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More employees in the private sector are not starting work at the same time or even place, due to the rise in flexible working arrangements, according to a report by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) released yesterday.

But pro-family proponents should hold back the bubbly: The increment, just like the statistic for those on such arrangements, was a small one.

Of the 2,600 private sector firms surveyed from June to August this year, 5.3 per cent of employees were on flexi-work schemes, up slightly from 4.1 per cent in 2004.

Such flexible work arrangements are still not prevalent in Singapore, the MOM report pointed out. "A wider availability of flexible and pro-family working arrangements can encourage women and older persons to stay economically active longer and contribute to the workforce."

This marginal growth in the adoption of flexible work arrangements means that "we still have a long, long way to go", MP Halimah Yacob told Today.

"Obviously we want to benchmark against the best practices in the world and when it comes to flexible work options, they are the Scandinavian countries. (Their figures) are definitely much higher than 5.3 per cent," she added, estimating that a quarter of companies in those countries would be involved in flexi arrangements.

Such flexi-work options will play an increasingly important role, especially for low-income families and those facing the middle-income squeeze, she added. They remove the painful decision of having to pick between family and work, as well as facilitate a source of much-needed income to pay the bills.

According to the report, part-time work (3.6 per cent) was the top flexi-work option, followed by the choice for staff to vary the time they start and end work.

But the pro-family call by advocates and the Government did not fall entirely on deaf ears, as more firms chose to practise the five-day workweek. From 34 per cent in 2004, almost 40 per cent of full-time employees had two days off per week this year.

More private-sector firms also granted paid leave for their employees to care for their family members (12 per cent). This excludes maternity or paternity leave. It is a 5-percentage-point hike from 2004. For instance, it showed that companies that allowed paid family leave gave their female employees four days off to care for their sick children, two more days than a working father got.

An employee with a sick parent was also allowed to take, on average, two days a year per parent. But this benefit was available to staff of firms in very few industries and sectors, such as manufacturing and community, social and personal services.

Chairman of Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society Lee Kim Siang proposed that more firms allow employees paid leave to care for their sick parents, given the changing demographics of Singapore society.

"It's important and will help more people with elderly family members, as society ages. Some of us are too old or never got married, so we don't claim paternity or maternity leave," he said, adding that paid family care leave could be taken flexibly as long as it is for a sick family member.

"This will be more palatable for employers. You must not forget that employers want their money's worth. It'll be good to talk to them about this."

Deputy chairman of the National Family Council Joni Ong hoped for a greater push for employers to re-assess current work arrangements. "This does not mean more part-time work, but full-time jobs with flexibility woven in, that allow our women workforce to pursue both a meaningful career and family," she said. - TODAY/fa

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