A new study from Jobstreet by SEEK has highlighted a widening disconnect between what Singaporean workers expect and what they experience once they start a job. The Great Expectation Gap: Rethinking Work and Worth in Singapore, released on 19 November, shows that eight in ten employees feel their jobs do not match what was promised, with most spotting the mismatch within the first three months.
The report, conducted with Milieu Insight, surveyed 800 employees and employers across industries and found a workforce that is pragmatic yet disappointed. Despite stable employment conditions and resilient labour market data, many workers believe their roles fall short of what they were led to expect during hiring.
Employers acknowledge the shifting landscape too. Nine in ten say employee priorities change over time, which complicates efforts to offer competitive and relevant benefits. As expectations shift, alignment between both sides becomes harder to achieve.
Workers reassess what fairness means
The findings shed light on why misalignment is so common. Mid-career workers report the highest rate of early mismatch, with 62 percent identifying issues within the first three months. Pay-responsibility gaps are the main cause for this group, while younger workers often discover that actual job scopes differ from job advertisements.
Across all age groups, the top reasons for mismatch are pay misalignment, unclear roles, and culture fit. Although many may assume that younger workers are driven by entitlement, the report suggests the opposite. Employees are making calculated trade-offs in search of balance, clarity, and transparency.
While nearly half of all employees rank salary as their top priority, about one in four say they would temporarily compromise on pay if the overall offer feels fair and provides room for growth. This idea of “conditional compromise” shows that workers are willing to make short-term trade-offs for long-term benefit, but they remain firm on fairness as a non-negotiable.
The data also shows clear differences between age groups. Nearly half of employees aged 25 to 34 would give up prestige for better work culture, reflecting a desire for mentorship and supportive environments. Mid-career professionals prioritise balance, while older workers tend to value stability. At the same time, half of all employees say they would not take a pay cut even for a four-day week or full flexibility, suggesting that flexibility has become an expectation rather than a perk.
Employers share similar goals but face tight constraints
Employers in Singapore face their own pressures. Many report challenges linked to skills shortages, rising salary expectations, and tighter budgets. SMEs struggle most with pay expectations and budget limits, while MNCs face difficulty finding candidates with the right skills and aligning roles with expectations.
Although employers believe they offer competitive conditions, including reasonable working hours, bonuses, and flexibility, only 18 percent say they provide above-market salaries. This remains a major point of disconnect given that salary is consistently ranked as the top priority for workers.
Similar to employees, employers take a pragmatic approach when resources are stretched. Many are open to hiring candidates with less experience if they demonstrate the right attitude, or lowering experience requirements if it means meeting budget constraints. Cultural fit is also increasingly considered when making hiring decisions.
Bridging the gap
Jobstreet by SEEK says the findings point to growing misalignment driven by fast-shifting expectations, operational pressures, and differing interpretations of fairness. According to Yuh Yng Chook, Director of Asia Sales and APAC Service at Jobstreet and Jobsdb by SEEK, “The expectation gap is a reflection of how quickly Singapore’s employment landscape is evolving. The labour market remains resilient, with stronger-than-expected employment growth and steady unemployment in Q3 2025. Yet beneath these positive indicators, our findings show that good intent isn’t always enough. Employers believe they are being fair, and employees are already adapting — but their definitions of fairness don’t fully align.”
She added that bridging this gap will require clearer communication and better alignment on competitive pay, culture fit, role clarity, work-life balance, and transparency.
