Singaporean Employers, Employees See Eye To Eye On Work-Life
Singapore employers are beginning to appreciate their employees more as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Eighty percent polled by Indeed for their 2020 Global Survey said their employees pulling together over the year helped weather the crisis.
While employers were optimistic about business continuity, with more than three in four saying their business is prepared to implement COVID-19 safety measures in their workplace, they are resigned to the fact that hybrid working will be the norm.
Almost seven in ten employers are planning to implement improved flexible work options for workers in 2021. More than half — 57% — said that a greater emphasis on health, hygiene, and safety will be a permanent fixture in the post-COVID-19 workplace.
Employees and employers agreed that the line between life and work has blurred. What used to be referred to as “work-life balance” is rapidly becoming a work-life blend.
One in two employers (47%) agreed that the lines between work and life for most Singaporean employees “have become permanently blurred.” The same number of employees agreed, as well.
“What we are seeing from this research is that companies are grateful to their people for helping them weather the storm during an incredibly disruptive year,” said Sabrina Zolkifi, employer brand program manager for APAC at Indeed.
“The data shows that some of the changes that have been wrought during 2020 will be lasting, with both employers and workers eyeing greater flexibility in work methods and placing a new emphasis on health and hygiene.”
Employees will be seeking safety and security this year, with four in five (79%) saying that secure, stable employment is one of their top priorities for 2021. One in three workers — 36 percent — said they open to new work opportunities but not actively looking for another job.
Still, salary matters to Singapore employees. The number one reason cited for changing jobs is a higher salary, with 58% saying they would only switch jobs if the new role was better paid.
“Workers are saying they will only shift jobs if there’s a superior offer for them, with stability and security the priorities after a turbulent year,” said Zolkifi.
The abrupt shift to remote work in 2020 has increased family time. One in two employees said that “more time with family” had the most significant impact on their personal circumstances in 2021.
The research also highlighted a possible mismatch of expectations between hirers and job seekers in the coming year. Only one in three employees are pessimistic about the job market in 2021, but only three in ten employers are optimistic. Meanwhile, a significant minority — 16% — of companies are planning for rapid growth, saying that they plan to hire at higher volumes than before the pandemic.
The Indeed Global Survey, conducted by Censuswide, measured the sentiment of 3,600 employers and 14,142 employees in the U.K., U.S., Ireland, Australia, India, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Singapore, Mexico, Brazil, and Canada between Nov 13 and Nov 20, 2020. This included 250 employers and 1,003 employees in Singapore.
Image credit: iStockphoto/allensima
