A new survey conducted by Jobstreet and Jobsdb by SEEK with over 5,000 workforce respondents across Southeast Asia sheds light on the growing unhappiness at work among Singaporean employees.
Conducted in May 2024, the regional survey reveals multifaceted issues impacting job satisfaction and the unique attitudes of Singaporean workers towards career decisions. The survey also revealed that Singaporean employees feel that finding the right job is as challenging as finding a partner.
Increasing unhappiness at work due to unsatisfactory compensation
According to the survey, Singapore ranks highest on how unhappy employees are at work (19%), as compared to regional counterparts Malaysia (12%), The Philippines (11%), Hong Kong (9%), Thailand (9%), Indonesia (4%). More Singaporean employees are unhappy at work (19%) than their regional counterparts (10%), with inadequate salary and benefits as the main source of dissatisfaction (53%). Lack of recognition (36%) is also a key area leading to unhappiness.
Although salary is the primary factor contributing to dissatisfaction, only 15% of Singaporeans employees are highly likely to accept a high-paying job that doesn’t match their career goals or skill sets, significantly lower than the regional average of 24%. This preference may stem from a strong emphasis on long-term career development, job satisfaction and prioritising meaningful work over immediate financial gains.
Significant mismatch between job roles and skills
The survey showed that only 14% of Singaporean employees feel their current job matches their skills and aspirations very or perfectly well. In particular, 21% of lower-wage earners (earning less than S$2,500 monthly) feel their current job does not align with their skills and aspirations at all. This mismatch between job roles and employee skills and aspirations could be connected to the broader challenges faced by Singaporeans in finding a satisfying job.
When asked how challenging finding the right job is compared to finding the right long-term partner, 27% of respondents said that finding the right job is more difficult, while over half (53%) say it’s equally difficult for both. In addition, 57% of Singaporean employees also feel that it is now more challenging to find a job that matches their skills and preferences than when they first joined the workforce.
Cautious attitudes towards career decisions
Despite 79% of Singapore employees being open to making drastic career changes, the survey results also found that a whopping 72% are willing to stay in an outgrown position for more than a year before actively seeking new opportunities. This figure is markedly higher than the regional average of 58%, suggesting that Singapore employees favour job stability over career progression. This inclination highlights a potential barrier to seizing new career opportunities and adapting to evolving market demands.
This could be attributed to the rising cost of living in Singapore and the perception of unstable job security, as respondents cited financial stability (31%), concerns about work-life balance in potential new roles (35%), and uncertainty about future job prospects (35%) as the top reasons for not looking for a new role.
“We’ve observed that Singaporean employees’ career decisions are sometimes driven by practicality – such as prioritising stability over looking for more fulfilling or challenging work. Coupled with uncertainties of today’s job market, this caution may be warranted – but at the same time, these employees may miss out on new opportunities that could unlock greater career growth and longer-term satisfaction,” says Chew Siew Mee, Managing Director, Singapore, Jobstreet by SEEK.
“At Jobstreet, we are dedicated to taking the guesswork out of job searching and connecting Singaporean employees with their ideal job matches, regardless of their career stage. Our new platform, powered by SEEK’s AI, facilitates more tailored and relevant job matches, and our upcoming Career Fair provides job seekers practical assistance in clinching those matches, such as career coaching, on-the-spot interviews, and insights from industry experts on navigating today’s career challenges,” she added.
For additional information about Jobstreet’s Career Fair, please click here.
