Public highlights ‘inaccuracy’ of stats in median salaries

Singapore – Some members of the public are questioning the accuracy of released statistics in mainstream media on the median salaries for Singapore jobs, noting S$2,000 a month for a warehouse assistant position, for example, was not realistic.

Data released by employment portal FastJobs on the median salaries for certain positions in Singapore was highlighted in a straitstimes.com article on Monday (Oct 5).

The information shows the average salary for a cashier, retail assistant and sales executive roles decreased by S$200 to S$400 between June and August 2020 compared to the 2019 statistics. Their current median salaries are S$1,500, 1,800, and 2,600, respectively.

Meanwhile, drivers and patient service associate positions saw an increase of S$100 and S$200 in their median salaries, respectively, with a S$2,300 and S$2,200 average wage in 2020.

The other jobs mentioned in the table were administrative assistant or executives (S$2,000 median wage), cleaner (S$1,500), clinic or healthcare receptionist and assistant (S$2,000), customer service officer (S$2,100), general worker (S$1,800), security officer (S$2,400), service crew (S$1,800), temperature taking officer or screener (S$1,950) and warehouse assistant or packer (S$2,000).

The report also states that amid the Covid-19 pandemic, job seekers were now more willing to accept lower salaries due to tight competition as well as the difficult economic conditions brought by the pandemic.

Netizens commented on the statistics, asking for the source of the numbers, and provided a more realistic update based on experience.

Facebook user CL Lim Ah Leong points out the statistics were “not true” while Facebook user Vincent Liu wonders if there was research done before posting. “Where got so high the salary?” he asked.

According to Facebook user Sidney Chia, “all (salaries) lowered by 40 per cent or more.” The netizen adds that perhaps the table was covering foreign talent salaries. “We locals get lower pay than your table. Please double-check.”

Others enumerate on the salaries of security officers and warehouse assistants, noting they were much lower or highly dependent on the number of overtime hours.

Facebook user Muhammad Farid Abdullah comments there is an “imbalance between cost of living and income of working-class citizens.”

Another netizen says workers are accepting lower pay, yet electricity bills and marketing expenses are becoming more expensive.

Read related: Pritam Singh praises employers who see the value in uplifting lower-wage workers even if their costs go up