Singapore sees rising demand for digital-ESG talent as workforce expectations evolve

Asia-Pacific’s talent landscape is undergoing a profound shift, with new data showing that employees across the region now value flexibility, purpose and long-term growth more than salary alone. This change—driven by rising expectations, tighter skills supply and fast-moving business priorities—is pushing organisations to rethink how they attract, develop and retain talent in 2025.

Findings from PERSOL’s new Industry Insight Report, which analysed 12 Asia-Pacific markets across manufacturing, consumer, professional services and supply chain, pointed to a labour market defined by automation, expanding sustainability requirements and demographic change. Skills shortages remain widespread, particularly in digital, analytical and hybrid roles that combine technical capabilities with human-centred skills such as collaboration, critical thinking and communication.

In Singapore, this shift is especially pronounced. Demand continues to surge for roles in e-commerce operations, data analytics, sustainability reporting and supply chain optimisation. Foreign manpower controls and fast-expanding ESG reporting requirements have intensified competition for talent with both digital fluency and ESG literacy. Many local professionals now prioritise career purpose, workplace flexibility and clear development pathways ahead of compensation, prompting employers to reevaluate their value propositions.

Younger professionals are driving much of this transition. Gen Z and millennial employees increasingly seek roles where meaningful work, supportive leadership and autonomy are embedded in everyday culture. Their expectations mirror broader trends across the region: candidates behave more like consumers, scanning employers for transparency communication, mobile-first hiring processes and values that align with their own. In Singapore’s highly competitive hiring environment, digitally skilled and sustainability-focused jobseekers are carefully assessing organisations for culture fit and long-term opportunities.

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PERSOL’s report further identified five interconnected talent shifts shaping the future of work, with hybrid skills emerging as the most critical. The ability to navigate technology and strategy simultaneously—from AI and data analytics to stakeholder management—is rapidly becoming a baseline expectation rather than a specialised capability. At the same time, sustainability and compliance literacy are spreading across corporate functions, no longer limited to traditional ESG teams.

According to Elvin Tan, Regional Director and Head of Operations Asia-Pacific, PERSOL, organisations must now confront a talent economy “at a crossroads,” where workforce gaps extend beyond headcount. “They are about adaptability. Employers who balance technology investment with cultural intelligence and purpose-led hiring will emerge stronger in the next cycle,” he said.

The report urged closer collaboration among organisations, government and education providers to bridge widening skills gaps and align talent pipelines with national priorities in digital transformation. Foo See Yang, Managing Director and Strategic Business Group Head at PERSOL Singapore, emphasised the importance of data-driven workforce planning, noting that the insights aim to help employers and jobseekers prepare for the evolving world of work.