7 out of 10 executives plan to adopt hybrid work setup: KellyOCG

However, they should focus on providing support to their employees in this work arrangement as well as prioritise the use of technology.

Seven in 10 executives in Singapore were planning to offer its employees hybrid and remote work models but they are lagging behind in terms of the support they give their employees affected by the pandemic in the new set-up, according to the KellyOCG Global Workforce Agility 2021.

KellyOCG said among the 13 countries it surveyed for the global report, Singapore, which excels in providing training for employees to take on new skills, has the “highest proportion” of executives, at 72%, considering adopting hybrid and remote options even after the pandemic ends.

This is higher compared to 58% globally and 58% in the Asia Pacific region (APAC). 36% of executives in Singapore also plan to make remote work a permanent option compared to 25% globally and 22 in APAC.

KellyOCG said 63% of executives in Singapore acknowledge the value of a hybrid work model to meet business goals, and 61% have been providing training and upskilling for employees, compared to 47% globally and 54% in APAC.

“Singapore has responded well to the pandemic by up- or reskilling permanent talent to face new challenges. But, while it’s clear that leaders understand how their talent strategy links to tangible business outcomes, they need to focus more on holistic talent management to address changing demands of employees and they need to prioritise leading-edge technologies for a resilient and agile workforce,” Peter Hamilton, vice president and regional director, APAC, at KellyOCG.

It said only 43% of Singapore executives are offering flexible work hours in addition to hybrid work setup, compared to 45% globally and 50% in APAC. Only 33% are providing physical health support and only 36% are providing mental health support, lower than the 43% and 46% in APAC, respectively.

KellyOCG also said that 18% of the companies are providing additional paid time off, also lower than the global averages of 23% globally and 24% for APAC. Only 24% among business leaders in Singapore are re-evaluating employees personal targets “to ensure they are achievable given the changes brought about by the pandemic,” the lowest globally and second-lowest after Netherlands at 18%.