Singapore places second in Asia-Pacific for employee pay dissatisfaction

SINGAPORE: While about seven in 10 Singaporeans feel they are fairly or well paid, only 37% said they are satisfied with their salary, placing Singapore second in employee pay dissatisfaction in the Asia-Pacific region.

In fact, among those who felt their pay was “about right,” seven in 10 still said they were dissatisfied with their salary, according to Jobstreet by SEEK’s Salary Pulse: Singapore 2026 report released on Monday (May 25).

The study, conducted with research agency Nature, surveyed 1,008 working Singapore residents aged between 18 and 64 and analysed advertised salaries for the top 20 roles by job ad volume on SEEK’s platforms between October 2025 and March 2026.

While many were dissatisfied with their pay, only 7% said they feel “extremely comfortable” asking for a pay raise, especially among women (36%) and entry-level workers or those in junior-level positions (38%).

Of those who have tried asking for a raise more than once, 79% felt comfortable initiating the conversation, compared with those who only asked once (48%). Those who have asked more than once were also more likely to feel happy with their salary (61%) than those who only tried asking once (44%).

Half of the respondents have asked for a pay raise before, and 73% of those who did successfully received an increase either in full or in part. 

However, when expected pay increases fall through, more Gen Z (29%) and Millennials (25%) said they would look for a new role, compared with Gen X (20%) and baby boomers (13%).  

Notably, nearly nine in 10 (87%) Singapore workers have received their last pay increase from their current employer, while 7% achieved the same by moving to a different company or industry. Those who changed employers, however, were said to be five times more likely to receive pay increases of more than 10% compared with those who stayed with their current employer.

According to the report, this suggests that staying put does not always translate into stronger pay progression or greater satisfaction.

At the same time, employees with unmet salary expectations were found to be less motivated, with more than two in 10 workers saying they would consider leaving the company.

In terms of pay transparency, 77% said they preferred it disclosed, while 57% said they would be less likely to apply for roles if the job ad did not include a salary. /TISG

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