Work-life balance not the top priority for younger employees in Singapore

Local millennial and Gen Z employees in Singapore prioritise income over work-life balance, a preference which differs from older employees, according to a survey by recruitment agency Reeracoen Singapore and Rakuten Insight Global.

Gen Zs (aged 18 to 25) chose “Income” as their highest priority in a job (43%), followed by “Work-Life Balance” and “Learning Opportunities”. Millennials (aged 26 to 41) rated “Income” and “Work-Life Balance” equally, at 43%, followed by “Potential Career Growth”. 

Kenji Naito, Group CEO of Reeracoen, said, “In Singapore, Gen Zs are rethinking their approach to work, prioritising income over free time. This contrasts with trends in other markets.”

Gen Xers (aged 42 to 57), on the other hand, prioritised “Work-Life Balance” (46%), followed by “Income” and “Accessibility/Location”, highlighting how organisations need to understand changing trends and close the gap in expectations between themselves and different groups of potential employees.

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Naito concluded, “As companies worldwide recover from COVID-19, the demand for global talent will intensify. Companies in Singapore have no choice but to up their game if they want to compete. To do this effectively, they must have an effective strategy to attract the best talent. Only through understanding the needs of job seekers will businesses be able to do this effectively.”