Digital, marketing and creative industries suffer "significant" wage declines

While average Singapore wage has risen.

Canvassing 4230 employees in the digital, marketing and creative industries, recruitment specialist firm font found that wages had significantly declined in this sector.

This is while latest government statistics showed that the average wage in Singapore has gradually risen since 2002.

Asia director of font, Karin Clarke, explains that whilst there has been an influx in jobs across the digital, creative and marketing sector due to rapid government-led investment, many have been entry-level, and therefore lower-paid positions.

“Businesses and agencies, are taking on more work, running more social media and website campaigns as well as traditional above-the-line marketing campaigns. They need fewer people to oversee projects, and more people to do the work,” she says.

Additionally, recent restrictions to employment passes mean there are fewer expatriates earning large salaries. The MRSD statistics also point to this decline in expatriate employees.

Anna Clark-Hall, Singapore country director at font adds that both the MRSD Year Book Statistics and font’s own findings indicate that males continue to claim greater remuneration than females.

“This isn’t necessarily due to overt discrimination as males tend to be stronger negotiators and often have greater confidence in what they bring to the table,”

“With more females leaving this industry there is a real need to do more to boost morale which will in turn increase engagement and ultimately, earning power,” she says