Amazon back-to-office policy 'a bummer' for Singapore employees, but more tech firms could follow suit

[k1976]

Hybrid work arrangements could become a differentiating factor for smaller tech firms in attracting talent, industry observers say.​

Amazon's office at Asia Square in Singapore. (File photo: Amazon)

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Matthew Mohan & Davina Tham
20 Sep 2024 06:00AM (Updated: 20 Sep 2024 07:19PM)
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SINGAPORE: Amazon's decision to end its hybrid work policy and return to the office five days a week did not go over well with staff, the tech giant's Singapore employees told CNA.
“There was this dire feeling that it might happen (eventually)," one employee who spoke on condition of anonymity said. But he didn't think the company would go ahead given the global trend of remote working.

 

[k1976]

Industry observers said Amazon's move likely signals a gradual shift by tech companies to more work-from-office days.

This will have a big impact on employee retention and recruitment, and hybrid work arrangements could become a differentiating factor for smaller tech firms in attracting talent, they added.

Earlier this week, Amazon said employees will be required to return to working at company offices five days per week beginning next year, toughening a prior three-day mandate.

Amazon has more than 2,000 workers across its business units in Singapore. In May, it announced plans to invest S$12 billion (US$8.88 billion) in Singapore by 2028 to expand its cloud computing infrastructure here.

 

[k1976]

With everybody else in the market trimming office space and then suddenly Amazon is doing this, it didn’t sit quite well with a lot of people,” he said.

The hybrid model has been particularly helpful for employees who have children and those taking care of aged parents, he added.

Another employee said that there was some anger and uncertainty among staff on the day of the announcement, but also bemusement in the days that followed with the amount of news coverage globally.

Within the tech industry, there has been a “buzz” that employees would eventually have to return to offices, she said. “It wasn’t really surprising, it was (more of) when it would happen.”

Veteran recruiter Neil Dyball, managing director of Hudson Singapore, said that other large tech firms would follow Amazon’s cue, but not immediately.

“As so many large tech companies got rid of their real estate, they just do not have the space right now to have their teams back” in the office full-time, he said.

 

[k1976]

Amazon’s Singapore office opened a new location a few months ago, so the company is in a “different position” to demand that staff work from the office.

It is one of the anchor tenants of IOI Central Boulevard Towers, reportedly leasing 369,000 sq ft in the new office development that opened in the central business district earlier this year.

He added that larger multinational corporations and those in the financial industry have been unofficially auditing productivity and work times over the past year or more, to help validate a decision on a full return to the office.

But going forward, smaller tech firms will use hybrid work to differentiate themselves from larger firms.

This is also because these firms no longer have the “inflated” valuations that allowed them to attract talent through compensation, said Mr Dyball.

Other observers expected tech companies to return to having more days in the office, but keep flexibility in the form of one or two remote work days or flexible start and end times, as this is what employees now expect.

 

[A Singaporean]

Fucking lazy Sinkies.

 

[k1976]

Fucking lazy Sinkies.

Alot are part time Jiuhu....sinki are busy selling drugs and do money laudering or do Big Ear Hole Businesses de woh

 

[k1976]

Singaporean in Drug Industry

Singaporean deported from Thailand charged with drug trafficking, faces death penalty​

Benny Kee Soon Chuan was allegedly living a life of luxury in Thailand when local authorities arrested him and handed him over to Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau.

The 31-year-old man (right) was arrested by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) on Sep 19, 2024. (Photo: Central Narcotics Bureau)

 

[k1976]

Singaporean in Financial Industry

Over 4 years' jail for man who worked for loan shark syndicate in China, rose to become 'towkay'​

iStock


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5 min
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• An unemployed Singaporean took up an offer to work for a loan shark syndicate based in China
• Over the years, Ng Kwong Seng rose to become a "towkay" and had loan sharks reporting to him
• He earned about S$500,000 in profits from his involvement in the illegal business for about 13 years
• Ng was sentenced to more than four years' jail for carrying on the business of unlicensed moneylending

By Taufiq Zalizan
Published June 21, 2024

 

[k1976]

Singaporean in Entertainment Security Indiusry

Jail for 6th man over fight near Orchard Towers that was captured on viral videos​

The incident took place shortly after 5am on Aug 14, 2022, and was captured on videos which later went viral. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM FACEBOOK

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent
Updated

Aug 30, 2024, 01:51 PM

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SINGAPORE – A sixth man has been given a jail sentence for his involvement in a fight in 2022 which spilt over onto two roads near the Orchard Towers shopping mall, disrupting traffic.
The incident took place shortly after 5am on Aug 14, 2022, and was captured on videos which later went viral.
On Aug 29, Muhammad Faiz Junaidi, 31, a senior member of a secret society at the time of the incident, was sentenced to 15 months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to one count each of rioting and being a member of an unlawful society.

 

[k1976]

https://mothership.sg/category/community/history/


Singaporean in Food Recycling Business

Elderly man, 84, eats leftovers in Chinatown, says food still warm, people wasting it​

He said he can afford to buy his own food but doesn't want to waste food.
Natalie Ong |

September 19, 2024, 02:50 PM

An elderly man has been spotted eating leftovers at Chinatown's People's Park Food Centre.

