New year, new priorities
Singaporeans want these out of 2020: a pay rise, upskilling opportunities and to feel happier at work.
Unsurprisingly, salary remains a top career concern for most, with close to half of employees saying they feel underpaid in their current roles, according to a recent study.
Despite this, changing jobs (20%) and changing careers (12%) were the least popular career goal for the year.
The desire to upskill made the top three this year, reflecting the practical need to keep up in an era of digital transformation. Almost half of employees (45%) are working out ways to sustain their employability in an automated workforce, cited Robert Half’s study.
Understandably, as most are not looking to quit anytime soon, they’re aiming instead to simply feel happier at work.
READ MORE: Almost half of Singaporeans unhappy with life
Singaporeans’ top career goals for 2020:
- Get a pay raise (49%)
- Upskill (45%)
- Feel happier at work (43%)
- Improve performance (42%)
- Get a promotion (39%)
- Strengthen professional relationships (30%)
- Get more flexibility (25%)
- Get more responsibilities (22%)
- Change jobs (20%)
- Change careers (12%)
The study found that gender and age shape career goals. For instance, more women (47%) are prioritising happiness at work than men (39%). Meanwhile, getting a promotion is higher on this year’s career goals agenda for men (42%) compared to women (35%).
However, both men (49%) and women (50%) are almost equally as likely to seek a pay rise this year. The differences for this career goal arise with age groups: 18 to 34 year olds are more concerned with a pay raise, versus 35 to 54 year olds.
Employees over 55, on the other hand, are least likely to prioritise a pay raise or promotion in 2020.
