The Singaporean workforce is known to be highly-skilled and hardworking. They are sought after by the biggest companies around the world.
The quality of education in the small but mighty island nation is on par or, sometimes, exceed those in the West. Before they enter the workforce, young people receive extensive training that will give them the knowledge and the tools they need to excel in the field of their choosing.
Moreover, they are extremely committed to their roles. In fact, one survey found that as many as eight in 10 Singaporeans respond to work-related calls and e-mails outside of business hours which reflects their diligence.
But, how do employers attract Singaporean workers? What do they want in the workplace? Find out below.
A Clear Career Path
Singaporeans are educated and skilled workers. They seek to be constantly challenged at work and, if they do not get the chance to explore their own capabilities, they get bored.
That is why having a clear career path, with opportunities for advancements, is one of the requirements among workers. In one recent survey, as many as two out of five employees, or 39% of respondents, are looking for another job. The primary reason why they want to leave is what they see as a “limited career path.”
Employers should, therefore, create opportunities for workers to move up the corporate ladder. Including workplace training programs and tuition reimbursement packages to encourage continuing studies will entice the best workers in Singapore.
International Travel Opportunities
Singaporeans understand the value of being exposed to different perspectives more than anyone. The island is a melting pot of cultures, allowing the East and the West to co-exist.
That is why one of the most coveted perks that professionals are looking for when choosing an employer is the chance to be sent abroad for work. As many as seven in 10 Singaporeans said that they want to work at a company that offers international travel. They believe that working overseas, albeit temporarily, will allow them to learn new skills and build connections.
Most of them are also willing to relocate to a foreign country if it means they will get higher pay, career advancement, and better quality of life overall.
The most popular destinations for Singaporeans are Australia, Japan, and the United States. Young professionals, aged 18 to 34, are most willing to head abroad for work.
Flexible Work Arrangement
The pandemic has proven that most tasks can be completed out of the office. When lockdowns were imposed and employees were asked to work from home, many discovered the benefits of the more relaxed setup. They are no longer commuting to and from work every day, and they are saving more money by staying put.
One survey commissioned by The Straits Time found that eight out of 10 workers do not want to go back to the office even after COVID-19 has been snuffed out. Singapore has already begun vaccinating its five-million-strong population yet working from home may continue to be popular.
Only one in 10 want to go back to the traditional office set up full time.
Although Singapore has pretty much gone back to normal, after successfully fighting multiple waves of the illness, offering work from home opportunities, especially to young professionals, at least a few days a week may encourage them to not look for better opportunities someplace else.
A Healthy Work-Life Balance
Singaporeans value work, but they are also very family-oriented. They want to have time to spend and care for their aging parents and children. They want to engage in their hobbies, too, or be able to relax every once in a while. If work gets in the way, they might get burnt out, lose motivation, or find another employer who does not expect them to spend their entire lives at the office.
Having a work-life balance is also why so many Singaporeans do not want to go back to the office after experiencing working from home. They found that they have more free time knowing that, as soon as they clock out or complete their responsibilities, they can be with their family.
Before the pandemic, Singaporeans were ranked as one of the most overworked populations in the world. Only Tokyo, Japan was the city that had worse working conditions.
If an employer offers generous vacation leaves and promises weekends off, that is definitely an advantage for a lot of Singaporean workers.
Singaporeans are the best employees. They are committed to their role in the company and produce high-quality output. They, therefore, deserve to be taken care of by their employers.
