How Office Mandates Are Changing Singapore’s Employee Expectations
Are you happy with the number of days that your organisation expects you to work from the office?
In our latest guide, From Hybrid to HQ: The Impact of Return to Office in Financial Services Worldwide, found that a worrying 60% of employees in Singapore are not.
Unfortunately though, there is stigma around working from home in Singapore. For example, in a recent article by CNA, six out of eight people interviewed about their experience asked not to be named.
This is despite the fact that 90% of those who apply for Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) are granted them, according to The Straits Times.
So, now that an estimated 80% of businesses in Singapore provide flexible work, how have office mandates changed employee expectations? We spoke to Victoria Feehan, Senior Consultant - Marketing, HR and Business Support at Morgan McKinley to find out.
1. Employees in Singapore Primarily Want a 3/2 Mix
According to our latest report, a significant 89% of employees in Singapore work in-office between three and five days each week. And it’s still a very prominent topic for employees: “The conversation around flexibility and hybrid working still remains one of the key topics candidates want to discuss in interviews.”
“Employers that genuinely promote a culture centred around work-life balance and flexibility are definitely viewed more favourably and tend to attract stronger candidate interest”, she says. The general expectation is around two days working from home, though one day of flexibility is still considered acceptable for many.
2. Strict Mandates Make Employees More Selective
Our latest data found that in Singapore, 58% of employees want to leave their job as a result of increased office mandates. However this doesn’t always lead to resignations, but means flexibility is expected rather than a perk. And, it’s making candidates far more selective about opportunities that require a full five-day office presence, says Victoria:
“They may still accept these roles, but it can reduce the attractiveness of the opportunity and slow down decision-making. For stronger candidates, a lack of flexibility can absolutely become the deciding factor”. Her advice? Be transparent from the start, communicating early if this is the case, outlining the overall value proposition of the role. Increased salary, stronger benefits, career progression and company culture can all help here.
3. Employees Are Prioritising Flexibility Over Pay
Good news for employers in Singapore that may not be able to compete with bigger names on salary or reputation: Candidates with stricter in-office mandates are often more open to exploring opportunities that offer greater flexibility, says Victoria: “Even if they are otherwise happy in their current role, hybrid working can be a strong motivating factor when considering a move”.
She adds: “Employers that are able to offer flexible or hybrid working models are often in a strong position to attract high-calibre talent from more traditional organisations, including firms such as JP Morgan Chase”. In many cases, this flexibility can become a differentiating factor to access talent who may not otherwise be actively looking to move.
4. RTO May Exclude Caregivers and Re-Entry Talent
Victoria has noticed that male candidates can sometimes be more open to being in the office five days a week. This is because a large proportion of the female talent (63% versus 57% of males in Singapore) are caregivers in some way, whether looking after older family members or managing young children. This naturally increases the importance of flexibility.
Often, these candidates don’t need a fully remote arrangement: “Flexibility within the working day has the biggest impact to balance personal and family responsibilities.” Strong talent reentering the workforce may also be less likely to apply for “HQ-only” roles. Word of mouth is key here: “A positive reputation around flexibility can therefore become a strong attraction tool, while overly rigid policies may limit access to certain talent pools.”
5. Employees Want a New Employee Value Proposition
If there is a requirement to be in the office full-time, Victoria finds that candidates will often ask in initial conversations about increased salary expectations to factor in commuting time, travel costs and the overall lack of flexibility. Employers can look to offset this by offering additional benefits like travel and phone allowances to strengthen the attractiveness of a role.
It’s also important in this situation for employers to strengthen their wider employee value proposition to be very clear on what employees gain in return for that commitment, says Victoria, as flexibility is not the only factor candidates consider when evaluating an opportunity. Employers may want to consider additional benefits, support and career opportunities such as:
- Higher base salaries or stronger bonus structures
- Travel, transport, meal, or phone allowances
- Greater flexibility within the working day itself
- Clear career progression opportunities and strong internal mobility
- Enhanced learning and development programmes and mentorship
- Initiatives like additional leave, wellness benefits, or family support
- Investment in office culture and employee experience
- Clear communication around the “why” behind the policy
Want to learn what employees really think about office mandates? Download our new report – or speak to one of our consultants about your hiring.
