1 in 3 S’poreans have spent 10+ years in the identical firm

Disclaimer: Until in any other case acknowledged, any opinions expressed beneath belong solely to the creator. All knowledge sourced from the Labour Pressure in Singapore 2025 report, launched by Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower final month.

We’re usually informed that the age of steady jobs the place folks would spend a few years is lengthy behind us and that the longer term would require flexibility and adaptableness—together with frequent adjustments of employment. Frankly talking, I’ve been listening to this for the previous 20 years myself.

And but, the statistics launched by the Ministry of Manpower present that that is hardly the case in Singapore. The town-state is usually introduced as some of the fashionable, dynamic and superior economies, so that you’d be forgiven for considering that native employees are main the tendencies in job hopping.

Because it seems, the alternative is true.

Over the previous decade, the share of native, resident employees who’ve stayed with the identical firm for 10 years or extra has gone up from just a little over 1 / 4 to a full one-third.

On the identical time, the share of those that have both simply entered the job market or modified their job prior to now 12 months has shrunk from practically 20% to only 12%, with the most important drop recorded within the post-pandemic years.

Wanting on the whole workforce, again in 2015, greater than half of Singapore’s employees had stayed below 5 years in the identical place. At this time, the proportions have flipped, with the bulk reporting 5 years or extra with their employers.

Stability or stagnation?

The essential query is whether or not these tendencies are an indication of surprising stability, whereby native employees take pleasure in safe jobs for a few years, or in the event that they merely lack higher choices and select to remain put the place they’re.

Whereas they aren’t mutually unique—in any case, a lot will depend on the corporate you’re employed for—knowledge means that the job market in Singapore is sweet for its employees. And getting higher.

Since 2015, the median revenue from work has elevated from S$3,949 to S$5,775 in 2025. That’s 46.2% in nominal phrases and 23.2% when accounting for inflation. This implies native salaries can purchase 1/4 extra in comparison with a decade in the past.

In the meantime, the typical variety of weekly working hours for full-time staff has dropped from 47 to 43.8. That’s a cumulative lower of over 166 hours per yr, equal to twenty eight-hour workdays.

Singaporeans work much less and earn greater than ever, although a rising quantity select to stick with the identical employer—or, maybe, due to that.

Let’s not overlook that, like a lot of the world, Singapore continues to face a persistent expertise scarcity, with 83% of native companies reporting a deficit of succesful staff.

Retaining good employees is a much better choice than hiring new ones. Recruitment is dear and unpredictable as a result of it takes time to coach a brand new rent, and there’s no assure they’ll become good workforce members.

Equally, whereas job hoppers might hope to get a ten to twenty% increase every time they swap workplaces, the disruption it causes and the uncertainty about working situations (expectations, flexibility, getting together with coworkers) add dangers of their very own.

Mutual understanding, that the corporate wants the folks it already has and might depend on, and that these persons are keen to remain if they’re appreciated, might clarify why Singapore appears to defy the predictions about an ever extra dynamic job market of the longer term.

Because it seems, stability is very priceless even to fashionable corporations—and fashionable employees.

• Learn different articles we’ve written on Singapore’s present affairs right here.

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