Singaporeans put more premium on their work environment over compensation

An ideal workplace must also be near public transportation.

Singaporean directors and managers view their work environments as the most important element of their jobs, a survey revealed.

The Compass Index by Compass Offices showed that 58.39% of workers in the city-state value their work environments the most among other factors. Coming in second at 40.88% was how attractive they found their renumeration package and career development.

The poll also reflected that 58.27% of Singaporeans see an ideal workspace as somewhere near public transportation.

“It is important to note that while a fair compensation is necessary to motivate employees, creating a robust work environment and the belief that upward mobility in the workplace is within reach also play important roles,” said Andrew Chung, CEO of Compass Offices.

In terms of promotion expectations, the ECA International Salary Trends survey indicates that real wage increases for workers in Hong Kong and Singapore were projected to be lower this year - after being adjusted for inflation.

Despite these realities, the Compass Index reflects great optimism in surveyed workers when it comes to their expectations for increased compensation. About 19.8% of Singaporeans expects a pay raise this year.

The Compass Index surveyed 1,200 respondents across seven countries in Asia Pacific including Hong Kong, Australia, Philippines, Singapore, China, Japan, and Vietnam.