at 10.30am leave between 6.30pm and 7pm.
Ultimately, employers are concerned about how to allow flexibility while maintaining company cohesion.
Staggered work hours, in addition to work-from-home arrangements and split teams, give companies more tools to meet these aims.
Ms Yuen Thio said: "Split teams mean that the paths of the different teams do not cross. Over an extended period, this creates divisions among co-workers.
"Staggering the hours allows us to manage safe distancing not only in the office, but also in the daily commute."
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