Work-life balance, higher pay top reasons why Singaporeans quit: study

Singaporeans are seeking new jobs due to rising living costs, Randstad found.

Over 2 in 5 Singaporean workers said that they have resigned from their job in search of better work-life balance, whilst almost the exact same proportion expressed living expense woes.

In a survey of 2,602 individuals in Singapore, approximately 41% said that they resigned for good work life balance, according to Randstad’s Employer Brand Research report for 2024.

Meanwhile, 36% said that they resigned in favor of higher pay, due to the need to cope with the rising cost of living in the Lion City.

“Our latest survey reinforces a growing trend in Singapore - talent prioritises workplaces that champion growth, inclusion and well-being,” said David Blasco, country director at Randstad Singapore.

“Despite the rising costs of living, employees are looking beyond just salaries, seeking strong non-monetary factors like work-life balance, job security and equity,” Blasco observed.

AI impact
Artificial intelligence (AI) is one growing normal part of the working Singaporean’s life, with 3 in 4 (75%) of respondents saying that they have felt the impact of AI in their jobs.

Gen Z has felt the most impact, with 8 in 10 (80%) of respondents saying they have felt the impact of AI. This is followed by Millennials (78%), Baby Boombers (72%) and Gen Xers (71%).

Approximately 30% of respondents said that they already use AI every day or frequently at work, especially amongst the younger generation.

The same share of respondents (30%) indicate dthe opposite: saying that they have never used AI in their work.

Gen Xers and Baby Boomers are the least likely to use AI, at just 14% and 8% saying that they use it for work.

Blanco said that the survey results regarding AI highlight how it is crucial for employers to continuously invest in AI literacy programmes and foster open communications about the impact of AI to ensure that talent remains adaptable to changes.

“The rise of AI at the workplace is exciting, but it’s also natural for employees to have questions about its impact on their careers,” noted Blanco.

“Consequently, we also found that the demand for upskilling and re-skilling has increased significantly, suggesting that Singaporeans are aware that development is the key to growth and security,” he added.

Globally, 82% of the over 173,000 that Randstad surveyed in 2024 said that re-skilling is important– 13 percentage points higher than in 2023.

However, employers are found to only provide  employees with marginally more development opportunities, increasing by 7ppt from 2023 to 61% in 2024.  

Gen Zers (64%) and Millennials (68%) said that they have sufficient career development, in stark contrast to Gen X (44%).

Workers who have not received enough opportunities to develop in their roles are more inclined to leave (44%) than those who received them (33%).

Men tout gender disparity
Singaporean respondents also noted ongoing gender-related issues in career advancement– but not from the demographic you’d expect.

Approximately half of all respondents in Singapore said that they face career advancement barriers, with a “surprising” gender disparity.  

Randstad’s study found that males are 11% more likely than females to feel that they face career roadblocks due to their identity– with 54% of male respondents from Singapore reporting such experiences. 

Those who identify as a minority at work are 20% more likely to feel they have faced obstacles in their career progression due to their identity, Randstad found. 

This highlights a potential need for stronger inclusion initiatives alongside efforts promoting equal opportunity, according to Randstad.

The biggest gender gaps are found in career progression, being able to feel respected and valued at work, and knowing that opportunities are given to the most deserving employees, it added.

Data from the 2024 Employer Brand Research also indicated a gap between diversity and true inclusion, as 40% of respondents consider themselves a minority at work due to varying reasons.