Surviving Work from Home: Observations from Singapore

Circuit Breaker measures were implemented in Singapore on 7 April 2020, and work from home arrangements were officially made compulsory for most due to COVID-19. This study assessed the effects of prolonged telecommuting within the Singapore Police. Items on productivity, satisfaction with telecommuting, work-life effectiveness, feelings of safety, stress levels, connectedness to and support by colleagues, and supervisors were included. The study found that while prolonged telecommuting did not have any impact on levels of satisfaction with telecommuting, individuals with caregiving duties were significantly less satisfied with telecommuting than non-caregivers. Implications of the findings were discussed with respect to the necessary support required by officers while telecommuting. Recommendations on how individuals can practice self-care while telecommuting for prolonged periods were also proposed.