The implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) as a Malaysian

preventive measure to COVID-19 has brought an immediate change to the

current work environment. According to a media statement issued by National
Security Council on 18 March 2020, only listed essentials and non-essential
services are allowed to operate as usual during MCO period, subject to some
restrictions, including the minimum work operation or by working from home.

This immediate change requires most of the Malaysian workforce to work from
home, which means they have to work and live at home at the same time,
leading to another challenge for them, which is immediate adaptations on how
to balance between work and family matters.

The author has conducted a short survey, with 55 employees from various
sectors and organizations participating, to get their opinion regarding the role
of experience in flexible working hours implemented by their organizations
previously towards adaptation to “work from home” during the MCO.

Figure 1: Number of respondents enjoying flexible working hours before MCO

The results in Figure 1 above indicate that 76.4 percent of employees already
enjoy flexible work hours pre-MCO. Flexible working hours are one of the
initiatives to promote work-life balance among Malaysian workforce.

Other examples of flexible work arrangements offered by Asian employers

include home or remote working, informal flexible working, part-time
employment, job sharing, compressed hours, term-time working hours and
phased retirement. Among all these, flexi-time working hours and home or
remote working are the most popular practices among Asian employers.

Figure 2: Respondents opinions regarding the role of flexible working hour experience towards
work from home adaptations during MCO
Based on result reported in Figure 2, a majority of respondents (76.4 percent)
agreed that they have an advantage in better work adaptation during the MCO.
Out of the participants, 18.2 percent perceived that the experience “maybe”
helps them in adapting to the changes.

Meanwhile, only 5.5 percent of respondents are totally against the potential
contributions of flexible working hours experience towards better adjustment
during MCO. The reason is perhaps due to having no experience on flexible
working hours at their workplace, leaves them with no idea about it.

During the crisis that we are going through right now, organizations need to
have good strategies to ensure their survivability for another six months, at
least. Those organizations that already implemented flexible working at their
organizations are in advantage in this current situation, because the business
can operate as usual, even with minimum movement or by work from home,
because their employees used to it. They have existing policies, perhaps
needing just minor amendments to suit the current situation.

It has been confirmed by 75 percent of business people that flexible working

does indeed improve productivity. With flexible working arrangements,
employees are encourages to have a greater sense of responsibility and time
management, in which these two keys are believed to bring about a more
productive workforce and effective remote management. Therefore, from this
current challenging situation, there is a “take home” note to be learnt by
business organizations.

Siti Noormi Alias is Senior Lecturer, Department of Professional Development and

Continuing Education, Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia