SG Remote Work Report 2022

Where are you working from right now?

Home? The office? The couch? A cafe? A co-working space halfway across the world?

Wherever it may be, there’s a high chance it’s a different location to where you were working three years ago. Many of us have now mastered the art of remote work and it’s become a normal part of our everyday life.

Beyond the demands of the pandemic, will remote working — in a full time or hybrid capacity — remain an option for Singaporean small to medium sized enterprises? By continuing to offer remote or hybrid options, could employers provide their staff with much-wanted flexibility, improve productivity and reap other benefits?

While we can’t predict the future, we wanted to examine the current state of remote work, and how this might shape future working trends. We’ve gathered responses from employees* across Singapore to share their sentiments on how remote, hybrid and office working is shaping the future of work.

Along with tips and suggestions from our employment experts, we hope this will help you better support your team in 2022 and beyond.

In this report, we cover:

How the future of work is flexible;
Prioritising work-life balance;
A world of opportunity for everyone;
Working and the rising cost of living;
The changing role of automation and digital tools;
What the future of work will look like; and
Much more.

Download the report now.

*This report represents a segment we surveyed in the employment market. We are mostly examining data from ‘knowledge workers’, defined as workers with jobs which require them to work primarily on a computer or with documentation, rather than a job which is predominantly physical or location-bound.

Setting the scene

Through the ups and downs of the pandemic, we’ve learnt a lot about how we can adapt and innovate. From lockdowns to tight restrictions, a spike in cases to learning to live with Covid-19, we’ve adjusted to it all.

Yet, when it comes to work, we’re standing at a crossroads. Many employers have decided on a return to the office full-time for their staff, some have found middle ground with a hybrid working model, while others are championing remote working.

Key findings

1. The future of work is flexible

When it comes to working location, over half (59%) of Singaporean knowledge workers are working remotely at least some of the time, while 41% of workers have returned to the office full-time. Although many companies are reluctant to go fully remote, they are at least providing employees with the flexibility to work from home one or two days a week.

Whilst there have been many debates around a full-time return to the office or a continuation of remote working, it’s clear some employers are pushing for the traditional work location. For employees who have returned to the office, 49% said it was due to a directive from their employer, making it seem like those pre-pandemic office days are a hard habit to break.

However, flexibility remains a huge priority. 46% of hybrid and remote workers stated that they would consider quitting their job if their employer directed them to return to the office full-time.

2. Work-life balance and support for increasing cost of living are core priorities

Singapore is one of the top five most overworked cities in the world, which makes it no surprise that many employees struggle to maintain a work-life balance. Singaporeans are also a practical bunch. With inflation at an all time high and having to grapple with a Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike, employees are certainly keeping a close eye on personal spending and utility bills.

Working remotely blurred the lines between work and home – leading to longer working hours and undefined start and stop times. As such, employees can be pressured or socialised into answering texts, calls and emails at all hours of the day. Striking a good work-life balance can be difficult when it’s hard to draw boundaries — 38% of remote workers want better advocacy for work-life balance.

Remote workers are also looking for financial support with regards to utility, equipment and food costs. With the stress of personal finances constantly looming over everyone’s heads, workers are looking to employers to help alleviate their stress. Having added support in these areas would certainly keep them from worrying about financial pressures and enhance productivity. As such, 37% are looking for subsidised utilities from employers.

3. Remote opportunities for equal opportunities

Hybrid and remote work creates more equitable employment opportunities for those who may not have them otherwise. People such as carers, people with disabilities or those unable to commute to the office have often been excluded from the full range of career options.

When it comes to discrimination in the workplace, there’s lots of work to do. 62% of workers from marginalised groups haved experienced discrimination at work. However, remote work can provide temporary relief from discrimination. While it may not be a long-term solution for confronting inequalities at work, giving victims distance from a negative environment can go a long way in supporting their wellbeing.

4. We’re banking on remote work

Remote work helps reduce the cost of living. Working in an office comes with significant costs – petrol, parking, train fares, morning coffees, lunch, appropriate work attire, and even dinner (if you have to stay back to work)… it all adds up when you track your weekly and monthly spend.

How are Singaporeans keeping up with skyrocketing inflation? Many are opting to create secondary income streams or take advantage of the financial relief remote working provides, in a bid to help soften rising household costs.

Our survey found that 56% of knowledge workers have a secondary income stream. As everyone battles with the rising cost of living, it’s no surprise that many are looking for ways to create additional income outside of their primary role.

5. Will robots and automation rule the remote world?

Whatever the future holds, we can expect remote and hybrid working to remain front and centre, and having the tools and technology in place to support teams will be paramount to success.

More than half of knowledge workers agree that machine learning can make work more efficient (67%). Unsurprisingly, younger age groups were more likely to feel positively about this kind of technology. As technology continues to transform the way we work, the benefits that futuristic tech brings to our lives could be the answer to many problems.

The thought of technology taking over our day-to-day tasks, and the ability for it to replicate human interactions is enough for anyone to be sceptical. Nonetheless, most are wary and cautious at the moment, without harbouring a strong opinion for or against machine learning.

What will the future of work look like?

In this report, we’ve explored how current working habits are shaping the future of work. Looking broadly, we can see that there is a lot of long-term interest in the potential of working remotely, especially in a hybrid style that will see employees enjoying everything that home and office working has to offer.

We can also see that employees want hybrid and remote working. It encourages equal opportunities, helps soften the rising cost of living and gives employees a greater sense of work-life balance.

As Singapore continues to invest in digital transformation, the potential for hybrid or remote working grows even stronger. As employees support the use of machine learning and automation, workplaces are poised for innovation in every area.

The pandemic has caused a huge disruption to the way we work and the trends that have developed during this time will continue on long after the pandemic is gone. Along with fear, pressure and uncertainty — we’re also seeing incredible opportunities as we race to digitalise and explore the possibilities of new working models.

For employers to keep up, it’s crucial to be supportive and adapt to the changing needs of your team. Use this unique time as an opportunity to try new ways of working — ask your team what they want, how they prefer to work and you’ll create a more engaged and happier workforce.

The future of work is flexible.

Survey demographics and methodology

The findings in this report have been determined from a survey organised by Employment Hero. This report represents a segment we surveyed in the employment market. We are examining data from ‘knowledge workers’, defined as workers with jobs which require them to work primarily on a computer or with documentation, rather than a job which is predominantly physical or location-bound.

The 8 minute online quantitative survey was deployed using the Glow Survey platform, and survey responses were collected from the national research panel Dynata. To complete the survey, respondents had to be employed in any capacity (full time, part time, casual) and work in an office, remotely or both. Workers in shops, restaurants and factories were excluded from the research.

In total there were 983 survey participants. Of the sample size, there were 402 office workers, 462 hybrid workers and 119 remote workers. The survey collected responses between the 9th of June 2022 and the 20th of June 2022.

Manage remote teams with ease

Looking to hire talent globally? Employment Hero can help you out. We act as the legal employer of record (EOR) or as a professional employment organisation (PEO) for employees based outside of markets you operate in. Whether you’re expanding into new markets or struggling to fill open roles, we connect you with the best talent legally and ethically.

Access highly skilled remote employees across different industries in multiple countries, and get employment contracts created in compliance with local employment laws. It’s that simple.