Football fans working at Singtel may have one more reason to stay up late for the FIFA World Cup Final.
An internal message allegedly sent by Singtel Singapore CEO Ng Tian Chong informed employees that they would be allowed to start work up to two hours later on the morning following the highly anticipated final between Spain and Argentina.
A screenshot of the message has been circulating online, drawing praise from football enthusiasts and employees alike.
CEO Acknowledges Football Fever
In the message, Ng Tian Chong said he understood the excitement surrounding the tournament and recognised that many employees would likely be watching the final, which is scheduled to kick off at 3am.
“As a football fan myself, I can certainly understand that,” the message read.
To accommodate staff who may be staying up to watch the match, Singtel Singapore employees were reportedly given permission to begin work at 10.30am instead of their usual start time on Monday morning.
Ng Tian Chong has been serving as CEO of Singtel Singapore since 2023 and oversees both the company’s consumer and enterprise businesses. �
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Subject to Operational Needs
The arrangement was not a blanket day-off for all employees.
According to the message, the later reporting time would be subject to “exigencies of service”, meaning operational and business requirements would still take precedence.
Employees working in customer-facing or operational roles were advised to check with their managers to ensure service commitments could continue without disruption.
This would allow departments that require continuous staffing to maintain operations while still offering flexibility where possible.
Netizens Praise Employee-Friendly Move
The screenshot quickly attracted positive reactions online, with many describing the gesture as a refreshing example of workplace flexibility.
An accompanying caption on the social media post read: “we love a football fan CEO”, reflecting the sentiment of many football supporters.
With the World Cup Final expected to draw millions of viewers worldwide, some netizens joked that other companies should follow Singtel’s lead and give staff a chance to recover from a late night of football.
While not every employer may be willing to delay office hours for a sporting event, the move has certainly scored points with football fans eager to catch every minute of the action without worrying about an early start the next morning.
What do you think? Should more Singapore companies offer flexible reporting times when major sporting events take place in the middle of the night?