Singapore’s workers are increasingly finding that the jobs they sign up for are not the jobs they end up doing.
A new report titled,‘The Great Expectation Gap: Rethinking Work and Worth in Singapore’, by Jobstreet by SEEK, reveals a labour market where mismatched expectations, evolving worker priorities, and real-world business constraints are shaping an era of conditional compromises on both sides of the hiring table.
The report that covered 800 employees and employers across Singapore, sheds light on a workforce that is pragmatic yet disappointed, and employers who share many of the same aspirations, but struggle to meet them consistently.
Mismatch between offers and realities of job roles
Eight in ten employees say their roles do not match what they were promised, with six in ten discovering the mismatch within the first three months.
Mid-career professionals (35–44) are the most likely to notice early discrepancies, largely due to gaps between pay and responsibility (29%).
Younger workers (25–34) often find that job scopes differ significantly from what was advertised (25%), while older employees (45–54) report mismatches around benefits and recognition (44%).
Across all age groups, the main causes of disconnect remain consistent: misaligned pay (24%), unclear roles (22%), and culture mismatch (19%).
Fair trade-offs between needs, expectations, and actual perks
Despite stereotypes of entitlement, the report suggests Singapore’s workers are deeply pragmatic. While 46% consider pay their top priority, nearly a quarter (23%) are willing to compromise on it during job searches.
This reflects what the report terms “conditional compromise”, the willingness to make trade-offs, but only when the exchange feels fair, transparent, and future-focused.
Employees say they would reconsider pay and flexibility if they gain better culture, stability, or growth in return. Yet flexibility has now become a baseline expectation: half of respondents would not accept a pay cut even for full flexibility (50%) or a four-day workweek (49%).
Across demographics, trade-offs vary:
- Younger workers (25–34): 49% would trade prestige for culture, prioritising learning and mentorship.
- Mid-career workers (35–44): 51% would trade prestige for culture, while 35% would accept lower pay for better balance.
- Older workers (45–54): Only 11% would sacrifice flexibility for career growth, valuing stability, respect, and recognition.
Employers want fairness, prefer hiring ‘attitude’ over experience and skills
Employers share employees’ desire for fairness and meaningful work but contend with their own challenges.
Top employer concerns include skills shortages (44%), salary expectations (41%), and budget pressures (39%). SMEs struggle chiefly with pay expectations (43%) and budget limits (37%), while MNCs grapple with skills shortages (51%) and role misalignment (29%).
Most employers believe they are already meeting expectations, citing reasonable working hours (55%), bonuses (52%), flexibility (43%), and career development (36%). Yet only 18% offer above-market salaries, a major gap in what employees perceive as financial fairness.
Even so, employers show flexibility of their own:
- 64% would hire less-experienced candidates with strong attitudes,
- 36% would accept less experience for lower pay,
- 28% would prioritise cultural fit over skills.
Same, same but different
Both employees and employers value fairness, balance, and growth. Yet the report highlights an emerging disconnect in how both sides define fairness, and what each is willing or able to offer.
“The expectation gap is a reflection of how quickly Singapore’s employment landscape is evolving,” said Yuh Yng Chook, Director, Asia Sales and APAC Service, Jobstreet and Jobsdb by SEEK. “Employers believe they are being fair, and employees are already adapting — but their definitions of fairness don’t fully align.”
Chook notes that despite strong employment growth and stable unemployment in Q3 2025, deeper issues remain. “Bridging this gap begins with a clearer, shared understanding of what fairness means in a dynamic job market. For both employers and employees, acting on insights around competitive pay, culture alignment, work-life balance, role clarity, and transparent communication will be key to strengthening trust on both sides.”