Workplace sentiment slips as cost-of-living worries and job concerns rise
Fewer employees in Singapore would recommend their organisation as a place to work, according to the latest quarterly survey from Blackbox Research, amid rising cost-of-living worries.
Among employees surveyed, 51% gave a score of at least eight out of 10 when asked whether they would recommend their organisation as a place to work. That is down 13 percentage points from 64% in the second quarter of 2026.
The SensingSG survey of 1,533 Singapore citizens and permanent residents was conducted from 24 to 30 September 2026.
Job concerns edge up
Jobs and unemployment were a top-two national and community concern for 21% of respondents, up from 18% in the previous quarter.
Ratings of government performance on jobs and unemployment also slipped. Fifty-six per cent rated it good or excellent, down from 62%.
The findings follow the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) Labour Market Report for the second quarter of 2026, released in September. It showed resident employment growth slowed to 2,200, from 5,400 in the first quarter. Unemployment stayed low at 1.9% overall in June.
Retrenchments rose from 3,830 in the first quarter to 4,620 in the second, driven by business reorganisation and restructuring in manufacturing, information and communications, and financial services. Job vacancies also fell from 73,300 in March to 68,600 in June.
"Overall, the labour market remained resilient in 2Q 2026, with continued employment growth and low unemployment," MOM said. "However, conditions became less favourable for some resident workers, as resident employment growth moderated, retrenchments increased and six-month re-entry outcomes weakened."
MOM's July 2026 business expectations polls pointed to a positive but cautious outlook, with hiring and wage expectations remaining below their February 2026 levels.
The share of firms intending to hire in the next three months rose from 43.9 to 48.7% between June and July. The share planning to raise wages eased from 29.3 to 27.9%.
Cost-of-living concerns climb
The workplace findings come as affordability pressures intensify. Half of respondents placed cost of living among their two most important issues, up from 41% in the second quarter.
The pressure was most acute among those aged 40 to 49, of whom 64% named cost of living as a top-two issue.
"Recent global disruptions across key areas are starting to hit home hard," said David Black, founder and CEO of Blackbox Research.
"People experience the economy through their bills, their pay and their everyday spending. When everyday costs rise and the outlook at work feels less certain, positive national growth figures only offer so much reassurance."
Confidence in Singapore's overall direction remained high at 82%, though down from 87% in the previous quarter.
