Rose Rose, Author at Good Job Creations

The Singapore Business Leader’s Roadmap 2026: Compensation, Trust, and the Future of Talent Retention

Rose Rose on October 30, 2025

What is the average salary increase for 2026? An increased average of 4% is projected for Singapore’s dynamic job market in 2026.
What is a great way for organisations to retain talent? Though competitive pay is crucial, trust is the real currency for talent retention, as a lack of transparency drives this sentiment.
Which industries are implementing FWA? 91% of industries in Singapore, such as electronic engineering, finance, information communication, transport, and retail, have implemented at least one form of FWA.

With 80% of employers having lost candidates due to uncompetitive salary and benefits, organisations are under intense pressure to evaluate and enhance their compensation strategies. While larger companies champion activities like salary benchmarking, this figure signals a crucial disconnect.

In response, over 56% of employers intend to increase salary offers for hard-to-fill roles this year, indicating a growing need to adapt compensation strategies to attract talent. Employee satisfaction and benefits benchmarking are crucial to enhancing these strategies to align with employee needs and foster a competitive work environment.

Singapore’s 2026 dynamic job market projects an average salary increase of 4% but the discussion is shifting beyond incremental raises. Today’s workforce desires greater trust, flexibility, and well-being. Leaders should leverage this phenomenon to differentiate their brand and nurture a sustainable workplace culture.

How Does Mental Well-Being Impact Singapore’s GDP and Talent Retention?

Mental health and burnout are not just HR matters but significant economic risk factors.

A landmark study by Duke-NUS Medical School and the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) found that the growing mental health crisis, specifically anxiety and depression, could cost Singapore’s GDP nearly S$16 billion due to productivity loss. The data is stark: affected individuals missed an extra 17.7 days of work annually and found 40% less productive while at work.

The latest data also reveals that 61% of employees are experiencing burnout. While it’s true that Singapore organisations face challenges in designing employee benefits, primarily due to budgetary constraints affecting 62%, the cost of burnout and turnover far outweighs the investment in proactive well-being measures.

Organisation should rethink their approach to rest and recovery, transforming leave from a passive benefit into an active tool to enhance engagement, loyalty, and productivity.

Though flexible benefits and mental health coverage are not widely adopted, there’s a noticeable improvement due to growing awareness of mental well-being: 58% of organisations focus on these aspects, which reflects an increased recognition of personalised benefit choices and the importance of mental wellness in the workplace.

Beyond common benefits such as medical insurance, dental coverage, and health screenings, the next generation is focused on holistic, personalised care. Leaders must drive a proactive cultural change to address the root causes of these issues. Some practical exercises you should consider are:

Psychological safety: High-performing teams are created in an environment where members feel safe speaking up, taking risks, and admitting mistakes without fear of punishment.
Redesigning Workload: Redesigning jobs helps with stress management and burnout prevention. Organisations can leverage technology like artificial intelligence and productivity tools such as monday.com, Trello, Notion, and more to reduce time on repetitive tasks.
Leadership-In-Action: When senior leaders (CEOs and managers) openly commit to and prioritise their own well-being, it destigmatises mental health discussions for the rest of the organisation.

Why Trust, Flexibility, and Well-being Retain Talent?

Sixty-two per cent of Singapore organisations face challenges in designing employee benefits, primarily due to budgetary constraints; 39% has trouble keeping up with up with evolving expectations.

Younger generations like Gen Z and Millennials increasingly view pay transparency as a baseline expectation, not a perk. A 2024 report shared that 71% of employees in Singapore are comfortable with industry-wide salary disclosure, and 72% find salary talks challenging during the hiring stage, highlighting the need for employers to be proactive.

While competitive pay is crucial, trust is the real currency that retains talent. A lack of transparency drives this sentiment, and the ambiguity can be costly; replacing an employee could cost 50% to 200% of their salary. Developing a transparent compensation strategy is an essential investment in financial stability and talent retention.

Leaders should consider clearly communicating the rationale behind compensation decisions, including how pay is linked to performance, market data, and internal equity. Employees who feel respected and fairly paid are less likely to raise grievances, reducing corporate risk and reputational damage.

