SINGAPORE: For years, conversations about youth employment in Singapore have circled around the same buzzwords: flexible work, career advancement and work-life balance. These ideas appear in corporate brochures, HR seminars and even government dialogues.
But the reality is more layered. Young workers value flexibility and progression, but they prize financial security and job stability above all. And this is where employers often get them wrong.
A new study by the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), involving more than 1,000 youths and 250 employers, found that across life stages, youths consistently rank financial gain and job stability higher than flexible work or career advancement. Rather than flexibility, they are a generation seeking stability in uncertain times.
Take Rachel (not her real name), 24, a young professional in the infrastructure sector. She joined her organisation expecting to drive business partnerships. Instead, much of her time went to paperwork and fixing system inefficiencies. When she raised concerns about her workload, these were reframed as “development opportunities”.
“They called it exposure,” she says, “but it felt like busywork without real support.”
Her experience mirrors SUSS’ findings. Young workers are not dismissing progression – they value it – but only when pay, security and support are in place. Employers, however, often treat new titles or added responsibilities as incentives in themselves.
The result is frustration on one side and confusion on the other.
The study looked at the employment priorities of youths across three age groups: 18 to 25, 26 to 30, and 31 to 35. Financial gain and job stability consistently outweighed flexible work or career progression.
Flexible working arrangements were still a consideration for those aged 18 to 25 and 31 to 35, but those aged 26 to 30 chose work-life balance over flexibility.
Older respondents aged 26 to 35 valued financial gain, job stability and career advancement.
Research has shown that flexible work arrangements matter greatly to Singaporean workers – a 2024 survey found that one in two Singaporeans would quit their job if asked to return to the office.
But amid rising costs of living and global uncertainty, priorities may have changed. High-profile layoffs in the tech sector, driven by firms pursuing efficiency and AI, has made job security feel precarious.
The age breakdown illustrates this shift clearly. Younger workers in their early 20s can afford to prioritise autonomy and flexibility. By the late 20s, as commitments like housing and family planning set in, stability becomes the goal. By the early 30s, with mortgages and caregiving, stability is no longer optional – it is survival.
It is precisely here that employers’ and workers’ expectations diverge. Despite young workers craving security, employers continue to frame progression and exposure as motivators.
For many employers, offering new responsibilities or career paths is a form of support for employees. For youths, however, in an environment of layoffs and rising costs, these gestures miss the mark if stability is not assured.
This mismatch explains why over 60 per cent of youths remain open to new jobs, dissatisfied with salary and culture, leaving managers puzzled when their teams don’t respond to “growth opportunities”.
The disconnect also shows up in SUSS’ survey. When asked what motivates them to do well at work, youths chose financial incentives, flexibility and autonomy. Employers, meanwhile, emphasised promotions and long-term growth. Both perspectives are valid, but until this gap closes, trust and retention will remain fragile.
The findings challenge the stereotype that young Singaporeans are chasing only flexible work. The truth is more grounded: they want job security first.
For employers, moving beyond assumptions means offering substance over symbols. Retention will come not from free gym passes, mindfulness apps or token flexi-work weeks, but from fair compensation, job stability and clear pathways that balance job security with long-term growth.
For youths, it means recognising that stability comes not only from pay, but from building the human skills that make them indispensable – problem-solving, critical thinking, and adaptability.
For young professionals like Rachel, job stability is not about permanence. It means fair and predictable pay, workloads that are sustainable, and visible investment in her skills. “Development opportunities” alone cannot replace these.
The future of work will be defined by whether employers can provide young workers with the security they seek, while enabling progression that feels coherent and sustainable. Get that balance right, and we will build not only stronger careers but also a more resilient workforce for the disruptions ahead.
Associate Professor Justina Tan is the Vice President of Strategic Partnership and Engagement at the Singapore University of Social Sciences and Principal Investigator of the study Youth and Employer Perspectives on Jobs and Skills in Singapore (October 2025).
