Singapore’s rich the most unhappy in Asia with work-life balance: Survey

Only 30 per cent of people with an investable wealth of more than $1 million in Singapore find themselves happy with their work-life balance. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Singapore’s wealthy are the least satisfied with their current work-life balance when compared with their peers in other parts of the Asia-Pacific, according to a survey from a Geneva-based private bank.

Only 30 per cent of people with an investable wealth of more than US$1 million (S$1.36 million) in Singapore find themselves happy with their work-life balance, the lowest among high-net-worth individuals in the region surveyed by Switzerland’s Banque Lombard Odier & Cie.

Thailand topped the ranking with 72.7 per cent, followed by Australia, the study published on Thursday showed. 

The city-state’s cohort of unsatisfied millionaires can be partially explained by the amount of time spent at work, with 26 per cent of Singaporeans responding that they often work overtime, according to the report. The nation has the longest working hours per week, 45, across 10 places in the Asia-Pacific, according to research by London-based flexible workspace company The Instant Group.

Still, there is a perception that the younger generation will move away from the “work is life/life is work” mentality amid Asia’s looming massive wealth transfer, according to the Lombard Odier report.

The bank questioned more than 460 high-net-worth individuals in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan and Australia between May and June. BLOOMBERG

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.