In an op-ed, Assistant Professor Chong Sin Hui from NTU's NBS, whose expertise is in organisational behaviour and human resource, discussed the recent White Paper on Singapore women's development, focusing on whether some of the policies proposed and debated in Parliament - from flexible work arrangements (FWAs) to parental leave and board representation - were really advantageous for women at work.
"In one of my other research studies, employees with children at home reported greater distractions from performing their work. On days when their personal responsibilities got in the way of their work, they received more rude and petty treatment from their co-workers, and experienced greater burnout by midday," she shared.
"Contrary to what its name suggests, equality is not about applying the same rules equally and indiscriminately across genders. Instead, it is about recognising the unique biological and socialised challenges that each gender faces, then developing steps and actions to address them so all genders can optimise their potential and complement one another. It also requires the commitment of all parties involved, including men," Asst Prof Chong wrote.
