Employees in Singapore still believe in workplace happiness, but burnout and stalled growth persist

Singapore’s workforce continues to believe in the possibility of happiness at work, but many employees are struggling to experience it in practice, according to new research from Jobstreet by SEEK. The findings point to a growing disconnect between what employees expect from their jobs and what they encounter daily, with burnout, limited career progression and uneven access to opportunity emerging as key pressure points.

The Workplace Happiness Index: Singapore, conducted with research agency Nature, surveyed 1,000 working adults aged 18 to 64. With eight in 10 respondents believe they could be happy at work, only 56% say they are currently happy—placing Singapore among the lowest-ranked markets in Asia-Pacific. This trails behind Australia (57%), Malaysia (70%) and the Philippines (77%), and sits just above Hong Kong (47%). Indonesia leads the region, with 82% of employees reporting happiness at work.

While salary remains an important factor, with 64% of respondents saying higher pay would increase their happiness, the study shows that sustained workplace happiness is driven more strongly by purpose, growth and recognition. A sense of purpose emerged as the strongest contributor to long-term happiness, followed by opportunities for career progression and day-to-day role satisfaction. However, only half of employees in Singapore feel satisfied with their sense of purpose at work, and just 37% are positive about their career progression. Recognition also remains uneven, with only one in two employees feeling valued for their contributions.

Despite optimism about workplace happiness, burnout remains widespread. Nearly half of respondents (45%) report feeling burned out or exhausted at work. The gap between aspiration and reality has clear business consequences: happy employees are five times more likely to go above and beyond for their organisation and 37% less likely to actively seek another role.

Notably, burnout is not confined to unhappy employees. Around 41% of respondents who describe themselves as happy also report feeling burnt out. These individuals are more likely to earn above S$6,000 per month, and burnout is more prevalent among men (63%) and parents (66%), suggesting that high responsibility and pressure often coexist with engagement.

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The research also highlights disparities in workplace happiness across gender and age groups. Men report higher levels of happiness at work (62%) than women (51%), and are consistently more satisfied with purpose, career progression and recognition. Women report lower satisfaction across these drivers, reflecting broader issues related to access to opportunity and advancement.

Generational differences are equally pronounced. Millennials aged 30 to 44 are the least happy cohort at 52%, and the least motivated to go above and beyond at work. They also report the lowest satisfaction with stress levels and feeling valued, pressures often associated with caring responsibilities common to the “sandwich generation”. By contrast, Baby Boomers are the happiest generation at 71%, citing stronger purpose, value and belonging at work.

Most respondents (85%) view workplace happiness as a shared responsibility between employers and employees. “What our latest Workplace Happiness Index shows us is that employees in Singapore are not disengaged or unmotivated, but rather feeling stretched and undervalued,” said Esther Lee, Managing Director, Singapore, Jobstreet by SEEK. She added that burnout, stalled progression and unequal opportunity are becoming business-critical issues, underscoring the need for organisations to focus on systems, culture and long-term talent development rather than short-term fixes.