SINGAPORE - Employees in Singapore are among the least satisfied in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a new survey by recruitment firm Randstad.

Its survey of 5,670 Singapore workers found that nearly half - 46 per cent - do not like their jobs, while three-quarters see their job as nothing more than a way to put food on the table.

This could be because of Singapore's rising cost of living, suggested Mr Michael Smith, Randstad's country director for Singapore.

"However, it is important that they look beyond remuneration and also consider job satisfaction, career progression opportunities, and a pleasant working atmosphere when making decisions about their future employment," he said in a press release on Tuesday.

"Job satisfaction plays a vital role in determining an employee's efficiency and productivity. Those who are content with their jobs are generally more motivated, and demonstrate higher engagement and better performance," Mr Smith added.

Randstad's Workmonitor Survey also found that eight in 10 Singaporeans would not hesitate to change jobs for higher pay or better career opportunities.

Seven in 10 would leave if they found another job that more closely matched their educational backgrounds.

Across the region, Singapore's job dissatisfaction is behind only that of Japan, where 56 per cent of employees are not happy in their jobs.

In contrast, eight in 10 workers in India think they have the perfect job, the survey showed.