The New Social Contract: What Singapore Workers Really Want as Offices Reopen - Maxthon

Introduction: A Workforce at a Crossroads

The pandemic fundamentally reshaped how we think about work, productivity, and the employer-employee relationship. Now, as companies across Singapore implement return-to-office mandates, workers are pushing back with a clear message: we’ll come back, but the old rules no longer apply.

According to JLL’s 2025 Workforce Preference Barometer, which surveyed 500 employees across Singapore, the majority of workers are actually open to returning to physical offices. However, they’re demanding something in return—a new workplace social contract built on flexibility, wellbeing, and tangible benefits that acknowledge the sacrifices of commuting and structured schedules.

This isn’t resistance for resistance’s sake. It’s a recalibration of expectations shaped by years of proving that productivity doesn’t require constant physical presence, and burnout rates that have climbed to alarming levels.

The Great Expectation Gap: What Workers Want vs. What They Get

Flexible Working Hours: The 23% Disconnect

Perhaps the most striking finding in the survey is the chasm between desire and reality when it comes to flexible working hours. While 64% of Singapore workers want the autonomy to manage their own schedules, only 41% currently have access to such arrangements—a 23% gap that represents hundreds of thousands of frustrated employees.

This gap is one of the widest in the Asia-Pacific region, second only to Hong Kong’s 42% disparity. What makes this particularly significant is that flexibility has become a dealbreaker for many professionals. The survey found that 61% of Singapore employees would actively choose a new employer based on flexible work arrangements alone, well above the regional average of 54%.

Real-World Implications:

Consider a marketing manager who lives in Punggol and works in the CBD. Under rigid 9-to-6 office requirements, she faces:

90 minutes of daily commute time
Peak-hour MRT crowds
Inability to attend her child’s 10am school event
Reduced autonomy over when she does her best creative work

With flexible hours, she could:

Start at 10am after school drop-off
Work late when needed without guilt
Avoid rush hour stress
Maintain the same or better productivity

The reluctance of many companies to offer this flexibility, despite its proven success during pandemic work-from-home periods, suggests a lingering “presenteeism” culture where visibility is conflated with productivity.

Free Lunches: More Than Just a Meal

The survey revealed that 41% of Singapore workers want complimentary lunches as compensation for returning to office, yet only 17% receive this benefit. This 24-percentage-point gap might seem like workers asking for freebies, but the economics tell a different story.

The Hidden Cost of Office Lunches:

A typical office worker in Singapore’s CBD might spend:

$8-15 per meal for hawker or food court options
$15-25 for casual dining
$200-500 monthly on workday lunches alone

Over a year, this represents $2,400-6,000 in expenses directly attributable to the office location requirement. When workers successfully performed their jobs from home kitchens for extended periods, the return to expensive CBD dining feels like an unfair burden.

Examples from Companies Getting It Right:

Tech companies like Google and Meta have long understood this, offering extensive free food programs. In Singapore:

Some fintech startups provide daily catered lunches
Grab offers subsidized meals at their office cafeteria
Several law firms provide meal allowances or food delivery credits

These aren’t just perks—they’re recognition that requiring physical presence creates tangible costs that disproportionately affect mid-level and junior employees.

Food services ranked as the most valued workplace amenity in the survey, encompassing free food, subsidized prices, and quality nutrition options. This prioritization reflects both practical economics and a deeper desire for employers to demonstrate care for employee wellbeing through nourishment.

Transportation: The Commute Question

Free or subsidized travel ranked second among desired amenities, which makes sense given Singapore’s context. While the MRT system is efficient, daily commuting still represents:

Time Costs:

Average 45-60 minutes each way for suburban residents
1.5-2 hours lost to commuting daily
7.5-10 hours weekly
390-520 hours annually—equivalent to 10-13 full work weeks

Financial Costs:

$100-150 monthly for MRT passes
$200-400 for those using private car transportation
Additional childcare costs for early drop-offs or late pickups

Examples of Transportation Benefits:

Several multinational corporations have implemented creative solutions:

Dedicated shuttle buses from transport hubs to offices
Parking subsidies or reserved spaces
Flexible start times to avoid peak-hour congestion
Bike-to-work programs with shower facilities
Transportation allowances of $100-200 monthly

These benefits acknowledge that requiring office presence imposes genuine costs that remote work eliminated.

