Increased responsibility as part of the pandemic (45%), job security (35%), and length of workday (30%) were cited as the top reasons causing stress to employees in Singapore during the pandemic, according to the ADP® Research Institute’s People at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View.
Over 73% of Singapore workers experience stress at least once a week at work, with 16% sharing that they experience stress every day. Interestingly, over 42% of employees above the age of 55 were worried about job security, compared to a general average of 35%.
In total, the report surveyed almost 33,000 workers in 17 countries and explores employees’ attitudes towards the current world of work and what they expect and hope for from the workplace of the future. In Singapore, a total of 1906 workers were interviewed. During the pandemic, workers who faced an increase in job responsibilities often found it coinciding with the sudden shift to hybrid or remote work. Past studies have shown that remote workers worked more hours at home than they did when working fully from office. At the same time, workers may not be able to readily access support, be it from their colleagues or superiors, while working at home. These two reasons could explain why workers experience stress related to increased responsibilities during the pandemic.
The uncertainties of the pandemic, and the shift to hybrid work, can also explain why older workers are worried about job security. The rapid adaptation of solutions like video conferences, digital platforms, and automation may exacerbate fears of irrelevancy amidst an uncertain future. Yvonne Teo, Vice President of HR APAC, ADP, says, “While some stress is expected during work, there can be steps that employers can take to ensure that workers, especially older workers, have easy access to mental wellness support and open communication with their superiors about their work. “Employers should continue—and start if they have not—to create inclusive workplaces where older workers feel included. This not only boosts the morale of older workers, but also builds a positive work environment for all in the company. “As we resume more of our pre-pandemic work structure, it may be worth re-evaluating employees’ work responsibilities to see if their tasks can be streamlined. This should not be a one-off evaluation, but something that is done on a regular basis. Employers should also consider implementing a support or mentorship system for employees, both for work tasks and peer support.”
People at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View explores employees’ attitudes towards the current world of work and what they expect and hope for from the workplace of the future. ADP Research Institute® surveyed 32,924 workers in 17 countries around the world between 1 November and 24 November 2021. This included: • 15,683 in Europe (France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and the UK) • 3,829 in North America (USA and Canada) • 5,768 in Latin America (Argentina, Brazil and Chile) • 7,644 in Asia Pacific (Australia, China, India and Singapore) The survey was conducted online in the local language. Overall results were weighted to represent the size of the working population for each country. Weightings are based on labour force data from the World Bank, which is derived using data from the ILOSTAT database, the central statistics database of the International Labour Organization (ILO), as of 8 February 2022.
