SINGAPORE: About a week after NUS announced that all full-time staff would have to return to the office five days a week, the daughter of an NUS employee took to social media to share how the previous hybrid arrangement had positively affected her family’s daily life.”
Posting anonymously on the NUSWhispers Facebook page on Friday (Oct 10), the daughter, who is also an undergraduate at the university, said her mother’s flexible work schedule had brought big improvements at home.
She said her mother had worked at NUS ever since she was a child and usually did not get home until around 8 p.m. By that time, the student recalled, “the day was pretty much over.”
However, things began to change once her mother was allowed to work from home a couple of days each week.
Her younger sibling, who used to be late for school, neglect studying, and often get into trouble, started to improve.
The student added that she also felt more at ease and that her mother seemed noticeably calmer and “less stressed.” They also started having home-cooked meals more regularly, and on some evenings, they even went for walks together, something they rarely did before.
Her father, who works in the healthcare sector, also appeared more relaxed knowing that things at home were finally running smoothly.
“Our family life has changed so much for the better,” she said. “So when I see comments saying people should just resign if they don’t like it or that they’re being entitled, I honestly don’t get it.”
She added, “What’s wrong with wanting a bit more balance in such a fast-paced and stressful country? I can’t imagine living life constantly rushing around like that forever. Even if not everyone gets hybrid work, it still benefits everyone in some way — less crowding, less stress, and happier families.”
“Don’t blame the company if you are unable to strike work-life balance.”
Although the post amassed 1.2k likes in just a single day, many in the comments criticised the daughter for failing to consider the employer’s perspective.
“You are not the employer, that’s why you see no issue,” one netizen wrote. “Like my friends and I discussed before, everyone wants to WFH because they can do their own things at the same time, right? You don’t admit it, but we also know. But would the same group of people want to WFH if the employer offered it with a 30% cut in salary, for example?”
Another bluntly said, “Return to office may not be to your liking, but be grateful that you have a job and stable income. Do what you are hired to do and take nothing for granted. Stop whining.”
A third remarked, “I can understand NUS’s point of view and agree with them. At-home office culture tends to slacken, and so does cooperation.”
Some also said that if she and her mother were unhappy with the new work policy, her mother could simply find another job that offers a more flexible arrangement.
Another suggested, “Just be a stay-at-home mum. Don’t blame the company if you are unable to strike a work-life balance. The company don’t owe you a living as they are paying you a salary.”
Others, however, came to the daughter’s defence, with one saying, “Such bitter comments. What’s wrong with wanting things to be better for everyone? COVID has allowed us to evolve the way we work and do things more efficiently and effectively. If there is no downside, don’t see why we need to go back to old arrangements.”
In other news, a senior commuter who’s in her late 60s took to social media on Thursday (Oct 9) to complain about a bus driver who deliberately refused to let her alight at her intended stop.
Sharing her experience on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook group, the commuter, Facebook user Cherry Chacko, said the incident took place early in the morning while she was taking bus service 23.
