With the reduction in new cases and increased measure of controls proving effective, within Singapore, it has been announced that more people would be allowed to return to their respective workplace. Safe management measures are to remain in place and employers are encouraged to implement measures such as flexible working hours and staggered reporting times.
The Ministry of Manpower encourages Work-from-home measures to be implemented in a sustainable manner that enables employees to maintain work-life harmony while continuing to meet business needs. All these requirements will be effective from 28 September 2020 and are meant for general workplace settings.
5 Things ALL Employers and Employee Must Know
To minimise the risk of widespread re-emergence of COVID-19 in the community, the tripartite partners (MOM, SNEF and NTUC) have introduced enhanced safe management practices at workplaces. Effective implementation of these measures will help to avoid the need to restore tight restrictive measures.
1) Work-From-Home remains as default
Employees who are able to work from home may return to the workplace to better support work and business operations. Nonetheless, Work-from-home remains the default mode of working and is to be encouraged when possible.
2) Special attention to vulnerable employees
Companies are to pay special attention to vulnerable employees (e.g. persons who are aged 60 and above, immunocompromised or have concurrent medical conditions etc). Companies can arrange for work-from-home schedules or temporarily redeploying them to another role within the company etc.
3) No More than 50% Employee in Office Employers must ensure that such employees continue to work from home for at least half their working time, and no more than half of such employees are at the workplace at any point in time.
4) Companies MUST Review Work Process Employers must review work processes, provide the necessary IT equipment to employees and adopt solutions that enable remote working and online collaboration. Employers are encouraged to leverage technology to ensure business continuity and safe management.
5) Virtual Meetings Over Physical Meetings Companies are to continue conducting virtual meetings as much as possible. Physical meetings between employees and with suppliers / contractors should be minimised.
2 Key Challenges Companies need to be ready for
Even with the loosened restrictions, employees must continue to work from home for at least half their working time - no more than half of such employees onsite at any one time.
1) Task/Site switching
This has a significant effect on attention and productivity - finding that balance for your employees as they shuffle between working on site and from home would be key to future extrapolation.
2) Changing Habits
Employees may have developed habits over the last six months, and we need to be considerate and be accommodating to those who need time to transition. A sudden shift in work scheduling after working from home for months can be stressful.
Employers need to listen and help employees adjust in the most comfortable method possible - Rather than a great migration, easing staff back to the office gradually will allow workflows to adapt and maintain high levels of productivity.
Kian Soon Mechanical Components continued service
As Essential Services, Kian Soon continue(s) to serve our customers in a timely and orderly fashion, as we had, during the previous lockdown restrictions. The company’s key focus is and will always be on safety, for both our staff and our partners.
As such, with the exception of Logistics & QC, all other departments will function on a split team basis with staggered work hours and 2-3 working days on WFH arrangements weekly. Our office facilities will retain the previous set ups and restrictions as per our Phase 2 practices. View the guidelines and initiatives we took in Phase 2 here.
As we settle in for the long haul, in anticipation of a vaccine, we must continue to do our part in maintaining keen vigilance - to curb the spread of the virus
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For more information, publication and marketing related queries, please contact: Kai Xuan, Marketing Manager for Kian Soon Mechanical Components kaixuan.sze@bufab.com
About Kian Soon Mechanical Components
Kian Soon Mechanical Components was founded in 1977 and is one of the leading distributors of C parts in South-East Asia. Aside from their head office in Singapore, the company also has subsidiaries in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.
In 2017, we joined the Bufab Group of Companies.
Read more about it here.
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