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 ...