Highlights of the week of April 15-21

Work remotely or 4 days a week

Singapore is proving its title as the best country for business. On April 16, it was reported that the country officially allows workers to choose their mode of operation. There are a few nuances to this law, but overall the mechanics are simple and straightforward.

Technically, it's not even a law; it's an industry recommendation. Every company in Singapore will now have to formalize and legalize the process of applying for and reviewing a request to switch to remote work, flexible hours or a reduced workweek. According to the initiative group, this will help tip the scales in cases of elderly workers, parents with young children, and other workers with caregiving responsibilities.

It is also worth noting that companies have the right to deny an employee such a privilege if, for example, remote working would significantly reduce productivity or is simply impossible: for example, the work of doctors or machine operators in factories has not been cancelled. At the same time, however, the employer will not be able to refuse an employee on the grounds that it is not customary in the company or that he does not believe in the remote format.

Similar systems are already in place in Ireland and the United Kingdom, and now appear to be making their way into the Asian region.

However, not all countries are making the effort to accommodate their working populations. In China, for example, the "Third Eye" system, which has been literally spying on employees and workers for many years, is actively developing and flourishing. This is particularly acute in the IT sector.

The first reports of such a system appeared several years ago. Since then, the software has evolved to work much better. Better for employers, of course. You can easily find evidence of this in social networks, on video hosting sites, and in TikTok, whose office, of course, is also equipped with such a system. 

The Chinese are forced to work 12 hours a day, because the huge competition and the stream of people who want to take your place simply leave no chance to relax. And if your employer finds out that you spend a few minutes of your working time on third-party applications (even on your mobile phone), you may well be fired.

There are known cases of deaths from exhaustion and mass suicides due to overwork. These cases are reminiscent of another Asian country with a similar corporate culture - Japan. Here, as in China, it is common to work long hours.

However, in Japan, no one really monitors their subordinates, and there is more of a cultural code at work than a fear of being monitored. Simply put, many (not all) overworked employees simply sit in their offices because it is not customary to leave before the boss. Stereotypical and cartoonish, but that's how it is.

Of course, it's safer to set an example for their neighbors, but these guys are a long way from Singapore.