Many Young Singapore Workers To Quit If Forced To Work In The Office Everyday

SINGAPORE – A survey found out that over 50 percent of employees here between the ages of 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 would mull quitting if they’re forced to report to the office full-time, according to a report by The Edge that was published earlier this week.

As for those above 55 years old, only 35 percent would contemplate resigning if this happened, based on the ADP Research Institute’s survey entitled “People at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View.”

Globally, 71 percent of workers age 18 to 24 and 66 percent of those between 25 and 34 would consider such move, while 56 percent of the workers belonging to the 45-54 age bracket would think about resigning if they boss compels them to report to the office every workday. Notably, the research polled nearly 33,000 employees across 17 countries.

The high percentage of young Singapore workers contemplating to quit if asked to report to the office full-time could lead to potential issues. This is because some sectors – like construction, manufacturing, as well as food and beverage (F&B) – may not be able to adopt a hybrid work arrangement. And industries like retail and F&B have a higher dependence on younger staff, as compared to other sectors.

“As lockdowns have eased in different countries, the question of whether workers can be compelled to return to the workplace full-time is a divisive topic. For many it could be a pivotal issue, potentially triggering a decision to leave,” said Yvonne Teo, Vice President of human resources at ADP.

“It is worth investigating the willingness of workers to return to the office and balancing this with what would work best for the business. When workers return to the office, managers have important roles to make in-person collaborations meaningful to engage younger workers. This will help to build a more connected internal culture and enhance trust and loyalty between employers and staff,” she advised.