Right to Disconnect – Something for Singapore?
The expected passing of the “right to disconnect” bill in Australia has sparked fervent discussions in Singapore - could this be a move for our red dot as well?
“Right to Disconnect'' is not a new topic in Singapore - it was previously raised in Parliament in October 2020 by Labour MP Melvin Yong. The challenges surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic when telecommuting workers found it difficult to manage bosses’ expectations of them being readily available for work-related calls and emails while they had access to work at home.
As the nature of work changes over the years, from pre-smartphone to smartphone to telecommuting, the nature of work-life balance has also changed. What used to be accessible between 9 to 6 is now accessible 24/7/365. Where do we draw the line?
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the uptake of telecommuting and similar technology over the past years, and work-life balance and the right to disconnect are topics that surface regularly. With the recent announcement requiring all employers to consider flexi-work arrangements requests fairly, it is clear that the Singapore government and unions encourage employers to promote work-life harmony.
What constitutes work-life balance for senior management may not be the same for someone on a fixed-term contract, and the capacity for either person to respond to work calls after hours differs too.
While it remains to be seen whether Singapore will enact similar legislation or guidelines, the heart of the conversation is that communication between employers and employees is key. Every company is different, and rather than wait for legislation to tell employers what they can and cannot do, employers should review their existing policies - employers and employees may be better off communicating expectations around working hours, views on responding to work outside of usual hours, and what qualifies as something that requires immediate attention versus waiting till the next day.
At the end of the day, it’s a concerted effort from all fronts to ensure a healthy, productive workforce. Employers can kickstart the conversation with their employees to set expectations and minimise misunderstandings, preventing employee dissatisfaction.
