Proportion of firms offering flexi work options rose to 73% in 2024

Debate on ministries' budgets: Manpower

- Sue-Ann Tan

More Singapore companies are still offering flexible work arrangements, even though the Covid-19 pandemic has long passed.

The proportion of firms offering flexible work arrangements increased from 68.1 per cent in 2023, to 72.7 per cent in 2024, said Minister of State for Manpower Gan Siow Huang in Parliament on March 7.

She also announced enhancements to the Career Conversion Programmes to support the reskilling of mid-career new hires and employees on jobs with flexi-load arrangements.

These are part of measures to support women and caregivers in managing their roles and pursuing their career aspirations, she said.

The Career Conversion Programmes currently provide employers with salary support when they reskill mid-career new hires or existing employees into growth job roles, which span around 30 sectors, including financial services, retail, built environment, and information and communications.

There are three modes of the programmes: on-the-job training, training and work attachments, and reskilling to take on new or redesigned job roles. Employers who want to sign up for the programme can do so on the Workforce Singapore website.

These programmes currently cover full-time jobs. But from April 1, they will also include reskilling of mid-career new hires and employees with flexi-load arrangements such as part-time work.

To qualify, employees must be reskilled into growth job roles and be employed, either permanently or on contract terms of at least one year.