41% in S'pore won't accept a job if they don’t have flexible work hours: Survey
SINGAPORE — More than 40 per cent in a survey said they wouldn't accept a job offer if they're unable to work from home or don't have flexible work hours.
These are some of the findings of the bi-annual 2022 Randstad Workmonitor survey in Singapore which polled 1,000 locally-based respondents who are employed and aged between 18 and 67 years old.
The survey, conducted between 21 February and 13 March this year, highlights the workforce's latest sentiments and perceptions of the local job market.
While 77 per cent said that they value the importance of remote work, only 52 per cent reported that their employers provided them such options. About 42 per cent said that they would not accept the job if they are unable to work from home.
Similarly, four in five respondents, or 80 per cent, said that having flexibility in terms of working hours is important to them, but only 60 per cent reported being given this autonomy by their employers. About 41 per cent said that they would not accept a job if they could not work during the hours that they want to.
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Even though flexible working arrangements are important to employees in Singapore, not all companies are seen to be offering it as an option after the pandemic, according to Jaya Dass, managing director at Randstad Singapore and Malaysia.
"Employers that want to retain their employees should consider offering more flexible work models to meet the changing talent expectations that are brought about and exacerbated by the pandemic," Dass said.
"In addition to offering flexible work arrangements, companies should reconsider the purpose of the office as a collaborative space that fills up the communicative gaps of remote work, rather than resign to closed-off work cubicles," she said.
Work-life balance
Finding happiness and meaning in one's career isn't a new concept, but more and more Singaporeans have been cognizant of this issue since the pandemic.
Younger workers in Singapore are more also likely to quit if they felt that their jobs prevented them from enjoying life, the survey found.
About 56 per cent of respondents aged between 18 and 24 said that they would quit if their jobs prevented them from enjoying life. Likewise, 57 per cent of respondents aged 25 to 34 echoed that same thinking.
However, less than half (46 per cent) of respondents aged between 45 and 54 agreed with this sentiment
The report said that mature workers may have higher financial responsibilities, or a more established career, which makes them less likely to switch employers as they would rather not risk their job and income security.
On the other hand, Generation Z workers yearn for career progression and opportunities to learn and upskill, which drives them to find employers that have a structure and culture that best match their career growth goals.
Meaningful jobs
About 41 per cent of workers in Singapore said that they would rather be unemployed than feel unhappy in their jobs.
Almost one in two, or 48 per cent, of respondents aged 18 to 24 said they would rather be unemployed than feel unhappy in their jobs. This is higher than the global average of 33 per cent.
Remarkably, 47 per cent of respondents aged between 45 and 54 reported that they would not mind earning a lower salary if they felt that their job contributed to society, which made up the largest proportion across all the generations.
More than two in five respondents said that they would not accept a job with a business that does not align with their values on social and environmental issues, and if the company was not making a proactive effort to improve diversity and equity.
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