Minister of State for Manpower encourages openness to various flexible work arrangements
In a Parliament session on Tuesday, September 13, Minister of State for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Gan Siow Huang emphasised that both employers and workers should adopt a “flexible mindset” when considering the potential of a four-day work week. She explained that while this model might work well for some, it may not be suitable for all businesses or employees.
“A four-day work week is just one of many types of flexible work arrangements. MOM, in collaboration with our tripartite partners, encourages employers and employees to explore and adopt flexible work arrangements that best meet their specific business needs and the needs of their workers,” said Gan.
She was responding to a question from MP Melvin Yong (PAP-Radin Mas) regarding any ongoing studies examining the feasibility of a four-day work week in Singapore. Gan clarified that the ministry is not currently aware of any third-party studies on the matter. However, she noted that reports of four-day work week trials in countries like Ireland, Japan, and Spain have shown mixed results.
In Belgium, employees are granted the right to request a four-day work week, but with longer daily hours, ensuring the total weekly hours remain the same. Gan acknowledged that while productivity improvements were observed in some cases, the results have varied depending on the sector and job type.
She also highlighted some of the challenges associated with the shorter work week, such as the potential need to hire additional staff to compensate for reduced work hours in certain sectors, as well as concerns over salary reductions and increased stress for employees working longer hours each day to meet their responsibilities.
In response to Mr. Yong’s suggestion of a trial within the public sector to assess the model’s effectiveness, Gan stated that MOM does not plan to impose any specific trial or formulas for flexible work arrangements within the public service, acknowledging the diverse needs across different sectors and job roles.
