Singapore employees amongst the least engaged in Asia

Singapore’s employee engagement score fell by 4 points to 59%.

According to the 2017 Trends in Global Employee Engagement Report from Aon Hewitt, Singapore’s decline is significant when compared to the 3-point increase last year.

Perception scores amongst Singapore’s millennials fell by an alarming 7 points in the area of ‘Talent and Staffing’ – which refers to the talent attraction, promotion, and retention practices of an organisation, as well as its ability to allocate appropriate and adequate resources to get the job done. Perception scores also fell by 5 points in the area of Employer Brand.

Employees in Singapore join their Malaysian counterparts in being the least engaged amongst major Asian markets. Engagement scores for India are 69%, followed by China (67%), Thailand (65%), Philippines (65%), Indonesia (61%), and Malaysia (59%).

Overall engagement scores for employees in Asia Pacific dropped from 65% to 62% a year ago. Aon Hewitt’s analysis found regional variations in engagement are driven by regional and country-specific economic, political, and cultural differences.

Improving engagement pays big dividends

Aon Hewitt research shows that a 5-point increase in employee engagement is linked to a 3-point increase in revenue growth in the subsequent year. The inverse happens when engagement levels fall – businesses experience greater turnover, higher absenteeism, and lower customer satisfaction, and ultimately, poor financial performance.

Employees in the region ranked rewards and recognition programmes as a top opportunity to improve engagement. Stephen Hickey, partner and executive sponsor, employee engagement practice – Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Aon Hewitt, said, “As organisations strive to fuel growth, they must understand how their workforce productivity and pay programmes – both fixed and variable, compare to market. They must educate their people on how they implement ‘pay for performance’, and recognise top contributors using a blend of financial and non-financial rewards such as development opportunities.”