Diversity, followed by sustainable practices and personal purpose are deemed important for a good workplace by the workforce in Singapore. A whopping 76% of them, in fact, feel that the diversity and inclusion policies of their employers are vital for them.
These were some of the findings of the ‘Future of Work’ report released recently by job portal Indeed. Conducted in October 2021, the online panel study consisted of 1004 employees and 258 employers. One of the major facts that the study uncovered was how deeply the employee psyche is impacted by the covid 19 pandemic.
Almost a third (31%) of the respondents of the study also said they had experienced discrimination on the basis of their gender, ethnicity, sexual preferences or other such factors. Most of the people who admitted to being discriminated against were in the 25-34 age group, a fact that the report attributes to greater awareness among the younger generation regarding discriminatory behaviour.
The best part of the study was in the form of the Singaporean workforce expressing optimism about their own careers and professional growth. From their employers, they expected prioritising sustainable initiatives. The report also revealed a huge shift in the attitude of workers over the last couple of years, with as many as 64% respondents saying that the pandemic made them reflect on the purpose of their work. Additionally, 57% of them said the disruptions brought about by the pandemic made them question their jobs.
“The report findings are not surprising. All over the world, fair and equal treatment have always been highly sought after at the workplace. In Singapore, in recent times, we see more willingness to speak about unfair and discriminatory practices at the workplace and initiatives to improve diversity and inclusion are increasingly important to more people, especially among younger workers, as reflected in the study,” said Callam Pickering, APAC economist, Indeed.
Like everywhere the pandemic made many professionals question their sense of purpose and whether they derived any satisfaction in their everyday jobs, he added. “In Singapore, where workers do some of the longest working hours globally, we did see people reflecting on their sense of personal purpose at work, indicating the impact the pandemic had over the population,” said Pickering.
Other findings of the study include:
- 70% of workers think of flexible working and healthcare benefits as the most attractive benefits, with more women seeking flexible work choices
- 40% respondents said ‘financial compensation’ was the most critical criterion in choosing an employer
- The top three skills that employees want their employers to teach were data analysis, digital transformation and digital literacy
- They feel that the future of workplaces and their careers would be greatly affected by changes in the workplace, increased digitisation, use of AI, volatile global economy
- Their priorities for the future workplaces included human-centric labor practices, autonomous work styles, employee-focused approach.
