With the COVID-19 pandemic normalising work-from-home arrangements and a growing need to juggle careers with caregiving for young children or seniors, the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) took effect last December to help employees and employers find a balance.

In this episode of Singapore Unpacked, host Liang Kaixin sits down with Dr Tan Poh Lin, IPS Senior Research Fellow, and Mr Ang Yuit, President of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME). Drawing on survey data and real-world experience, they unpack how the policies have played out in practice.

Dr Tan shares that although pandemic-era telecommuting initially intensified household conflicts, these strains gave way to stronger family bonds once routines normalised after lockdown. Mr Ang Yuit, drawing on his experiences working with SMEs, shares on the new FWA request process: how a simple formal request mechanism can help employers and employees rethink work arrangements, why SMEs often lead in informal flexibility while larger firms struggle with rigid HR policies, and how frontline workers can take on flexible hours and/or load even when their work locations cannot be changed. 

The episode also delves into the double-edged impact of FWAs for women — having more work-life balance but risking  the “mommy-track” labelling for their careers. This suggests that sustainable success requires clear performance metrics and ongoing dialogue between employers and employees.

About our Guests:
Tan Poh Lin
Senior Research Fellow at IPS
Tan Poh Lin is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore. She obtained her PhD in Public Policy from Duke University and BA in Economics from Princeton University. Her research is on family and population policy, the tension between fertility and human capital accumulation, and family dynamics in Singapore. She serves as Secretary of the Population Association of Singapore and Steering Committee Member of the Centre for Family and Population Research, National University of Singapore. 

Ang Yuit
President Association of Small & Medium Enterprises
Managing Director, The Adventus Consultants Pte Ltd
Ang Yuit is the Managing Director of The Adventus Consultants Pte Ltd, a digital solutions company, and currently serves as the President of the Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (ASME). Mr Ang Yuit joined ASME as a council member in 2009. Throughout his time, he has helmed positions as the Vice President of Membership and Training, and Strategy and Development. He is also the Chairman of the Global Ready Talent Programme and SME Centre@ASME, the latter set up by Enterprise Singapore to provide comprehensive business advisory services and assistance to local SMEs. In 2023, Mr. Ang was elected President of the 28th Executive Council, marking a significant milestone in his longstanding involvement with ASME. Throughout his 15-year tenure, he has consistently demonstrated his commitment to empowering SMEs, leveraging his expertise and experience to drive impactful initiatives that support their growth and success.

Find Out More:  

The Impact of Teleworking on Women’s Work–Life Balance and Life Satisfaction: a Longitudinal Study from Singapore:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11482-024-10340-x
Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests (TG-FWAR):
https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/good-work-practices/flexible-work-arrangements

For more on flexible work in Singapore and its implications for gender, caregiving and productivity, visit IPScommons.sg or follow @IPS_sg on Instagram and TikTok.