Over 10,000 employers in Singapore received jobs support in 2020

Over 10,000 employers from different sectors received help in hiring staff or transforming jobs in 2020, marking a 45% increase from 2019, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Workforce Singapore (WSG). 

Of the employers that received help, about 90% of these were SMEs. The help offered by WSG includes outreach activities, expanding career conversion programmes, and introducing job transformation programmes to help businesses meet changing manpower needs. 

In its latest Jobs Situation Report, MOM urged employers to consider reviewing their approach when it comes to recruiting talent. “Employers tend to believe that the jobseekers must have the full set of requisite skills to be ready for the job and generally prefer the ‘plug-and-play’ approach, seeking experienced jobseekers who can hit the ground running,” it noted. 

“However, skills shortages in emerging areas will often mean that demand outstrips supply, resulting in unfilled vacancies even as wages spike.”

Instead, employers can consider turning to government schemes that help with training, which would allow them to expand the pool of recruits and include mid-career individuals. 

“In many cases, these transitions are not too difficult. Mid-career jobseekers have transferable skills; with appropriate skills top-up, they can be effective in new roles,” said MOM. 

READ: Singapore’s employment rate among women remained stable in 2020

It also added that jobseekers often have “higher aspirations that go beyond remuneration”, noting that “they desire jobs with clear progression pathways, and which allow them to build a meaningful career with positive impact on society”. Work-life balance is also a crucial consideration among staff, it said.

“Employers who adapt to these aspirations tend to have better recruitment success,” it noted.