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But the reality is more layered. Young workers value flexibility and progression, but they prize financial security and job stability above all. And this is where employers often get them wrong.
A new study by the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), involving more than 1,000 youths and 250 employers, found that across life stages, youths consistently rank financial gain and job stability higher than flexible work or career advancement. Rather than flexibility, they are a generation seeking stability in uncertain times.
Take Rachel (not her real name), 24, a young professional in the infrastructure sector. She joined her organisation expecting to drive business partnerships. Instead, much of her time went to paperwork and fixing system inefficiencies. When she raised concerns about her workload, these were reframed as “development opportunities”.
“They called it exposure,” she says, “but it felt like busywork without real support.”
Her experience mirrors SUSS’ findings. Young workers are not dismissing progression – they value it – but only when pay, security and support are in place. Employers, however, often treat new titles or added responsibilities as incentives in themselves.
The result is frustration on one side and confusion on the other.
STABILITY OVER FLEXIBILITY
The study looked at the employment priorities of youths across three age groups: 18 to 25, 26 to 30, and 31 to 35. Financial gain and job stability consistently outweighed flexible work or career progression.
Flexible working arrangements were still a consideration for those aged 18 to 25 and 31 to 35, but those aged 26 to 30 chose work-life balance over flexibility.
Older respondents aged 26 to 35 valued financial gain, job stability and career advancement.
Research has shown that flexible work arrangements matter greatly to Singaporean workers – a 2024 survey found that one in two Singaporeans would quit their job if asked to return to the office.
But amid rising costs of living and global uncertainty, priorities may have changed. High-profile layoffs in the tech sector, driven by firms pursuing efficiency and AI, has made job security feel precarious.
The age breakdown illustrates this shift clearly. Younger workers in their early 20s can afford to prioritise autonomy and flexibility. By the late 20s, as commitments like housing and family planning set in, stability becomes the goal. By the early 30s, with mortgages and caregiving, stability is no longer optional – it is survival.
Related:
WHEN YOUTHS AND EMPLOYERS TALK PAST EACH OTHER
It is precisely here that employers’ and workers’ expectations diverge. Despite young workers craving security, employers continue to frame progression and exposure as motivators.
For many employers, offering new responsibilities or career paths is a form of support for employees. For youths, however, in an environment of layoffs and rising costs, these gestures miss the mark if stability is not assured.
This mismatch explains why over 60 per cent of youths remain open to new jobs, dissatisfied with salary and culture, leaving managers puzzled when their teams don’t respond to “growth opportunities”.
The disconnect also shows up in SUSS’ survey. When asked what motivates them to do well at work, youths chose financial incentives, flexibility and autonomy. Employers, meanwhile, emphasised promotions and long-term growth. Both perspectives are valid, but until this gap closes, trust and retention will remain fragile.
Related:
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR SINGAPORE
The findings challenge the stereotype that young Singaporeans are chasing only flexible work. The truth is more grounded: they want job security first.
For employers, moving beyond assumptions means offering substance over symbols. Retention will come not from free gym passes, mindfulness apps or token flexi-work weeks, but from fair compensation, job stability and clear pathways that balance job security with long-term growth.
For youths, it means recognising that stability comes not only from pay, but from building the human skills that make them indispensable – problem-solving, critical thinking, and adaptability.
For young professionals like Rachel, job stability is not about permanence. It means fair and predictable pay, workloads that are sustainable, and visible investment in her skills. “Development opportunities” alone cannot replace these.
The future of work will be defined by whether employers can provide young workers with the security they seek, while enabling progression that feels coherent and sustainable. Get that balance right, and we will build not only stronger careers but also a more resilient workforce for the disruptions ahead.
Associate Professor Justina Tan is the Vice President of Strategic Partnership and Engagement at the Singapore University of Social Sciences and Principal Investigator of the study Youth and Employer Perspectives on Jobs and Skills in Singapore (October 2025).
Continue reading...