Economy, AI, robotics worrying for Singapore workers
One in three employees in Singapore is concerned about job security in the next three months, according to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).
NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said this is based on their own internal surveys on Singaporeans' economic sentiments.
"Even while the Singapore economy grew at more than four per cent last year, job security is still at the top of mind for many working Singaporeans, including PMEs," Ng said.
The secretary-general attributed the situation to the rise of artificial intelligence and robotics, as well as economic conditions.
"Because of the restructuring of the economy, there will be churn. So, when there's churn, actually that might well be the anxieties that we're observing," he told Channel News Asia.
Singaporeans' fears reflect the widespread job insecurities across the world because of AI, where 89% of employees in the United States admitted that they are worried about being replaced by rapidly developing AI tools.
In the wake of these fears, the NTUC announced that it will launch a new initiative that aims to connect unionised companies with some 1,200 mentors and experienced industry leaders in its network.
These mentors will provide skills and career guidance to employees working in these companies, according to an NTUC report.
"What NTUC wants to do is to take proactive action, hear the workers' concerns, put in possibilities of upgrading… upskilling of their own skills so that they can get into proper jobs or secure their own jobs," Meng said.
Singapore's labour market continued to expand in 2024, with 46% of employers planning to hire in the first three months of 2025, according to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
MOM previously urged Singaporeans to respond to changing business needs by "embracing upskilling, new jobs, and new careers."
Among the measures offered by the government include the:
"As businesses restructure and job requirements shift, we will help workers to reskill for new jobs," the government said in a previous statement.
