Since the easing of safe management measures from 5 April 2021, some people on our team have found themselves trapped in buses and MRT packed like sardines. Up to 75% of workers who can do their work from home can now be called back to the workplace at any one point.
We can literally feel that more people are going back to the office.
Since then, there have been just 5 community cases of COVID-19. If this continues, we can expect further easing of safe management measures. Already, talks of travel bubble arrangements with Hong Kong have restarted – with the first flights tentatively in mid-May.
Read Also: Safe Management Measures To Be Eased From 5 Apr 2021: 10 Things Businesses Need To Know
#NewNormal Is Back To Work Or Work-From-Home?
As more workers head back to office, this will also be the time that we will know whether work-from-home arrangements will stay, and how big of a role it will play in the #NewNormal.
At DollarsAndSense, we have chosen to continue with the existing arrangement of working close to 50% from home. Being a small team, it’s also easier to adopt a more flexible arrangement if team members want to stay home or come into office.
For bigger companies in Singapore – and they don’t come much bigger than DBS (which SEA will surely be disputing) – it was announced in early April that they will let go of 2 and a half floors of office space in Marina Bay Finance Centre (MBFC) Tower 3 by end of 2021. This comes as employees at the bank will be allowed to work from home for up to 40% of the time.
The same Business Times article also mentions that Citi Group and Mizuho are also giving up office space on the back of successful work-from-home arrangements. Meanwhile, ByteDance and Amazon.com are going to take up new space in the financial district.
Read Also: Office Rentals Are Down, But Should You Sign A Longer Lease In 2021?
This just proves that work-from-home, in some form, will probably be here to stay.
Nothing Like A Good Old Fashioned Team Bonding Activities
As more employees return to the workplace more often, while still retaining some work-from-home arrangement, teamwork needs evolve. Regardless, teams still need good chemistry and communication to work well together.
And there’s no better way than some good old fashion team bonding to do this (limited to 8 pax at a go for now based on new measures from 5 April 2021).
Read Also: Breaking Out: 5 Escape Rooms In Singapore For Team Bonding (Up To 8 Pax)
DollarsAndSense Team recently headed to our first Escape Room, and we managed to comfortably beat the room with a whole 20 seconds to spare. *yawn*
The young bloods on the team did us proud. I didn’t even enter one of the rooms to see what puzzles I had to solve in there. I think we already work well together, but these team activities allow you to work well outside of work – which always adds another dimension to your relationships.
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