A decision like this requires a cultural shift. While some studies have suggested full transparency could potentially cause initial resentment if existing pay gaps are exposed, leaders could see this as a necessary investment. Addressing these gaps is critical for sustainable growth, retention, and employee trust in the 2026 talent landscape.

Why Flexibility and Job Security Are a Critical Talent Strategy for Singapore’s Workforce?

As the Tripartite Guidelines on MOM Flexible Work Arrangement guidelines 2024 become foundational, the best practice isn’t just to offer flexibility, but to train managers on output-based measurement. GJC helps your organisation apply these guidelines through our downloadable FWA templates and resource kit.

Data shows that 95% of employees now prioritise work-life balance over a higher salary, particularly among emerging talent, with 88% of Gen Z preferring a hybrid work model.

However, this desire for flexibility must be balanced with a more foundational need. As a recent Channel News Asia commentary highlights, the desire for flexibility does not outweigh the more pressing need for job security and clear career progression for many young workers. This suggests that FWA is a critical component, but not the entire package.

Therefore, FWA is no longer an optional perk but a foundational component of a comprehensive employer value proposition. Employers can seize this opportunity by framing FWA as part of a stable, supportive, and growth-oriented career, not just a standalone benefit. By successfully integrating flexibility and security, they can improve their employer brand, recruit top talent from a wider geographical area, enhance employee satisfaction, and magnify business continuity in the face of crises. Currently, 91% of industries in Singapore, such as electronic engineering, finance, information communication, transport, and retail, have implemented at least one form of FWA.

Businesses that fail to provide meaningful flexibility, while also failing to address core career and job security needs, risk falling behind. Employers should adopt strategic approaches, where:

Flexibility is normalised: It should be viewed as a mutual benefit, not a favour.
Work-flow is output-based: Managers and direct reports should be trained to measure performance by results, not ‘time-in-seat.’
Productive workforce: Leaders can set clear goals and expectations to ensure they develop and excel in their roles despite the working arrangement. Set up performance evaluations to instil individual accountability to work towards the objectives laid out.
Transparent career development: Ensure growth pathways are clear and accessible to all, regardless of work arrangement. Consider mentorship, training, and significant projects to prevent an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ bias.
Investment in employees’ skills: Proactively upskill and reskill the workforce to demonstrate long-term commitment to ensure their skills remain relevant while strengthening their career resilience.

It’s worth noting that Singapore’s ageing population stands at 20.7%, which translates to increased caregiving needs; 260,000 individuals of economic age remain outside due to this phenomenon.

Success is far beyond meeting salary expectations. It requires a strategic investment in your organisation’s well-being, fostering trust through transparency, and integrating flexibility into your culture.

Download GJC’s full 2025 Compensation & Benefits Guide today to uncover the actionable strategies and benchmark data you need to attract, retain, and inspire top talent in the year ahead: https://form.jotform.com/252951037107453

For business queries or finding the right fit, find out more here: https://www.goodjobcreations.com.sg/services-for-employers/

Supercharge Your Career with Tech wisely: Stay Competitive and Authentic

Rose Rose on May 31, 2025

Advance your career in Singapore by strategically using technology. Learn to leverage AI, combat digital fatigue, and maintain authenticity to stay competitive. Actionable insights from GJC.

Here’s how to Craft an Agile and Resilient Career

Rose Rose on January 27, 2025

Written By: Destiny Goh

1. How do you find time to reskill and upskill when we are always so busy and tired?

First, understand the purpose of reskilling and upskilling: what is there a need for you to do so, and what benefits will it bring to your career or personal life?

