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"Surprise!" Accenture Study shows only 55% of workers have work-life balance.
BT Editorial
IF the findings of a recent Accenture study on worklife balance and job satisfaction are truly reflective of the manpower situation here, Singapore has more than a big productivity challenge on its hands.
According to the consulting firm's survey of some 3,900 business executives across 31 countries, including 100 from Singapore, employees here are among the most unhappy worldwide, with more than three-quarters of respondents (76 per cent) saying that they are dissatisfied with their job. That is well above the global average of just under 60 per cent voicing job dissatisfaction. Indeed, on this count, Singapore ranks second (from the bottom), ahead of only Indonesia, where just 18 per cent of respondents declared themselves to be satisfied with their jobs.
Other findings in the Accenture study shed light on why the Singapore employee is so cheerless. Globally, 71 per cent of the respondents claim to have work-life balance most or all of the time. The figure for Singapore, however, is only 55 per cent. And almost one-third of the Singapore respondents rate work-life balance as a critical factor for job satisfaction, along with pay, and well above opportunities for career advancement.
Almost half (48 per cent) of Singapore respondents said they need to sacrifice time with family to succeed on the job, while 42 per cent said career demands have had a negative impact on their family life.
To the extent that they reflect the general workforce climate - and they probably do - the dismal findings for Singapore are an indictment of the work culture here. Honed from a young age to excel and strive for success, Singaporeans have made a virtue of diligence and industry - and, for the most part, the strong work ethic has no doubt been, and still is, an economic asset. But it would need a mindset shift to urge people to work 'smart' instead of merely hard, to foster creativity and enterprise rather than just putting in the hours.
But the rat race takes its toll. Little wonder then, that Singapore workers have been lagging in productivity - dissatisfied employees who are disengaged at work are hardly likely to be highly productive. Yet flexible work options - one way to address work-life imbalance - are still not widely available here. Companies also frequently pay little more than lip service to this goal.
BT Editorial
IF the findings of a recent Accenture study on worklife balance and job satisfaction are truly reflective of the manpower situation here, Singapore has more than a big productivity challenge on its hands.
According to the consulting firm's survey of some 3,900 business executives across 31 countries, including 100 from Singapore, employees here are among the most unhappy worldwide, with more than three-quarters of respondents (76 per cent) saying that they are dissatisfied with their job. That is well above the global average of just under 60 per cent voicing job dissatisfaction. Indeed, on this count, Singapore ranks second (from the bottom), ahead of only Indonesia, where just 18 per cent of respondents declared themselves to be satisfied with their jobs.
Other findings in the Accenture study shed light on why the Singapore employee is so cheerless. Globally, 71 per cent of the respondents claim to have work-life balance most or all of the time. The figure for Singapore, however, is only 55 per cent. And almost one-third of the Singapore respondents rate work-life balance as a critical factor for job satisfaction, along with pay, and well above opportunities for career advancement.
Almost half (48 per cent) of Singapore respondents said they need to sacrifice time with family to succeed on the job, while 42 per cent said career demands have had a negative impact on their family life.
To the extent that they reflect the general workforce climate - and they probably do - the dismal findings for Singapore are an indictment of the work culture here. Honed from a young age to excel and strive for success, Singaporeans have made a virtue of diligence and industry - and, for the most part, the strong work ethic has no doubt been, and still is, an economic asset. But it would need a mindset shift to urge people to work 'smart' instead of merely hard, to foster creativity and enterprise rather than just putting in the hours.
But the rat race takes its toll. Little wonder then, that Singapore workers have been lagging in productivity - dissatisfied employees who are disengaged at work are hardly likely to be highly productive. Yet flexible work options - one way to address work-life imbalance - are still not widely available here. Companies also frequently pay little more than lip service to this goal.
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