SG Workplace Trend Report: 49% Singapore employees fear job loss amid AI-automation and cost-cutting concerns

SINGAPORE: Nearly one in two employees in Singapore believe their jobs could be affected by restructuring, automation or cost-cutting this year, pointing to rising anxiety even as employment continues to grow.

According to recruitment firm Morgan McKinley’s 2026 Workplace Trends Report, 49% of employees in Singapore expect their roles could be affected by restructuring, automation or cost-cutting in 2026. That’s well above the global average of 37%.

The findings come as businesses become more careful about hiring. Recent Ministry of Manpower figures also showed retrenchments reached their highest quarterly level since 2023, while job vacancies fell.

Workers are preparing for an uncertain future

The report shows workers in the global survey are taking action instead of waiting.

Among employees worried about losing their jobs, 85% said they’d start searching for another role. Another 64% planned to learn new skills or gain more qualifications to improve their chances in the job market.

The findings suggest many workers now see upskilling and career moves as practical ways to stay employable while businesses continue investing in AI (artificial intelligence) and reviewing costs.

Singapore is one of the most office-based workforces

The report also found that Singapore is still one of the most office-focused places to work.

About 37% of employees here work from the office five days a week, more than twice the global average of 17%. Only Hong Kong recorded a higher share at 60%. This doesn’t necessarily match what employees want.

Across all markets surveyed, only 9% of respondents said they’d choose to work from the office five days a week if given the choice. Most preferred hybrid arrangements instead, showing many workplaces are still out of step with employee preferences.

Employment is still growing despite rising concerns

Morgan McKinley’s survey gathered responses from 2,799 employees and 214 employers across multiple markets in late 2025.

Singapore’s labour market has continued to expand. Total employment rose by 9,400 in the first quarter of 2026, marking the 18th straight quarter of employment growth since the fourth quarter of 2021.

Even so, the survey suggests many employees are looking beyond today’s numbers and paying closer attention to how automation, AI adoption and company cost controls could affect their careers in the years ahead.

Learning new skills has become less about staying competitive and more about staying prepared. No one can predict how every job will change, but keeping skills current gives workers more options when the market shifts.

Read related: Less than 2 in 5 Singapore employers are hiring in the next 3 months, but AI and technology sectors are still recruiting