SINGAPORE — For S$58 a month, those in need of a space to work closer to home can now tap a full suite of office facilities, such as work desks, reading areas and a pantry, in three residential heartlands.

Officially opened yesterday, the three Smart Work Centres — at the Jurong, Geylang East and Toa Payoh public libraries — aim to enable people to work closer to home, facilitating work-life balance and productivity. They also feature meeting spaces, secure Wi-Fi connections, as well as copying and video-conferencing services.

Speaking at the launch at Jurong Regional Library yesterday, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information, said: “Employees can look forward to better work-life balance and improved productivity by having access to professional collaborative spaces that are closer to home. At the same time, employers offering flexible work arrangements would be able to tap a more diverse recruitment pool, such as homemakers.”

Operated by flexible workspace provider Regus with the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the National Library Board (NLB), plans for these centres were first floated last year as part of the Government’s efforts to support home-based work and work-life balance.

These offices will also benefit companies, the authorities said. “(The Smart Work Centre initiative) is useful for large enterprises, as well as small tech start-ups, and also helps with talent attraction and retention with a more engaged workforce,” said Mr Steve Leonard, executive deputy chairman of IDA.

Mr Wong Keung Chung, director of performing arts academy Dream Station, called the idea “interesting”, but was concerned staff would not be able to meet one another.

“If you do not communicate face-to-face, you (would not be able to) resolve issues fast by communicating through email. It is still easier for employees to be centralised in one location,” he said.

On the other hand, Mr Chan Gin Kai, executive producer of Silver Media — who works from home — welcomed the facilities. “The cost of having an office is ridiculous if you include facilities like tables, chairs, copying machine and so on. Also, we are tied down to leases. There isn’t flexibility. If the business scales up, changing offices to bigger spaces is difficult.”

Individuals can choose from various options ranging from paying by the hour to a monthly membership that provides unlimited access. For more information, call 1800 622 1563 or visit http://www.regus.com.sg.