Views & Visions: Back to the office (again) Part 1

The news wasn’t unexpected. After all, COVID-19 infection numbers have remained relatively low in Singapore. But when the government announced that more employees currently working from home could return to the workplace, it felt a little surreal. Many people had already gotten used to “the new normal.” Going back to the “old normal” was yet another change to grapple with and more than a little anxiety-provoking. According to a survey commissioned by The Straits Times, 8 out of 10 workers said that they prefer to work from home or have flexible arrangements. Survey respondents also said they were concerned about safety in their workplaces. Currently, we still have to keep our masks on in the workplace, except when we are eating or drinking. Gatherings are limited to eight people and no more than 75% of the staff can be in the workplace at any one time. To a certain extent, this may help to mitigate the risk of infection at work. However, it is uncomfortable to wear our masks throughout the day. If we are working from home, we can enjoy the freedom and ease of being mask-free. We also save time and money, since we don’t have to commute to the workplace. (Tan Ying Zhen) To be continued… This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.