100% Of Singapore Staff Allowed To Return To Office On Tuesday

SINGAPORE – With 100 percent of employees permitted to return to their workplace starting on Tuesday (26 April) compared to the 75 percent limit since 5 April, some companies intend to require their staff to return the office several times a week, reported The Straits Times on Monday evening (25 April, SGT).

For instance, Randstad Singapore’s Managing Director Jaya Dass told the news outlet that from the 2nd week of May, the recruitment agency will mandate its employees to return to the office twice per week.

Notably, Randstad Singapore’s 227 staff have been working fully remotely since February 2020.

“In a fully remote arrangement, workers may lose some of their ability to adjust to body language cues and socialise with their co-workers. In the office, when there is healthy collaboration, workers can better hone their empathy, listening and teamwork skills,” explained Dass on why they are requiring their workers to return to the office.

The Vice President of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME), Ang Yuit, also said that letting employees return to their workplace is important for new hires.

“When you sit next to a co-worker, you learn about his working style, the office culture and how the company operates,” noted Ang.

Similarly, sports technology start-up Elxr shared it’s considering having all of its staff return to their workplace at least three times per week from Tuesday to strengthen ties between employees.

However, HR experts and executives warned that businesses should not rush to return to the office, as staff would need to readjust after 2 years of working from home (WFH).

Aside from that, firms wanting all their staff back at the workplace will have to ensure that their employees will have a safe and conducive working environment, noted Dass.

“We have been sanitising the Randstad office, on top of the usual requirements, such as deep cleaning our carpets. All the facilities, like the television screens in the conference rooms, have to be functioning too,” she revealed, adding that firms that slashed their office footprint during the COVID-19 pandemic may find that they need more office space.