The Burnout Crisis: Why Flexibility Isn’t Optional

The survey’s most alarming finding is that 49% of Singapore respondents reported experiencing burnout from work pressures—significantly higher than the Asia-Pacific average of 41%. This 8-percentage-point difference suggests something unique about Singapore’s work culture is driving stress levels beyond regional norms.

Understanding Singapore’s Burnout Epidemic

Several factors contribute to this elevated burnout rate:

1. Long Working Hours Culture Singapore consistently ranks among countries with the longest working hours globally. The expectation of availability beyond contracted hours, coupled with return-to-office mandates, creates a double burden:

Extended office hours for “face time”
Additional emails and messages during commute and evening
Reduced time for rest, family, and personal pursuits

2. High Cost of Living Pressure With housing costs among the world’s highest and rising expenses across all categories, employees feel trapped:

Can’t afford to job-hop without significant salary increases
Must maintain performance to protect their positions
Feel unable to set boundaries or push back on demands

3. Rigid Hierarchical Structures Many Singapore companies maintain traditional top-down management styles that limit autonomy:

Decisions require multiple approval layers
Innovation is discouraged without explicit permission
Employees feel micromanaged rather than trusted

Real-World Burnout Scenarios:

The Banking Analyst: Works for a major financial institution with a mandatory 4-day office week. Her day starts at 7am to beat traffic, ends at 7pm or later, and she responds to emails until 10pm. She hasn’t taken a full vacation in 18 months because “it looks bad” to be unavailable. She’s experiencing insomnia, anxiety, and has considered leaving the industry entirely.

The Tech Project Manager: Returns to office 3 days weekly but finds herself in back-to-back video calls with international teams all day—exactly what she did efficiently from home. The commute and office environment add stress without adding value. She’s actively job-hunting for fully remote positions.

Why Flexibility Combats Burnout

Flexible working arrangements directly address burnout through:

Autonomy and Control: Research consistently shows that control over one’s schedule and environment is one of the strongest predictors of job satisfaction and mental health. When employees can decide when and where they work best, they feel trusted and empowered.

Reduced Commute Stress: Eliminating even 2-3 days of commuting weekly saves 3-6 hours and removes the psychological stress of crowds, delays, and lost personal time.

Better Work-Life Integration: Flexible hours allow employees to attend medical appointments, exercise during daylight hours, spend time with family, or pursue personal development without sacrificing career advancement.

Increased Productive Hours: When workers control their schedules, they can align cognitively demanding tasks with their peak performance hours, whether that’s 6am or 10pm.

Workplace Rights and Legal Framework in Singapore

Current Legal Protections

Singapore’s workplace rights framework, while progressive in some areas, remains limited regarding flexible work arrangements:

Employment Act: Singapore’s primary employment legislation establishes basic standards for working hours, rest days, and leave entitlements, but does not mandate flexible working arrangements. The Act covers most employees earning up to $2,600 monthly (or $3,200 for manual workers), though some protections extend to all employees regardless of salary.

Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA): Released in 2024, these guidelines represent the most significant step toward formalizing flexibility. They recommend that employers:

Consider employee FWA requests fairly
Provide written responses to requests
Have clear policies on flexible arrangements
Review and discuss arrangements regularly

However, these remain guidelines, not legal requirements. Employers face no penalties for rejection, creating an uneven landscape where progressive companies embrace flexibility while others resist.

Examples of Flexible Work Arrangements

Singapore’s framework recognizes several FWA types:

1. Flexi-Time: Employees control start and end times within certain parameters

Example: Core hours of 10am-4pm, with flexibility to start 7am-10am and end 4pm-7pm
Benefits: Accommodates school runs, peak-hour avoidance, personal chronotypes

2. Flexi-Place: Work from various locations including home, co-working spaces, or satellite offices

Example: 2 days home, 3 days office; or project-based location decisions
Benefits: Reduced commute, focused work environment, family care integration

3. Flexi-Load: Adjusting the amount of work or working hours

Example: Part-time schedules, compressed workweeks (4×10-hour days), job-sharing
Benefits: Supports caregivers, students, pre-retirees, those managing health conditions

4. Informal Flexibility: Ad hoc arrangements for specific needs

Example: Work-from-home during family emergencies, adjusted hours for appointments
Benefits: Acknowledges life happens, builds trust and loyalty

The Case for Stronger Legal Protections

Several countries have moved beyond voluntary guidelines to establish legal rights:

United Kingdom: Since 2014, all employees with 26 weeks’ service can formally request flexible working, and employers must handle requests in a “reasonable manner” and can only refuse for specific business reasons.

