Singapore employees least engaged in Asia

Singapore employees are least engaged in their work compared to their counterparts in the region.

Companies in Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines reported an increase in engagement by 15%, 4% and 6% respectively this year, found a study by professional services firm, Aon. Singapore’s level of employee engagement however remains unchanged from 2017.

Only 59% of employees in Singapore are engaged. Employee engagement is highest in Indonesia at 76%, followed by India and the Philippines (71% each), China (69%), Thailand (64%) and Malaysia (63%).

Overall, employee engagement in Asia Pacific bounced back to its highest levels at 65% this year after a three-point drop in 2017.

Of all the employee groups in Singapore, millennial workers are becoming increasingly disengaged as the group faces a 2% drop from the figures last year. As more and more millennials make up the workforce, engaging this group is increasingly important for employers.

The area that millennial workers reported to be the least satisfying is ‘Work Tasks’ – which refers to the organisation’s ability to fairly distribute the workload and an employee’s sense of enjoyment and accomplishment from the work they do.

For the majority of organisations in Singapore, the study found that ‘Career Opportunities’ tops the list of engagement drivers, with ‘Senior Leadership’ and ‘Enabling Infrastructure’ rounding up the top three. This demonstrates the significance of a conducive work environment to Singapore employees.

“While there is no one-size-fits-all employee experience that will maximise engagement, forward-thinking organisations can identify the drivers that are most important for their employees and create a fit-for-purpose experience,” said Boon Chong Na, managing director and partner at Aon Hewitt Singapore.

“What’s more, increasing engagement is a shared responsibility – senior leadership must encourage their team members to own their engagement levels by creating an environment where employees are empowered to develop new skills, chart their career journeys, and maximise their potential.”