Singapore Workers Rank Bottom for Engagement — Under-35s Drive the Exodus

June 26, 2026 — Kevin Tan 4 min read

Singapore's workforce has posted the lowest workplace engagement scores in Asia, according to a sweeping new study, with employees under the age of 35 driving the sharpest drop in satisfaction. The findings, released this week by global HR analytics firm Gallup, place the city-state well behind regional rivals including Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand on measures of employee motivation, commitment, and day-to-day enthusiasm for work.

The Numbers Behind the Rankings

The study assessed workers across twelve markets in the Asia-Pacific region, using a standardised engagement framework that measures whether employees feel connected to their roles, invested in their employers' success, and motivated to go beyond minimum expectations. Singapore's aggregate score placed it last overall. By contrast, several Southeast Asian neighbours posted gains over the same period, suggesting that the Lion City's trajectory runs against the regional trend.

Gallup's research flags a particular concern: workers aged below 35 reported engagement levels significantly below the national average. This cohort — representing the majority of Singapore's incoming labour market entrants — scored particularly low on measures of clarity around organisational expectations and access to opportunities for development. The pattern points to a structural problem rather than a temporary dip, researchers noted.

What Disengagement Costs the Economy

Workplace disengagement is not merely an internal HR metric. economists have long linked low engagement to lower productivity, higher absenteeism, and increased staff turnover — all of which carry direct costs for businesses and, by extension, the broader economy. A 2023 estimate from the Singapore Business Federation suggested that employee turnover alone costs local firms several billion dollars annually when recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivity are factored together.

For investors and company boards, the signal is unambiguous: firms with disengaged workforces tend to underperform peers on profitability, customer satisfaction, and innovation metrics. In a market as competitive as Singapore's, where labour costs are high and talent pools are relatively small, the risk of losing top performers to rivals — both domestic and international — looms large.

The Productivity Paradox

Singapore has historically punched above its weight on productivity, supported by strong infrastructure, English-speaking talent, and a government that has funnelled billions into skills upgrading. Yet the engagement data suggests that raw productivity figures may mask deeper fractures. Workers who are physically present but mentally checked out contribute less than their salaries suggest. If a substantial portion of Singapore's workforce falls into that category, headline GDP growth figures may overstate the genuine strength of the labour market.

This matters for policymakers who have set ambitious targets for productivity-led growth. If engagement remains depressed, automation and upskilling initiatives will yield smaller returns than projected. The Ministry of Manpower has flagged productivity growth as a national priority in successive Budget speeches, but the Gallup findings suggest the human dimension of that challenge has been underweighted.

Why Young Workers Are Falling Away

Industry observers point to several overlapping factors behind the under-35 disengagement pattern. Singapore's younger workers entered or are entering a labour market shaped by post-pandemic uncertainty, rising costs of living, and a re-evaluation of work-life priorities that accelerated during the COVID-19 years. Burnout indicators have climbed steadily since 2020, according to separate data from the Institute of Singapore.

Pay alone does not appear to be the primary driver. Singapore continues to offer some of the highest median starting salaries in Southeast Asia for graduate roles. Rather, younger employees cite a lack of purpose, limited career mobility, and what they describe as opaque promotion processes as key grievances. Workers at several technology firms in the Jurong Innovation District and the Central Business District told local media that they felt their contributions went unrecognised.

Business Implications and Investor Response

For multinational companies with major operations in Singapore — including firms in financial services, biomedical manufacturing, and logistics — the engagement data adds urgency to retention strategies that were already being retooled. Several large banks headquartered in the city-state have launched internal surveys over the past eighteen months in response to elevated attrition rates among mid-career staff.

Small and medium-sized enterprises face an equally pressing challenge. Unlike multinationals, they lack the brand recognition and compensation packages that can compensate for low engagement. When morale sags at a smaller firm, the impact on product quality, client service, and operational continuity can be swift and severe. Business owners in sectors such as retail, food and beverage, and professional services report acute difficulty retaining staff aged under 30.

What Comes Next

The government has signalled that workforce matters will feature prominently in the upcoming financial year. The Ministry of Manpower is expected to release updated guidelines on flexible work arrangements and has indicated that it will consult with employers on ways to improve career development pathways for younger Singaporeans. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices is also reviewing its recommendations to member companies.

Watch for the Budget statement due in February, where specific measures to address engagement and retention may be announced. Companies that move ahead of policy changes — redesigning career frameworks, improving internal communication, and acting on employee feedback data — are likely to gain a recruiting edge in a market where skilled labour remains scarce. The question is whether Singapore's employers will treat the Gallup findings as a warning or an opportunity.