Oral Answer to PQ on Compressed Work Week

NOTICE PAPER NO. 959 OF 2022 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 16 FEBRUARY 2022
QUESTION NO. 2509 FOR ORAL ANSWER

MP: Mr Yip Hon Weng
To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) how many companies in Singapore currently practise some form of a shorter work week; and (b) whether assistance and guidance can be provided for companies considering to implement shorter work weeks.

Answer:
1. Compressed work-week is one of several flexible work arrangements that employers may offer their employees. A standard workweek is condensed into fewer than five days, and employees complete their expected workload within this shorter work-week, with the total number of hours worked remaining the same. In such arrangements, the employee does not need to contemplate reducing his income in exchange for greater flexibility in work days, since the actual workload and total hours worked in a week do not differ from that of a person on a standard work-week.

2. In 2020, about 1 in 10 establishments offered compressed work-week as a flexible work arrangement (FWA) to their employees.

3. Companies can refer to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices’ (TAFEP) website for more information and resources on how to implement compressed work-week arrangements, including policy templates and case studies of companies that have successfully done so.

4. The Government will continue to work with tripartite partners and our Work-Life Ambassadors to promote and support the provision of FWAs. It is useful to remember that flexible work arrangements are not limited only to remote working or hybrid working. The concept of a compressed work-week is also more suitable for certain working arrangements. In promoting workplace flexibility, we encourage companies to implement the form of FWAs that best suits their business and employees’ needs.