People prioritise and intentionally set aside time for what is important to them. Here are some actionable steps you may want to consider as a busy working adult:

Start small: Set aside 15-30 minutes for learning purposes. This creates a sense of urgency to absorb as much as possible within the timeframe. Then, you can gradually increase the time spent on each learning session—consistency is key.
Setting specific goals: This action gives you a clear view of what you would desire to achieve. Start with a quarterly goal and perform weekly check-ins on your progress and celebrate small wins.
Adopt microlearning: Break down what you want to learn into bite-sized chunks that you can easily fit into short breaks or idle time (travelling or commuting). It helps you retain information and have a better understanding that improves retention.
Invite others to journey with you: Surround yourself with like-minded individuals or join communities that are journeying through this process. These individuals can keep you accountable and exchange helpful advise and resources.

2. I intend to make a mid-career switch, but unsure which field I want to pursue, how can I make a wise decision?

Making a mid-career switch requires careful consideration of various aspects, here are some key pointers before you make the bold switch:

Assess your skills and interests: Identify your transferable skills and hard skills. This self-reflection can reveal potential new career paths that align with your strengths and interests. You may consider building a skill based on interest or what you’re already good at; however, knowing what your individual ‘burnout’ skill (skills you excel at but do not use often) and try to avoid or minimise placing it as your core skill in the role you are doing if possible.
Research growth sectors: Look into industries that are sustainable with strong future prospects. You may see the full list here.
Analyse and assess your financial implications: Career changes often result in salary adjustments that may affect your idea of financial stability, and for some, they may impact your family who are dependent on you.
Assessing your financial implications will lead you to create a realistic budget for potential income fluctuations, any new expenses incurred and whether if it will cause an impact on your long-term financial goals.
Seek professional guidance: Consider consulting with a certified career coach who can help you evaluate and identify suitable options based on your profile, skills and aspirations. They have the potential to offer you a range of helpful advise and insights that can help you create a strategic pathway of change.
Explore training opportunities: Research programs like the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP) offers training in in-demand fields such as project management, cybersecurity, and sustainability. See our list of learning platforms here.

3. How to negotiate for higher compensation if we feel we deserve more?

Research and prepare: Know your market value by researching industry standards and salary ranges for your position and title. Leverage the use of Salary Guides as your reference for benchmarking and gauge.
Quantify your value: Highlight your achievements and the value you brought to the organisation; if possible, present them in numbers and data, e.g., ‘Because of this new process I have implemented, it has helped the company saved about 20% of the monthly expenditure on xx’.
Positively and clearly frame your requests: It will benefit you to present your request(s) on how it will stand to benefit the company; emphasise how your increased compensation will lead to improved performance, result and productivity.

4. Which jobs are high in demand in Singapore?

Ministry of Trade & Industry (MTI) reported Singapore’s GDP (gross domestic product) at 3.5% in 2024; the economy was primarily driven by manufacturing, wholesale trade, and finance and insurance sectors. There is a continued demand for job in sectors such as Agritech, Financial Services, Green Economy, Healthcare, Infocomm tech, Maritime, Semiconductor, Construction, Wholesale trade and transportation and storage.

For the full list of exact job titles, click here to see the full list.

5. In a company where there is favoritism especially gender preference for promotion, how can I best navigate through this?

Navigating gender-based favoritism, especially in promotions, can be challenging. We believe every individual should be rewarded based on merit and not social construct.

Here are some insights we can offer to help you navigate through this situation.

Record your achievements

Keep a detailed account of your work accomplishments, projects and success. These can act as proof of your contributions to support your claims and counter against biased statements or decisions.

Tactfully address the situation

This is not an opportunity for confrontation but rather to handle the situation in a tactful manner. Instead of fronting your conversation with accusation, try framing it toward asking for new opportunities or offering to contribute your skills in different areas of work. Don’t hesitate to advocate for yourself; you can exercise diplomacy by saying, ‘I’m committed to our team and the company, and want to be part of an organisation that values my contributions; I may need to explore other opportunities if we cannot align on this.’

Be assertive:

Take proactive steps should you feel that you are constantly overlooked for new opportunities. Schedule regular check-ins with your manager to discuss your performance and career goals. You may want to inquire if there are any concerns regarding your ability to handle new responsibilities.

Should the problem persist, you may seek professional advice from trusted colleagues. Remember that your discussion focuses on finding constructive solutions rather than criticising the party.

