SINGAPORE – Dissatisfaction with work-life balance is a main reason why employees leave an employer, while salary has become a more important factor for employees, according to the results of a survey published on April 30.

Technology giant Apple came in first on a list of the top 250 Singapore’s Best Employers among companies and institutions with at least 200 employees here, the survey released by The Straits Times and global research company Statista found.

Google, another tech giant, came in second, followed by Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore (Heineken Asia Pacific), German multinational enterprise Siemens and Motorola Solutions Singapore.

More than 14,000 employees from over 2,000 employers in 27 industry sectors responded to the online survey conducted in September and October 2023.

The survey scored employers based on two elements – each employee’s willingness to recommend one’s own employer, and their willingness to recommend other employers in their industries.

The highest overall scores were reached by employers from the clothing, biotechnology and food industries.

An improvement, especially in aspects such as work atmosphere and development potential, is noticeable in fast-moving consumer goods companies and the travel and service sector.

This might be linked to the general recovery of those sectors: The travel economy is rising back to its pre-pandemic levels, and demand for and supply of goods are rebounding, said Ms Jana Meusel, team lead for employer analysis at Statista R.

The survey found that the more satisfied employees were with their work-life balance, the more willing they were to recommend their employers to others.

The greater emphasis on work-life balance is partly due to the growth of digital connectedness, which has made it simpler today to intrude into personal time, said Dr David Leong, managing director of human resources advisory firm PeopleWorldwide Consulting.

“As a consequence, it has become increasingly important to set formal boundaries between one’s personal life and professional life,” he said.

The Covid-19 pandemic also brought to light the significance of adaptability, as well as the possibility of maintaining production through the utilisation of flexible scheduling, said Dr Leong.

“As a consequence of this, workers strive for companies which respect and encourage a healthy work-life balance between their personal and professional lives than those which do not,” he said.

In the survey, the highest improvement was observed in the evaluation of a company’s image, measured via items such as “I am proud of the product/service that my company produces/offers”.

Overall, the image of an employer received the best evaluation from respondents in terms of employer attractiveness, with high-scoring companies coming especially from the food industry and real estate. For most of the industries, this was the best-evaluated dimension, according to the survey results.

Development potential was among the lower-scoring aspects of employer attractiveness, the survey found. This accompanies the global trend of increasing dissatisfaction with such things as on-site training programmes, said Ms Meusel.

The Future Of Jobs Survey (2023) by the World Economic Forum showed that investing in learning and training on the job is among the top strategies of companies regarding their staff, she added.

Dr Leong said the appearance of lower scores in development potential may not necessarily be a trend that has been going on for a long time, but it may be influenced by a number of factors that have emerged in recent times.

“The discontent with on-site training may have been caused by changes in the dynamics of the workplace, such as the widespread adoption of remote work, which may have resulted in a reduction in the number of possibilities for hands-on training,” he said.

Businesses need to continuously adapt to withstand the effects of economic unpredictability and rapid technology advancements. This may result in a lack of training that sufficiently prepares employees for positions that are always evolving, he added.

As a result, businesses may now need to invest more in comprehensive and adaptable training programmes that address existing skill gaps and anticipate future requirements, said Dr Leong.

The survey also found that salary has become a more important factor worldwide for employee satisfaction following uncertainties arising from the pandemic and following inflation, said Ms Meusel.

The survey of Singaporean employees showed a similar trend: The correlation between the satisfaction with salary, received benefits and the satisfaction with the employer has increased compared with the previous year.

A purpose in one’s job and diversity, especially among young employees, have also become more important in the future job world, said Ms Meusel.

Said Dr Leong: “In order for businesses to maintain their competitive edge in the ever-changing labour market, they will need to align themselves more closely with the values and expectations of the younger workforce.”

“For example, this could mean providing salaries that are competitive in the market, as well as distinct professional development routes that create a feeling of purpose and progression,” he said.

The Lego Group, which came in at No. 8 on the list of Singapore’s best employers, offers staff a place where they can unleash their creativity and imagination, said Ms Amrita Singh, its head of people-partnering for the Asia-Pacific and Singapore hub.

“Play is synonymous with our brand, and we are constantly finding new ways to uniquely integrate play into the work we do every day,” she added, of the maker of the colourful toy bricks.

Dr Leong said that the promotion of diversity and inclusion not only increases the social footprint of a firm, but also facilitates the development of a supportive and inventive culture in the workplace, which in turn attracts a wider variety of job seekers.

“To attract talent that places a high value on flexibility and a healthy work environment, employers may also need to make use of technology and implement rules that allow for flexible work arrangements.”

Said Mr Ben King, managing director of Google Singapore: “Being recognised as one of Singapore’s best employers for the fifth year is an incredible honour.”

Besides giving employees the autonomy to manage their time and environment, Google Singapore also holds regular town halls and podcasts with senior leaders to engage in open dialogue, and for them to share their personal reflections on the business to build trust and connection with other colleagues. 

“We also regularly check in through pulse surveys and conversations to better understand the employees’ experiences and thoughts on productivity and well-being,” said Mr King.

“Our people remain our No. 1 asset, and their satisfaction has a direct impact on our growth and success as a company.”

How the survey was done

The survey was conducted in September and October 2023 and polled more than 14,000 employees working for companies and institutions with at least 200 staff here to find Singapore’s best employers.

Participants were consulted through an online access panel. The survey could also be accessed through The Straits Times website. An online access panel is a sample group set up by a survey company and available for custom-built surveys. Participants register and agree to take part in online surveys on the platform.

Employees were asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family. The responses were analysed on a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 means “I wouldn’t recommend my employer under any circumstances” and 10 means “I would definitely recommend my employer”.

Employees were also asked over 40 questions on work-related topics: They were asked to give their opinions on a series of statements on aspects such as working conditions, salary, potential for development and company image regarding their current employer.

The rate of agreement and disagreement regarding the statements was measured on a 5-point Likert scale.  A Likert scale is a rating scale that assesses opinions, attitudes, or behaviours quantitatively.

The survey took an average of five to 10 minutes to complete.