In the past week, the Government has begun easing circuit breaker measures to stem the spread of Covid-19, allowing businesses such as hairdressing salons, shops selling dessert and cakes and pet-supply stores to resume operations, albeit with safe distancing rules.

This has provided a reprieve for many small Singapore enterprises that are in need of customers to keep their businesses going.

This was also welcome news for me and many others who have been itching to get a haircut.

As usual, I went to my neighbourhood barbershop and got my standard haircut from my favourite barber.

This time, I left a S$2 tip on top of the usual price that I pay, to not only thank him for cutting my hair during this pandemic, but to show my appreciation to him for showing up.

In Singapore, we often avoid tipping because conventions dictate that the amounts we pay reflect the value we derive. Thus, we conclude that there is no need to fork out more than what the bill requires.

Yet it is clear that we no longer live in conventional times.

Thankfully, in Singapore, we do not have the cultural obligation to tip a certain sum or percentage of the bill.

As such, when we give a tip, no matter how big or small, we are able to put our money where our mouth is to thank those in the service industry.

If enough people give a small tip to the businesses that serve us, we will improve the likelihood of keeping more of them around in our communities when the pandemic ebbs.

The best part is that for every small tip that you give, you receive a greater multiplier of happiness knowing that you made someone's day.

If Covid-19 has taught me anything, it is that I had taken the preciousness of mundane daily social interactions for granted.

It has given me a newfound appreciation for those in the service industry. Tipping is one way for me to express my appreciation.

I hope that the next time Singaporeans order their meals online, get a haircut or buy a takeaway, they will consider giving a small tip to the merchants, hairdressers or delivery riders as a way to say thank you.

At a time when the world is rethinking new models of work, crisis response, policy formulation and even voting, perhaps we also ought to rethink how we pay for services.

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