This letter was originally published in The Straits Times on April 15 2021.

Eldercare has rightly been discussed as a matter of national concern.

Research by the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) in 2019 found that many women experience a change in work situation because of caregiving. These women suffered on average a 63 per cent loss in income, or an average annual loss of $56,877.

Aware and other advocates have long highlighted the role that flexible work arrangements (FWAs) can play in alleviating the burden on working caregivers. So it’s time Singapore took bigger strides forward to normalise FWAs, for the sake of all who perform care.

So far, through the Work-Life Grant, the Government has adopted an incentive-based approach to get employers in Singapore to offer formal FWAs.

The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices has also released resources for companies to support the implementation of FWAs.

This is a start. But a survey commissioned by technology firm Polycom suggests that FWA take-up rates in Singapore remain low. And the Manpower Ministry’s 2018 Comprehensive Labour Force Survey found that one in four female residents outside of the labour force had cited familial obligations and caregiving as the reason for exiting the workforce.

It seems, therefore, that leaving employers to develop their own FWAs does not go far enough to help working caregivers balance job and family responsibilities.

The problem is that the mere existence of FWA guidelines does not translate into effective utilisation.

Inflexible and unsupportive organisational cultures persist, creating environments where asking for FWAs is taboo.

Employees fear that their performance assessments will suffer if they reduce face time with their managers.

Polycom found that out of seven in 10 employees whose companies offered FWA out of the office, only half were able to take advantage of them.

We need to eradicate archaic beliefs around productivity and commitment to work. Long hours in the office (or in our virtual offices) do not directly correlate with higher rates of productivity and efficiency. So workers with caregiving responsibilities should not be embarrassed or afraid to ask for FWAs, or be penalised for doing so.

The Government should consider adopting legislation that makes requesting FWAs a right for all employees (including those working part-time).

Such a law would necessitate a formalised human resources process that is supportive of all employees.

FWA legislation should also include the fact that requests should be denied only for serious business-related reasons.

During the Year of Celebrating SG Women, this would be a fantastic way to mitigate the burden on workers who are forced to make a choice between staying gainfully employed and caring for their loved ones.

Mamta Melwani

Senior Executive of Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Advisory, AWARE