Whether it’s a four-day workweek or a flexible work arrangement, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said the government's goal is still to keep the engines of the economy running.
"Let's not lose sight of the goal," Concepcion, who supports the return of employees to on-site work, said in a statement on Tuesday, March 22.
The GoNegosyo founder emphasized the importance of increased economic activity that results from employees returning to their workplaces.
"Many small businesses such as cafeterias and transportation are built around employees' presence in the offices. Encouraging people to return to the offices will spur economic activity among these MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises)," he said.
Meanwhile, Concepcion said that the continuation of a work-from-home arrangement may be possible for white-collar jobs and even BPOs, but it may not be the case for employees who need to perform on-site work in manufacturing plants, render essential services, or handle physical goods.
"People who work in the factories, move goods, or perform services, they can’t do their work from home. At this point, we are already learning what works for one doesn’t necessarily work for the other," he said.
"I’m sure many will be open to the idea of a hybrid work-from-home arrangement, or for four-day workweeks, but we can’t have the same solution for everybody," Concepcion added.
Concepcion also noted that a four-day workweek might not be ideal for everyone as there are businesses that rely on regular work shifts to produce goods for consumers.
He added that imposing a four-day workweek arrangement for all businesses might disrupt workflows and affect costs, especially on businesses that rely on on-site work to be performed.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) earlier recommended to shorten the workweek to four days but with longer hours to help conserve energy to cushion the impact of the skyrocketing fuel prices on the economy.
The government, however, clarified that it can only encourage, not obligate, the private sector to adopt a four-day workweek arrangement.
Meanwhile, Concepcion argued that the imposition of a four-day workweek will have to be subject to government policies and guidelines which might take time to revise.
The Labor Code does not prescribe the minimum number of working days in a week, while workers' consent will also have to be sought as the 10-hour workdays will mean setting aside the eight-hour workday.
"Meanwhile, we have to keep the economy open so more industries can offer jobs, and reduce the unemployment in the country," he added.