80% of Singapore workers say jobs fall short of employer promises: Survey

SINGAPORE: A new JobStreet survey suggests that many Singapore workers feel let down soon after starting a new job, with 80 per cent saying their roles did not live up to what employers had promised during hiring.

The survey, which gathered responses from 800 employers and employees, found that six in 10 encountered these issues within their first three months at work.

The most common reasons were lower-than-expected pay, duties that weren’t clearly defined, and a workplace culture that didn’t match what was advertised. Together, these point to a lingering gap between what candidates are told during recruitment and what they face once they begin the job.

Salary remains the top concern for workers, with 46 per cent saying it matters most to them. Yet half also admitted they might compromise on pay while job hunting. Close to half said they would pick a company with a healthy work culture over one with a strong reputation, and 30 per cent were prepared to take lower pay if it meant better work-life balance.

Employers, on the other hand, appeared more confident about what they offer. Nearly half believed they had met employee expectations in areas like working hours, bonuses, flexibility, and career development. But fewer than 20 per cent said they paid above-market wages, perhaps mirroring the compensation mismatch raised by workers.