About six in 10 - 59 per cent - of 456 employees polled here said they were putting in overtime, with 23 per cent working eight to 10 hours more per week. -- PHOTO: BUSINESS TIMES
SINGAPORE'S labour force is working harder than ever in the midst of the recession - clocking up to 10 hours a week more than they were before.
The tendency to put in overtime even as the economy is in recession was shown in a new global survey released yesterday by recruitment agency Robert Walters.
The fear of redundancy has 'obviously had an effect' on the workforce, said the agency's Singapore managing director, Ms Andrea Ross.
About six in 10 - 59 per cent - of 456 employees polled here said they were putting in overtime, with 23 per cent working eight to 10 hours more per week.
This was the second highest after Hong Kong's 33 per cent, in terms of workers putting in eight to 10 hours more. Globally, about 21 per cent were working that many extra hours.
The online survey, conducted in April and last month, polled 2,601 respondents from 17 countries and territories.
The survey showed Hong Kong professionals feeling the brunt of the global downturn - with 62 per cent of the 130 polled admitting to working longer hours. Globally, this figure was 55 per cent.
Ms Ross said it was not surprising that Hong Kong and Singapore workers led the global workforce in terms of staying back late.
This was because the 'working culture is conscientious and people want to be seen as being hardworking and taking on extra responsibilities' - especially at a time where layoffs are commonplace.
The survey found that 10 per cent of Singapore workers were working up to two hours overtime, and 26 per cent were doing between three and eight hours more than required.
Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.