Read our article to find out how you can best navigate through this situation.

6. How can professionals prioritise valuable skills in a fast-changing market and stay adaptable without constantly chasing trends?

To stay adaptable while prioritising valuable skills in a fast-changing market without constantly chasing trends, professionals should develop a balanced skill set that combines technical expertise, essential & transferable skills, and a growth mindset. Here are some actionable you can consider:

Develop a strong foundation of core skills: Focus on building fundamental skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, data analysis, and digital literacy. These skills are transferable across industries and roles with its ability to help you adapt quickly and remain relevant.
Cultivate your essential (soft) skills: Invest in developing skills such as communication, creativity, leadership, and emotional intelligence; these are valuable and can be challenging to automate, but also crucial for long-term career resilience and overall job satisfaction. You can build these skills by interacting, observing, and acquiring feedback from trusted aides, then put what you have learned into practice.
Focus on adaptability and learning agility: Develop your ability to learn quickly and apply new knowledge where it’s needed. You can build this skill by putting theories (what you learned) into practice, whether it’s through quizzing yourself, teaching someone, or sharing what you learned. Foster a habit of curiosity by trying new things, seeking feedback for your work, and learning from reliable sources and from the experiences of others.
This habit helps you master new skills and knowledge at a faster rate and helps you adapt to new situations/environments much easier without the need to constantly chase trends.
Align your skills with long-term career goals: Through self-assessments, you can identify your career aspiration, interests, and existing and required skills to create a development plan.
You may do so using psychometric tests such as RIASEC or Knowdell Card Sort. If you need professional perspectives, speak to trusted aides or a career counsellor for a clearer interpretation. Then, focus on developing and refining the skills that align with them, you may choose to engage in professional development activities such as certification courses, workshops to elevate your skillset. Doing so strategically propels you toward your career trajectory.
Leverage professional certifications: Consider pursuing relevant professional certification or specialisation in your industry. Curated and strategic learning paths provide structured skill development and improve your employability in the market.

7. How can organisations balance investing in employee development with the need for immediate results, especially in industries experiencing rapid disruption?

To balance investing in employee development and getting immediate results can be challenging, but here’s what we think can strike a balance between the two:

Align employee development with strategic objectives

Employee development initiatives should be aligned with the organisations’ strategic goals. This ensures that all development initiatives will contribute to the desired short and long-term results. By weaving the individuals’ development and company’s growth, employees will be aware of how their learnings will support the organisation’s objectives and growth.

Utilise objectives and key results (OKRs) to identify

OKRs differ from key performance indicators (KPIs) as it functions to identify the desired targets and the required metrics to help the team stay on track instead of solely focused on performance. They serve encourage teams to strive for outcomes that may seem impossible through better communication. OKRs will act as a guide to help align an individual’s overall development with organisation goals while focusing on results.

Craft clear career paths for strategic growth

Employees experience confusion when they are met with unrealistic or unspoken expectations, leading to a loss of sense of direction and role identity within the company.

Organisations should focus on communicating clear career trajectories, such as charting concise career paths and achievements that lead to progression and defining the skills needed for each role. All discussions with employees should be transparent.

By making L&D opportunities or mentorship programs accessible, you effectively empower your employees to take responsibility for their professional development. Efforts like these enable them to understand how their learning and development efforts contribute to immediate results and future organisational opportunities.

Fair development opportunities across all job bands

It’s important to provide equal L&D opportunities to all employees regardless of their achievements and rank, such as creating structured L&D processes to ensure accountability and bias. Organisations can take a step further by offering diverse learning options to support different learning styles and schedules. To promote transparency, employees should be made aware of the available L&D opportunities and benchmarks used for assessment.

Through focusing on equal but accountable development opportunities, companies can foster higher employee engagement and increased overall job satisfaction.

Future-proof your career: Key takeaways to build career resilience

Rose Rose on January 27, 2025

By Destiny Goh

We just wrapped our workshop, Building a Resilient Career: Thriving Amid Singapore’s Rapid Globalisation workshop on 11 January. This was a co-pilot program with Workforce Singapore (WSG), meant to help local job seekers thrive in today’s competitive scene.

