SINGAPORE - With Covid-19 infection numbers low, more can return to the workplace from April 5.
Lim Min Zhang looks at how this can be done safely.
Capacity limits
• No more than 75 per cent of employees who are able to work from home should be at the workplace at any point, up from 50 per cent now.
• Employers to support as many employees to work from home as possible.
• No limit on the proportion of an employee's working time that can be spent at the workplace.
Meetings
• Meetings to be conducted virtually as far as possible.
• Schedule physical meetings after 10am to avoid peak-hour travel.
• Stagger start work times such that at least half of the employees arrive at or after 10am.
No cross-deployment
• No employee should work at more than one worksite, except for firms or industries where this is critical for operations.
• If cross-deployment cannot be avoided, additional safeguards must be taken to minimise the risk of cross-infection.
Social gatherings
• All social and recreational gatherings like lunches and team-bonding activities within or outside the workplace must adhere to the limit of eight people.
• All work-related events should not have meals as their main feature.
• Employers should avoid holding events over meal times.
Other recommendations
• Split-team arrangements will no longer be mandatory.
• Employees encouraged to download and activate the TraceTogether app.
• Appoint safe management officers to help in the implementation, coordination and monitoring of safe management measures.