Business leaders in Singapore struggle to balance demands

Almost two-third (60%) of organisations currently prioritise the needs of their employees over those of customers (55%) and society as a whole (37%), according to a global study commissioned by Fujitsu.

A similar figure (60%) admit they are struggling to balance the expectations of all three sets of people at once, which is a concern as organisations are also aware of the influence and the connection that each group has on their success.

About two-third (66%) of leaders believe that employees have an increasing influence on their business, with majority (74%) believing that making a positive impact on society will be the key to their organisations succeeding in the future.

Among the respondents surveyed, business leaders in Singapore feel the most duty to improve the lives of their employees (68%). A similar percentage, although higher than the global average, admit the difficulty to balance the expectations of all three audiences.

“People have always been vital to business. The survey findings show that over the last few years, businesses have shifted their focus – where once, success felt very much hinged to the customer, it is increasingly clear that employees and citizens within society play a big role as well,” Wong Heng Chew, Country President, Fujitsu Singapore, said.

“Future business success will be driven by knowledge, creativity and trust, supported by digital technology advancements and an evolved business approach with people at its heart,” Wong said.

More than 1,900 C-Suite decision makers within mid- and large-sized businesses across public sector and transport, financial services, retail and manufacturing sectors participated in the study.