Our speaker panellists were Sharon Pock, an HR leader at Voyager Worldwide;

Ivan Choong, a certified job and career transition/development coach;

Rena Oh, HR head at Easmed and Volunteer Career Advisor (VCA) at WSG;

Gabriel Tan, our team leader and moderator.

Singapore once had a poor economy with high unemployment and inadequate infrastructure, but it has since undergone rapid globalisation and emerged as one of the world’s most prosperous countries. To bolster such advancement, the growing workforce is expected to evolve and adapt to drive the nation’s progress; upskilling and reskilling will become the forefront of this movement.

Upskilling and reskilling can help individuals build or enhance their competitive skills and craft a resilient career. Before embarking on this journey, conducting a career health check-in through psychological tests is advised to help identify areas requiring further development and nurturing. This enables you to make informed decisions that result in career growth.

Riasec test and Knowdell Card Sorts are two tools mentioned that serve as a guideline to evaluate career health. They help individuals understand their strengths, skills, priorities, and interests. Some test results are straightforward; however, if you want to make significant changes to your career, such as a mid-career switch, you should seek a second opinion from a professional career coach or speak to someone with the same experience to help you make wise decisions and provide you with perspectives.

One of the key challenges individuals who undergo mid-career switches face is the difficulty of positioning their relevant transferable skills. Although job-specific technical skills are crucial, demonstrating your soft skills is essential to ease into a new transition. Leadership, communication, creativity, decision-making, and problem-solving skills are necessary in roles that require collaboration, innovation and initiative-driven. Transferable skills are not confined to a specific industry or role but are relatively sustainable in the long term.

The digital age in Singapore

Next, interests and concerns in technology have increased consecutively; artificial intelligence (AI) is the most prominent and widely discussed. AI brings plenty of benefits, from reducing human error to increasing productivity by consolidating tasks into simpler steps and having the ability to optimise, innovate, and improve various functions—AI was meant to make life easier and not necessarily replace it.

It’s important to note that AI’s knowledge is dependent on the data and information we feed it. The idea is to make technology work for you to create efficiency and enhance productivity. Those who fail to wield it will fall behind.

Principles and considerations for upskilling and reskilling

There are some principles and considerations before the journey of upskilling and reskilling; for instance, it’s advised against taking up a new certification or course due to trends or one that pays well in the job market. ‘You can consider building a skill based on interest or what you’re already good at and like to do and then, make a career of it. However, you need to know what your individual ‘burnout’ skill is: a skill that you can do well but do not like to use often and try to avoid or minimise placing it as your core skill in the role you are doing if possible.’ Certified coach, Ivan Choong says. Or else, you could end up experiencing ‘burning out’ in your role with the inability to sustain.

Learning and development (L&D) opportunities differ from one workplace to another. While some organisations can afford to allocate a portion of their budget to support their employees’ development due to high-value output and productivity levels, others offer this opportunity through other means, such as learning on the job through other skilled personnel or role swapping between departments. This proves that L&D can be done through an assortment but requires individuals to give it the value and effort it deserves. To promote lifelong learning and enhance individuals’ skills, Singapore has offered SkillsFuture credits to ensure continued economic success and competitiveness amongst the workforce.

Career resilience hinges on continuous learning and adaptability in today’s rapidly evolving global economy. Successful professionals will view their careers as dynamic innovation projects, seamlessly integrating technical skills with profound human capabilities.

The call for action:

Evaluate your career health: Before you decide to upgrade your career, take time to evaluate your career health and take note of your interests and areas or skills you would like to build or invest in.
Accountability throughout your journey: Invite like-minded individuals to journey with you, allow yourself to be accountable; look for mentors who can provide acute guidance through feedback and encouragement.

Individuals prioritise and intentionally set aside time for what is important to them. Start small and leverage microlearning, break down your learning into small pieces and practice what you learn. This way, you will create a career trajectory that is resilient and transformative.