Photo by Shin Min Daily News


The 84-year-old man, Wang (transliteration), said he's not eating leftovers because he has no money to buy food — but because he thinks it's a waste to throw them away.

 

[k1976]

Singaporean in Fintech Industry

FBI arrests Singaporean man in US over $297m crypto heist​

Malone Lam was charged in a US district court in southern Florida on Sept 19. An Instagram reel (right) shows him purportedly having an extravagant party at a nightclub. PHOTOS: BSO, IAINTEVENTRIPPIN_/INSTAGRAM

Christine Tan
Updated

Sep 20, 2024, 07:15 PM

FacebookTelegram

SINGAPORE – A Singaporean man who lives in the United States has been arrested by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents over a conspiracy to steal and launder more than US$230 million (S$297 million) in cryptocurrency.

Malone Lam, 20, was charged in a US district court in southern Florida on Sept 19, according to a press release from the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

 

[k1976]

Singaporean in IT support industry

5 people arrested for alleged links to recent spate of banking-related malware scams​

The suspects were rounded up after a week-long islandwide anti-scam enforcement operation. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

Ang Qing
Updated

Sep 21, 2024, 07:26 PM

FacebookTelegram

SINGAPORE – Four men and a woman, aged between 18 and 46, have been arrested for their suspected involvement in a recent spate of banking-related malware scam cases.
Malware-enabled scams cost victims a total of $295,000 in the first half of 2024, and $9.1 million during the same period in 2023.
The police, in a Sept 20 statement, said the suspects were rounded up after a week-long islandwide anti-scam enforcement operation involving the Commercial Affairs Department, Bedok Police Division and Clementi Police Division.

 

[k1976]

Singaporean in Savvy Investmemt OTC Industry

The Police have arrested a 25-year-old man for his suspected involvement in an investment scam.

On 28 April 2024, the Police received a report stating that a victim was allegedly cheated of about $363,000 after she handed over the monies to the 25-year-old man for investment purposes.

Through follow-up investigations, officers from Clementi Police Division arrested the 25-year-old man on 2 May 2024. His personal mobile device was seized for investigation.

The man will be charged in court on 4 May 2024 with the offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871. The offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871 carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.

Members of the public are strongly advised to be cautious when making investment decisions and to adopt the following precautionary measures:

 

[k1976]

Singaporean in Happy Happy Check Colour

Helping Singapore’s sex workers move to other work​

Project X's tailored programme provides services such as writing resumes and connecting sex workers to potential employers. PHOTO: COURTESY OF PROJECT X
Thian Wen Li
Updated

Jul 02, 2024, 08:01 PM

FacebookTelegram

SINGAPORE - In February, Nina – who is in her mid-40s – quit sex work. A month later, she started full-time work in customer service with the help of non-profit organisation Project X.
A former masseuse who provided “happy endings” to clients, the single mother joined the sex trade about 20 years ago to support her child, then a toddler.
Nina (not her real name) is one of those who have benefited from a Project X programme called The Next Step, which was set up in October 2023 to help sex workers looking for alternative job pathways. It is supported by funding administered by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS).

 

[k1976]

 

[k1976]

 

[sbfuncle]

More than 95% of amazon employees are jlbs.
In actual they only need about 5% or less staffs, and working in office or at home will not be in the discussions becos they will be really working, be it at home or at office.

Take gansiokbin, a ex finance mgr with sfc, clearing shit job as a example . You think she was really working? I would have booted her out first thing in the morning and bau.

 

[k1976]

More than 95% of amazon employees are jlbs.
In actual they only need about 5% or less staffs, and working in office or at home will not be in the discussions becos they will be really working, be it at home or at office.

吃鸟米

 

[KingFook Sr]

Hybrid work arrangements could become a differentiating factor for smaller tech firms in attracting talent, industry observers say.​

Amazon's office at Asia Square in Singapore. (File photo: Amazon)

Listen to this article
8 min
This audio is generated by an AI tool.




Matthew Mohan & Davina Tham
20 Sep 2024 06:00AM (Updated: 20 Sep 2024 07:19PM)
BookmarkShare

SINGAPORE: Amazon's decision to end its hybrid work policy and return to the office five days a week did not go over well with staff, the tech giant's Singapore employees told CNA.
“There was this dire feeling that it might happen (eventually)," one employee who spoke on condition of anonymity said. But he didn't think the company would go ahead given the global trend of remote working.

Big deal.
Moi worked Mondays to Friday with half Saturday through moi working life. Was good and productive.

 

[sbfuncle]

吃鸟米

Stay at home, like very busy, zoom meeting, teams meeting, all like very happening. End of the day 95% of them got nothing done. Most are just trouble makers. Problem creators. Solving the problem you created is not work done. We don't need so many people even in large mnc.
Do presentation over teams invitation etc look like happening, same thing end of the day there will be no difference whether the meeting did existed or not.