HSBC Singapore recently announced ‘Future of Work’, the company’s vision to flexible and hybrid-location working.

In a press release, the multinational investment bank said that to support this plan, there will be
a shift towards a more hybrid and flexible model of working between office and home for its employees while managing operational and business continuity risk. The plan will be underpinned by three key principles:

• Customer focus: Ensuring the way HSBC employees work suits our customers’ needs and their changing behaviours, and delivers the best outcomes for our customers and businesses.
• Flexibility for individuals: In how, when and where we work.
• Collaboration: Ensuring that our offices are designed and used to build collaboration and networks for the benefit of our customers and our employees. We will use best in class digital to modernise the workspace.

Brandon Coate, Head of Human Resources, said, “Forward-looking companies are change-makers. This includes creating working environments that enable employees to set up arrangements that deliver high customer impact whilst suiting their personal lives. HSBC Singapore has worked extensively over the past two years to create this environment, and there is more we will do to refine our approach. But at its essence is about bringing policy, infrastructure, risk management, technology, trust and culture together in a structural and lasting way.”

In addition to its wider ‘Future of Work’, HSBC Singapore will be executing a ‘Return to Office’ plan to enable more employees the opportunity and choice to return to the office, in line with the Singapore Government’s recent policy shift while also maintaining operational and business continuity risk.

See also: 1 in 3 Workers Want their Companies to Offer Flexible Work Options

With immediate effect, HSBC will:

• Allow a maximum of 65% of total staff in the office, while abiding by the 1 metre safe distancing requirement in all premises.
• Split-site arrangement is only for critical services to mitigate concentration risk. All others may work from their usual office location or from home. We do not allow cross-site deployment for now, in line with safe management measures.
• Social gatherings amongst colleagues are allowed but in groups of no more than eight, with safe management measures in place.

Mr Coate continued: “As the Singapore Government has now changed its rules to bring more people back to the workplace, it is now time for HSBC to do the same. Whilst the health and safety of our employees is always a top priority, we believe now is the right time for employees to re-engage with their teams on how they perform their role and the frequency in which they will be attending the office.”

Read also: Fujitsu to Redesign Office to Support Flexible Working