KUALA LUMPUR - The gains from the government’s work from home (WFH) initiative, set to begin on April 15, extend far beyond direct fuel savings and are likely to have a lasting and far-reaching impact on the country’s working culture.
Ku Sim Ling, a 20-year human resources veteran in the workforce solutions industry, said that the WFH exercise would serve as a catalyst in furthering the flexible work concept in the country, following its widespread adoption during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"As Malaysia’s biggest employer, any policy or exercise the Federal government implements will be followed closely by the private sector.
"Flexible working arrangements, including hybrid work schedules similar to the upcoming government’s ‘three days at home, two days in office’ initiative, are not something new to employers in Malaysia, and many companies are already offering various types of arrangements based on suitability before the government’s call,” she told Bernama recently.
Flexible working arrangements (FWA) were officially adopted into the Employment Act 1955 through an amendment that came into effect on Jan 1, 2023, allowing workers to formally request FWAs for hours, days, or location of work, she explained.
She also noted that the government’s WFH recommendation to the private sector, along with rising costs due to the global energy crisis, would accelerate its adoption among companies in Malaysia.
Ku, a former panel member of the Malaysian Industrial Court, stressed that the ideal goal of any flexible work schedule was to create a harmonious working environment that empowers employees and benefits employers through efficient work processes.
"Ultimately, it’s about work, and how work can be done in the most efficient manner, for the benefit of both employers and employees,” she added.
Meanwhile, Penang Institute’s director of operations, Ong Siou Woon, shared that many companies in Penang have long implemented flexible working arrangements that cater to their respective situations.
"Companies in George Town, Bayan Lepas Free Trade Zone and Batu Kawan do offer some form of WFH or FWA, continuing the practice popularised since the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said, explaining that there were companies that allowed such practices even before the pandemic hit.
"Some arrangements are on an ad-hoc basis - whenever employees had an urgent matter to attend to - while others are on a scheduled basis, the most common being one to two days at home, the rest at the office, hybrid schedule,” she told Bernama during a phone interview recently.
She also pointed out that advancements in technology have helped manage issues related to WFH and FWA, especially in balancing ‘freedom’ and efficiency and monitoring for potential violations.
Drawing from her experience co-authoring a Covid-19 risk assessment that provided guidelines for the resumption of workplace operations post-MCO for companies in 2020, Ong said identifying essential staff required to be present physically and determining those who can perform their duties remotely was vital to the successful implementation of any FWA schedule for companies.
"FWA is actually a good thing to have for micro, small, and medium enterprises in Malaysia if you have already designed for it, and you are not in the retail or food and beverage industries that have fixed operations hours.
"Some employers may see this as a loss on their end, but if you look at the staff retention rate, you will be saving more here than to have to train new staff when some choose to leave for better job benefits, which are likely to include some form of FWA,” she added. - BERNAMA