Claire Chiang Employer Alliance Singapore HR Formalized HR policies
Singapore - Even though only one in three companies have flexible work arrangements, more bosses tend to do so on an ad-hoc basis or in response to a situational need. This needs to be changed, says Claire Chiang, chairperson of Employer Alliance.
In a 2008 Ministry of Manpower survey, it found 27.5% of companies say they have flexible work arrangements in their organisations. This is an increase from the 19.1% of companies as reported in 2000.
In an interview during the launch of the Employer Alliance's new Work-Life Smart Kit recently, Chiang says many companies practice flexible work schemes whereby an employee might call the company to ask to come in late due to a family emergency. "The spirit of flexibility is very prevalent, it's just not articulated as such, nor formalised in HR policy."
The challenge companies have against implementing flexible work arrangements is in understanding how to implement it and renumerate accordingly as well. Employees also lack the "assertiveness to ask" as they fear being seen in a bad light by their bosses and peers.
Hence, Chiang says she advocates such companies to formalise flexible work policies in order to minimize any charge of favouritism or perceived absenteeism. "If there is no policy, you won't dare [to ask] because you feel as though you are getting a favour."
But if there is policy that encourages flexibility and rewards managers for doing so, managers would then take the liberty to give employees permission for flexible work arrangements.
"And the employee would dare to ask without feeling that this is a special favour. It is about creating the culture of trust and transparency," Chiang adds. However, these policies can only be in place with clear key performance targets, procedures within the organisation as well.
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