August 27th, 2024 | Sterling

A Talent Manager’s Dilemma: Balancing Flexible Work Arrangements with Security and Productivity

Singapore is on the cusp of a significant shift in workplace dynamics with new tripartite guidelines on flexible work arrangements (FWA) set to take effect on December 1, 2024. The new guidance underscores a growing recognition of the need for flexibility as a cornerstone of today’s organisational culture, including location, schedule, and workload. 

The Imperative for Change 

The combination of a tight labour market, an aging population, and increasing caregiver responsibilities is pushing Singapore to reimagine traditional work structures. FWAs are no longer a benefit, but a necessity to tap into a wider talent pool, retain experienced employees, and foster more inclusive workplaces. 

Explaining the need for the guidelines, Minister of State for Manpower Gan Siow Huang said, “I personally feel that it is not a choice that we can make. If we want to have a strong labour force in Singapore, we want to be able to empower adults in Singapore who want to work to be able to work, FWA must be the way to go,” she said. 

Contributing to the shift is that by 2030, around one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above. Additionally, women’s involvement in the workforce increased to 76.6% last year, but about 260,000 women of economic age remain outside the workforce due to caregiving responsibilities. 

The guidelines define three types of flexible work arrangements: 

“Flexi-place” arrangements where employees can work from locations outside the office. This includes telecommuting and working from home. 

“Flexi-time” arrangements where employees can work at different timings with no changes to total work hours and workload. This includes staggered hours, flexible shifts, and a compressed work schedule. 

“Flexi-load” arrangements where employees can take on different workloads with commensurate remuneration. This includes job sharing and part-time work. 

Setting out the basic requirements of a formal FWA, will make it easier for employees to submit their requests. However, one must note that these requests are for long term arrangements instead of ad hoc arrangements, where organisations require planning of the workforce to ensure business continuity.  

 
Navigating the New Landscape 

The upcoming legislation mandates that all employers must have a process in place for workers to make formal requests for flexible work arrangements when the guidelines take effect December 1, 2024. 

The guidelines state that employers should communicate their decision within two months of a request for flexible work arrangements.  

While employers have the right to reject such requests, the decision should be backed up by reasonable business grounds such as cost or productivity considerations. The guidelines also outline what are deemed unreasonable grounds for rejecting requests.  

The Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement were recently launched, including best practices. 

Balancing Flexibility with Security and Productivity? 

This transition, while appropriate for the current state, comes with its challenges. As organisations embrace remote work and flexible schedules and work types, ensuring data and brand security, as well as maintaining company culture, will become paramount. It is important for organisations to ramp up screening programs for employees to help mitigate risks when more work flexibility increases. 

To ensure a smooth transition, organisations must: 

  • Strengthen Screening Processes: Implement stringent background checks for new or current employees who would like to have flexible work arrangements and remote access to protect sensitive data. 
  • Foster Open Communication: Employees must understand the rationale behind background checks and how they contribute to a secure working environment. Fostering a culture of trust and belonging is essential to ensure that these measures do not erode employee morale or create a sense of distrust. 
  • Build Trust and Belonging: Create a workplace culture which embraces flexibility and allow employees to continue to feel valued and supported.  

How Can Sterling Help You? 

 As different types of screening checks are recommended for different industries, we have local experts who are able to identify the most suitable screening program for your organisation. Below are 4 basic screening checks which we would recommend including in your screening programs. 

Employment History Checks — For all roles, it is important to understand a candidate’s employment history. This includes details such as where they worked, their skills and experience, their past employment titles, duration of employment, and reason for leaving. Employment history information is extremely helpful for hiring teams to understand whether the candidate would be suitable for the advertised role and whether they have the requisite skills for succeeding in the position.     

Reference Checks — In order to get a holistic overview of a candidate, reference checks help to give more qualitative information about a candidate’s past behaviour and performance. We contact the candidate’s personal or professional referees and use a list of tailored questions to verify the candidate’s details. Reference checks can also act as a supplementary check to confirm the candidate’s identity and employment history.   

Professional Membership Checks — For certain professional roles, it is important to confirm whether candidates belong to specific professional membership groups, e.g., accounting, legal, financial, etc. When conducting these checks, we directly contact the professional membership group to confirm whether the candidate holds a professional membership while also determining the currency of their membership and flagging any disciplinary records that may be on file. 

Financial Regulatory Searches — Used to help fill financial positions, financial regulatory searches verify whether a candidate has been previously disqualified from involvement in managing a business or otherwise banned from practicing in the financial services industry. The search will also confirm whether a person holds the appropriate license to conduct their role within Singapore’s financial services industry. These searches ensure that new hires comply with industry regulations and are therefore suitable to practice in the advertised financial role.     

The Road Ahead 

As we approach the December 2024 deadline, organisations must be prepared to adapt their talent management strategies, strengthen security protocols, and prioritise open communication. 

The journey towards a more inclusive and competitive workplace is a collaborative effort involving the government, employers, and employees. This is an opportunity to build workplaces where everyone feels valued, respected, safe, and enabled to contribute their best. 

Please feel free to reach out to Sterling with questions or concerns; our local screening experts are ready to assist you. 

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