The Emotional Journey to Parenthood
Source: Sarah Toh – DBS Bank | LinkedIn
For 37-year-old Sarah Toh, the road to becoming a mother wasn’t an easy one. After three rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI) and one round of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), Sarah finally welcomed her son in 2023. The emotional toll was immense, but what made the experience manageable was the unwavering support from her employer, DBS Bank.
Sarah recalls how her team’s understanding allowed her to take time off for last-minute doctor’s appointments and scans. According to her, she described the experience as an emotional rollercoaster, but emphasized that the trust her manager and teammates placed in her ability to complete the work was ultimately what sustained her through the challenging period.
Source: Sarah Toh
For Sarah, the support didn’t stop when she became pregnant. Her manager encouraged her to come into the office only when absolutely necessary, a gesture that underscored how flexible work could bring immense relief during life’s most vulnerable moments.
DBS Gives Sarah and Other New Moms the WFH Glow-Up
Juggling a new baby and a full-time job sounds like a stress cocktail, but for Ms. Sarah Toh, DBS Bank served up a much-needed twist.
After welcoming her son Dylan in January, Ms. Toh didn’t just get the usual maternity leave—she scored a six-month work-from-home (WFH) stint to boot. Instead of rushing back to the office, she got to soak in the baby giggles and diaper dramas from home while staying on top of her job.
Now, as she gears up to head back to the office this November, she says the extra time with Dylan has been a game-changer. Who says corporate policies can’t be a win for millennial mums?
The Magic of Transitioning Back to Work
One of the toughest phases of parenthood is finding a rhythm post-maternity leave. For Sarah, DBS’s six-month work-from-home policy for new parents was nothing short of a game-changer.
Source: DBS Bank | Singapore
“Being able to work from home helped me transition into life as a working mum,” Sarah says. “It made a huge difference to my peace of mind – not having to worry about commuting or rushing to drop off and pick up my child.”
And the flexibility didn’t end there. Sarah used childcare leave to work three-day weeks temporarily, allowing her to gradually adjust to her full-time role without the overwhelming pressure of a packed schedule.
This is the beauty of flexible work—customising arrangements to meet both professional and personal needs.
Flexible Work for Fathers
It’s not just mothers who benefit from flexible work. For Nicholas Tan, a 30-year-old new father and DBS employee, the extended paternity leave and remote work options were life-changing.
“Parenthood is daunting, especially with the rising cost of living and unexpected expenses,” Nicholas says. “But having a company that supported me gave me the freedom to focus on my family without feeling like I was compromising my career.”
Source: Nicholas Tan
Nicholas’s ability to work remotely meant he could be fully present with his wife and newborn during those crucial early days of fatherhood. For him, flexible work arrangements weren’t just a perk—they were an affirmation that his role as a father was valued.
Why Flexible Work Matters for Parents
Source: The Strait Times/Ong Wee Jin
The stories of Sarah and Nicholas highlight a universal truth: parenting is hard, but the right work environment can make it easier. Flexible work offers parents the chance to navigate the demands of raising a family while remaining committed to their careers.
At DBS Bank, the 60/40 hybrid work policy allows employees to work remotely for a significant portion of their schedules. This flexibility has been pivotal in boosting employee satisfaction, with the bank achieving a record 90% engagement rate in 2023.
But flexible work is more than just working from home. It’s about staggered hours, job sharing, part-time options, and even customised arrangements that cater to individual needs.
As part of the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests (TG-FWAR) that took effect in December 2024, employers are encouraged to adopt flexible work practices thoughtfully. While businesses aren’t obligated to approve every request, the guidelines promote meaningful conversations between employers and employees to create solutions that work for both parties.
Financial Relief and Work-Life Balance
Parenthood comes with financial strain, but supportive work policies and government initiatives like the Baby Bonus scheme and Child Development Account (CDA) can ease the burden. For Sarah and Nicholas, having flexible work options alongside these financial programs provided much-needed relief.
Moreover, initiatives like childcare leave and extended paternity leave empower parents to prioritise their families without sacrificing their jobs. This balance is critical in creating a sustainable work-life ecosystem.
The Future of Flexible Work in Singapore
Let’s paint a picture. The sun rises over the Lion City, but it’s not just the typical morning rush. Streets hum, but homes hum louder, alive with the sounds of keyboards tapping, coffee brewing, and morning meetings conducted in fuzzy slippers. This is the Singapore of the future — not bound by rigid 9-to-5s but defined by its embrace of flexibility.
Flexible work isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a movement. A wave that’s quietly reshaping how we live, how we work, and, ultimately, how we thrive. It’s no longer a luxury afforded to the few, it’s a necessity for the many. Millennials and Gen Zers, often labelled the hustle generation, are demanding more from life. They want purpose, balance, and the freedom to work hard without losing themselves in the grind.
Addressing the Naysayers
Yet, despite its merits, flexible work still faces resistance. For some employers, it’s a leap of faith that feels more like a free fall. The fears are familiar: Will productivity drop? How do we ensure accountability?
But here’s the truth: the tools and resources are already here. The Productivity Solutions Grant offers financial support to businesses looking to implement flexible work arrangements. Workshops and briefings by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) provide the know-how to make the shift seamless.
Flexibility isn’t about abandoning structure, it’s about reimagining it. It’s about shifting from micromanagement to trust, from rigid schedules to outcomes-based performance. The transition might be challenging, but it’s far from impossible.
Your Parenting, Your Pace
Parenthood doesn’t come with a manual, but flexible work can help you write your own rules. Whether it’s working from home to care for a newborn or taking staggered hours to attend school plays, flexibility gives you the freedom to be present for the moments that matter most.
So, ask yourself: what would it take for you to thrive as a parent and a professional? Start that conversation with your employer. After all, the journey of parenthood is yours to navigate—shouldn’t your work life support it every step of the way?
Your parenting. Your pace. Your way.
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