New report shows employees are staying put amid concerns about job security
Employees in Singapore are staying in their current roles as job security becomes their top priority in the wake of company restructuring and retrenchments locally and overseas.
Recruitment firm Robert Walters has dubbed ther trend "The Great Stay," in its latest poll among employees and employers in Singapore.
It found that 85% of professionals are now prioritising job security over pay and work-life balance, including 38% who said they had never thought about it before.
During their job search, 81% of professionals in Singapore identified job security as a concern, with 43% describing themselves as significantly concerned. Notably, 15% reported that worries about job security had deterred them from applying for new roles altogether.
Employers are also noticing this trend, with 96% of them saying prospective employees now bring up job security during the hiring process.
More than three in four (78%) hiring managers also said more jobseekers are declining job offers, with 36% of these candidates citing concerns about job security.
"We clearly see professionals here going from cautious, to even more cautious. The economic environment has an impact on their career growth and decisions as well," said Kirsty Poltock, Country Manager of Robert Walters Singapore, in a statement.
Retrenchments hit job priorities
Singapore's situation mirrors the "job hugging" phenomenon observed overseas, where research indicates that employees are choosing to remain with their current employers due to pessimism about job opportunities elsewhere.
Poltock attributed Singaporeans' current job security concerns to restructuring and retrenchments in the country and overseas as of late.
Jetstar Asia retrenched this year more than 500 employees after it shut down in late July. Amazon is also letting go of 14,000 employees globally, which may impact employees in its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore, according to The Straits Times.
Data from Singapore's Ministry of Manpower showed that quarterly retrenchments remained contained in the third quarter of 2025, with 1.4 retrenched per 1,000 employees. Restructuring or business reorganisation remained the top reason for these changes.
"As we see a growing number of announcements on company restructuring and retrenchments in markets, including Singapore, the deepening of 'The Big Stay' is testament to the volatility of the economy – which has had a dent on business and employer confidence," Poltock said.
Impact on organisations
But employees choosing to stay may not always be a good thing, according to the Robert Walters official.
She noted that employees may be sacrificing better pay, progression, and skills development that they could gain elsewhere under the belief that they are secure in their current role.
Organisations also risk losing fresh perspectives from new hires if employees are deciding to remain with their current employer.
"Economic growth is underpinned by labour movement – organisations need fresh perspectives in order to remain competitive, and employees need movement in order to not remain stagnant or pigeonhole themselves," Poltock said.
"Statistically, professionals who move jobs more often whilst investing in new responsibilities and exposure are more likely to earn more over their working life than someone who has chosen to stay put. A prolonged trend of 'The Big Stay' will be counterproductive for Singapore's economy."
The majority (87%) of employers in Singapore have made changes to their recruitment strategies in order to address job security concerns from candidates, according to the report.
Half of them said they are being open about industry challenges, while 25% are sharing their growth plans.
Most organisations are also saying they are very transparent (9%) or somewhat transparent (73%) when it comes to the company's financial health and long-term plans.
"Transparency builds trust, and companies who are fully transparent about their financial position or industry barriers can help to ensure that the 'right fit' accepts the job and is ‘up for the challenge,'" Poltock said.
