![]() While remote work has proved to be a boon for many - such as savings in commuting time for employees and office space rental for employers - some companies told TODAY that they were initially concerned about how such a work arrangement would affect organisational results and productivity. Ms Rachele Focardi, a future of work strategist, said: “As far as Singapore organisations (are concerned), if the last 15 years have shown us anything, it is that not moving along with the times, creating the best possible environment for employees and adapting to the needs of the new generations is not an option.” Human resource experts told TODAY that more than ever, it is important for employers to focus on “trust” issues, such as incorporating building trust in their approach to leadership and management. Nearly two years after work-from-home was foisted upon many organisations amid an unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, issues such as ensuring productivity and developing mutual trust from a distance continue to dog both employees and employers alike.Īnd it looks like something they will still be grappling with in the foreseeable future.įrom Monday (Sept 27), work-from-home will once again be the default arrangement in Singapore until Oct 24, as the Government introduced new restrictions to halt a surge in Covid-19 infections, which have climbed to more than 1,000 cases on some days. Frustrated at the disregard for staff well-being, she left this company after about one year. She soon left to join another firm - only to witness how it continuously ignored Covid-19 rules. And they would use that later on during group meetings where they could verbally scold people: ‘Your work is only this much because you haven’t been online you know’,” she said. “They kept hyperfixating on the red dot (inactive) and green dot (online). When work-from-home was first implemented at the company she worked at during the circuit breaker from April to June last year, Michelle said her supervisors would keep tabs on whether the staff were online or not through Microsoft Teams. Such negative work-from-home experiences - arising from either the workers’ own insecurity or their bosses’ penchant to micromanage, or both - have led some employees whom TODAY spoke to to quit their jobs despite the uncertain economic outlook.įor Michelle (not her real name), a graphic and web designer in her 30s, she actually changed jobs twice within the last 18 months as she felt that both of her former employers had little regard for staff well-being. “From the things that they said - like ‘nowadays, we don’t hear anything from this person, is she even working?’ - it made me paranoid about myself, even though it was not directed to me,” said Cheryl, now 29, who left the company in November last year after about 12 months on the job. ![]() Such a practice, as well as her managers’ throwaway remarks during virtual meetings, made her feel like she was being tracked. In order for her managers to monitor what she was doing, she also had to make all her work calls, including to external parties, through Microsoft Teams. To prevent her status on communication platforms such as Microsoft Teams or Skype for Business from turning “inactive”, the marketing professional would go back to her desk to move her mouse every 10 minutes or so even though she had to step away for a while. Yet, she still felt pressured to give her then employers that very impression. ![]() SINGAPORE - While working from home, Cheryl (not her real name) was not required, at least officially, to be at her desk all the time.
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