Work-life balance seems to be the trending topic of recent times yet most Singaporeans are still working many hours of overtime and are willing to work even more, said recruitment firm Randstad.
According to the Randstad Employer Brand Research 2016, despite the Ministry of Manpower’s recommended limit of 44 working hours per week, a majority of Singaporeans continue to work overtime. Nearly half of all Singaporean workers (47%) reported working more than the stipulated 44 hours. More than half of men (52%) stated that they work more than 44 hours a week, compared to a slightly lower 41% of women.
work-life balance and working more
respondents who work more than 44 hours a week
Singaporeans, however, seem to be contented with their heavy work schedules as only 7% state that they would prefer to work less, and 47% stating that they are happy with their current schedules. Half of all male respondents noted that they would be willing to work even longer hours for more or equal pay, compared to 42% of women.
respondents who will work more for more or equal pay
The prospect of making more money is the primary motivational aspect for employees in Singapore to work more, with 80% of respondents highlighting it as a major factor. Career progression and personal development were ranked second and third with a lower 41% and 33% respectively.
what motivates singapore employees to work more? top 3 reasons:
For those hoping to work less, 67% wanted to have more free time to chase personal endeavours whilst 66% stated they hoped for better work-life balance. Family was also an important factor for those who wished to work less; 40% said they wanted to work fewer hours to be able to spend more time with their children.
what motivates singapore employees to work less? top 3 reasons:
Work-life balance has continued to gain importance amongst Singaporean employees, moving up from 32% to 57% between 2012 and 2016 to take the second spot in the Randstad Employer Brand Research Top 10 Attractiveness Factors.
top 5 most important factors for choosing an employer: 2012 - 2016.
With work-life balance becoming a major consideration, the importance Singaporeans place on flexible work schedules and telecommuting has become quite high. 64% of employees polled stated that they would prefer some kind of variable work schedule. Millennials, aged between 18 and 24, came out as the demographic with the strongest preference, with 71% opting for a flexible work schedule.
Telecommuting was also popular amongst Singaporean employees with 73% noting that they would like to be able to work remotely at least part of the time. The value of going to the workplace, however, was still not lost on the respondents as only 9% highlighted a preference to work remotely every workday.
Ms Jaya Dass, Country Director of Randstad Singapore said, "It’s interesting to see that despite the growing importance of work-life balance, Singaporeans are still willing to sacrifice it for better pay and career progression. This could be representative of the current uncertain economic environment leading to employees wanting to work even harder than before. I expect to see the willingness to work overtime diminish in the longer term with a more bullish global and local economy."
about randstad employer brand research
Celebrating its 17th edition globally, the Randstad Employer Brand Research Award is presented each year to the most attractive employer in 26 markets across the globe. It is based on the outcome of the most representative and inclusive employer branding research in the world. The outcome of the Employer Brand Award is based on public perception and focuses on three main areas: overall brand awareness, absolute attractiveness and relative attractiveness. This creates a level playing field for all competing companies instead of giving an advantage to large multinationals with higher name recognition than smaller companies. This award is not open for nomination and the results are based solely on the opinions and votes of the local workforce – making it the only award that is truly representing the people’s choice. The 75 largest companies are selected in each participating market, usually with more than 1,000 employees. This list is presented to a representative cross section of relevant respondents based on region, age and gender. Respondents were asked to identify companies they recognise and indicate if they would like to work for them. This is then followed up with an evaluation of attractiveness factors, such as salary, benefits, work atmosphere and job content, for each of the companies.
about randstad
The Randstad Group is a global leader in the HR services industry and specialises in solutions in the field of flexible work and human resources services. Our services range from regular temporary Staffing and permanent placements to Inhouse Services, Professionals, and HR Solutions (including Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Managed Services Programs, and outplacement). By combining our human touch with technology-driven solutions and tools, we aim to offer both clients and candidates the best tools and solutions for increased efficiency and engagement, connecting more people to more jobs. Randstad has top-three positions in Argentina, Belgium and Luxembourg, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the United States, and major positions in Australia and Japan. At year-end 2016, Randstad had 36,524 corporate employees and 4,752 branches and Inhouse locations in 39 markets around the world. In 2016, Randstad generated revenue of €20.7 billion. Randstad was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Diemen, the Netherlands. Randstad Holding nv is listed on the NYSE Euronext Amsterdam, where options for stocks in Randstad are also traded.
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Rena Tan |
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