Netherlands: The Flexible Working Act (2016) gives workers a legal right to request adjustments to working hours, times, or location, with employers required to approve unless they have strong business reasons.

New Zealand: The Employment Relations Act allows employees to request flexible arrangements, with employers obligated to consider requests seriously and only refuse on genuine reasonable grounds.

Australia: The Fair Work Act provides a formal right to request flexible working for employees with 12 months’ service, particularly those with caregiving responsibilities, disabilities, or who are 55+.

These frameworks typically require:

Written requests from employees
Consideration period for employers (usually 3 months)
Written explanations for refusals
Business-grounded reasoning for rejections
Appeals processes

Why Singapore Needs Stronger Protections

The current voluntary approach creates several problems:

1. Power Imbalance: Employees, particularly junior or mid-level staff, may fear career repercussions from requesting flexibility, even if their role allows it.

2. Inconsistent Access: Workers at progressive companies enjoy extensive flexibility while peers at traditional firms have none, creating inequality unrelated to job requirements.

3. Discrimination Risks: Without formal processes, requests may be approved or denied based on manager bias, favoritism, or stereotypes about who “deserves” flexibility (e.g., mothers vs. fathers, junior vs. senior staff).

4. Limited Accountability: Companies can publicly claim to support flexibility while privately discouraging or denying requests without consequence.

Real-World Examples of Inequality:

Banking Sector: Two analysts at different banks, both doing identical work that can be performed remotely. One bank offers 3 days WFH; the other mandates 5 days in-office. The second analyst experiences higher stress, longer hours including commute, and considers switching banks solely for flexibility—representing potential talent loss for rigid employers.

Parent Penalty: A father requests flexible hours to share school pickup with his wife. His manager expresses subtle disapproval, suggesting “mothers usually handle that” and that his commitment is questionable. Without formal rights, he withdraws the request and his wife adjusts her career instead, perpetuating gender inequality.

The Business Case for Meeting Worker Demands

While some employers view worker demands as unreasonable, substantial evidence demonstrates that meeting these expectations benefits organizations:

Talent Acquisition and Retention

With 61% of Singapore workers willing to change employers for flexibility, companies that offer it gain competitive advantage:

Recruitment Benefits:

Access to wider talent pool, including candidates unable to commute daily
Reduced time-to-hire as flexible roles attract more applicants
Enhanced employer brand among younger workers for whom flexibility is non-negotiable

Retention Benefits:

Lower turnover saves $50,000-150,000 per replacement for mid-level positions
Retained institutional knowledge and relationships
Reduced training costs and productivity gaps

Example: A mid-sized tech firm in Singapore implemented unlimited flexible working in 2023. Within one year, they reported:

35% reduction in turnover
200% increase in applications per job posting
Successful hires of senior talent previously “retired” but willing to return under flexible terms

Productivity and Performance

Contrary to presenteeism assumptions, flexibility often enhances output:

Research Findings:

Stanford study of 16,000 workers found 13% productivity increase with work-from-home
Reduced sick days due to lower stress and ability to work through minor illness
Deep work hours increase when commute and office distractions are eliminated

Example: During pandemic work-from-home periods, many Singapore companies discovered:

Project deadlines were met or exceeded
Client satisfaction remained high or improved
Employees reported working longer hours due to no commute and increased focus

Cost Savings

Flexible work reduces organizational costs:

Real Estate: Hot-desking and reduced office space requirements can save millions annually for large employers

Overhead: Lower utilities, supplies, and facilities management costs

Subsidies: If providing free lunch costs $10 per employee daily, a company saves $2,500 annually per person who works from home 1 day weekly

Example: Salesforce reduced its global office footprint by 20% post-pandemic, saving tens of millions annually while maintaining headcount and productivity.

Diversity and Inclusion

Flexibility enables participation from talented individuals who cannot conform to rigid schedules:

Parents with childcare responsibilities
Caregivers supporting elderly family members
Individuals with disabilities or chronic health conditions
Students pursuing continuing education
People living far from office locations

By accommodating these groups, companies access talent that competitors lose to inflexibility.

