Covid-19: Singapore to allow more employees to return to offices from today

The multi-ministerial task force tackling the health crisis recently announced that work from home (WFH) will no longer be the default requirement from Thursday. From now on, 50 per cent of employees can return to their workplaces.

As Singapore is set to ease restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) due to an improvement in the pandemic situation, companies are preparing towards allowing their employees to return to offices. The multi-ministerial task force tackling the health crisis recently announced that work from home (WFH) will no longer be the default requirement from Thursday. From now on, 50 per cent of employees can return to their workplaces.

At present, not all companies in Singapore are planning to bring back their employees to offices. (IStock. Representative image)

A majority of the companies are expecting hybrid working arrangements to be a permanent feature of the post-Covid-19 world, according to a report by The Straits Times on Wednesday. A spokesperson for the country’s Public Service Division told The Straits Times that the department was working towards supporting greater work flexibility in the post Covid-19 world. “This will go towards meeting the needs of officers and, at the same time, balancing organisational needs,” the spokesperson added.

When Singapore was first hit by Covid-19 in 2020, companies were finding it difficult to make hybrid working conditions possible. In September, the government allowed some workers to return to their offices. However, in May this year, the country once again opted for work from home amid a huge increase in infections.

At present, not all companies in Singapore are planning to bring back their employees to offices. According to a report by the Channel News Asia, financial services company Mastercard said its employees could come back to offices, if they wanted to, from August 23. On the other hand, Golin, a public relations agency, also pointed out that its employees could choose until the end of 2021, to return to office or work from home.

Apart from easing restrictions for workplaces, Singapore from Thursday will abolish the mandatory temperature checks before entering public places and increase the occupancy limits for shopping malls and showrooms. The operating capacity of cinemas, cruises and libraries will also go up to 50 per cent. Earlier, the government loosened its border restrictions from August 10, allowing entry approvals for fully vaccinated foreign workers and their dependents. Restaurants have resumed dining-in facilities from August 10 and the group size increased to five.