What Progressive Companies Are Doing

Several Singapore-based and multinational companies have embraced new workplace models:

Unilever Singapore

Implemented “U-Work” program allowing employees to:

Work from anywhere with manager approval
Adjust hours to personal needs
Take career breaks without losing position

Results: Increased employee engagement scores and reduced attrition, particularly among women.

DBS Bank

Launched “People of Purpose, People of Character” culture emphasizing outcomes over presence:

Flexible work arrangements normalized across departments
Focus on deliverables rather than hours logged
Investment in collaboration technology

Standard Chartered Singapore

Offers “Flexible Way of Working” including:

Minimum office days vary by role (typically 2-3 days)
Core hours with flexibility outside them
Regular policy reviews based on employee feedback

Startups and Tech Companies

Many smaller firms have abandoned offices entirely or adopted “remote-first” models:

Fully distributed teams
Optional co-working space access
Quarterly in-person gatherings for team building

These companies report easier recruiting, lower overhead, and ability to hire globally.

Sector-Specific Challenges and Solutions

The survey identified technology, education, and banking/financial services as the top three sectors implementing RTO policies. Each faces unique challenges:

Banking and Financial Services

Challenges:

Regulatory requirements for data security
Compliance and audit considerations
Client-facing roles requiring physical presence
Traditional hierarchical culture

Solutions:

Secure VPN and multi-factor authentication for remote work
Hybrid models where compliance staff have more in-office time
Flexible hours even on required office days
Client meeting days vs. independent work days

Technology Sector

Challenges:

Collaborative development requiring team interaction
Maintaining company culture in distributed teams
Equipment and security for remote work

Solutions:

Core collaboration hours with asynchronous work flexibility
Investment in collaboration tools (Slack, Miro, Zoom)
Home office stipends for ergonomic setups
Regular team retreats for culture building

Education

Challenges:

Student-facing requirements
Laboratory and hands-on teaching needs
Administrative and research balance

Solutions:

Flexible scheduling for research and admin time
Block scheduling to reduce commute frequency
Remote options for meetings, grading, prep work
Summer flexibility when student presence is reduced

The Path Forward: Recommendations for Employers

To successfully navigate the return-to-office transition while meeting worker needs, employers should:

1. Conduct Employee Surveys

Understand specific team preferences and needs
Identify roles where flexibility is feasible
Test pilot programs before full implementation

2. Adopt Results-Based Management

Shift focus from hours to outcomes
Define clear deliverables and KPIs
Trust employees as professionals

3. Implement Tiered Flexibility

Role-based policies acknowledging different requirements
Minimum flexibility standards across organization
Additional options for high performers or long-tenure staff

4. Invest in Enablers

Technology for seamless remote collaboration
Home office equipment and stipends
Training for managers on leading distributed teams

5. Formalize Processes

Written policies on requesting flexibility
Clear approval criteria and timelines
Appeals process for denials
Regular policy reviews

6. Provide Tangible Benefits

Free or subsidized meals on office days
Transportation allowances or shuttles
Wellness programs acknowledging burnout risks
Professional development opportunities

7. Lead by Example

Senior leaders modeling flexible work
Celebrating outcomes rather than “seat time”
Addressing presenteeism culture directly

Conclusion: A Moment of Transformation

The return-to-office era represents a critical juncture in Singapore’s workplace evolution. Workers have proven they can be productive from anywhere. They’ve experienced the mental health benefits of eliminating punishing commutes. They’ve achieved better work-life integration and maintained or improved their performance.

Now, as employers ask them to return to traditional office structures, workers are rightfully asking: what’s in it for us?

The survey data is clear. Workers want flexible hours, free lunches, subsidized transportation, and recognition of the real costs imposed by office mandates. These aren’t unreasonable demands—they’re rational responses to changed circumstances and proven alternatives.

Companies that dismiss these preferences as entitlement will face talent exodus, recruitment challenges, and retention costs. Those that embrace flexibility, benefits, and trust will build resilient, engaged, high-performing workforces.

Singapore stands at a crossroads. Will it become a leader in progressive workplace practices, or will it cling to presenteeism and rigid structures that no longer serve employers or employees well? The answer will determine not just individual company success, but Singapore’s ability to compete globally for the best talent in an increasingly flexible world.

The social contract of work has changed. It’s time for workplace policies to catch up.