3 in 5 Singaporeans face workplace discrimination: PwC

More than 60% of Singaporeans say they faced workplace discrimination due to their age, ethnicity or gender.

A majority of Singaporeans have experienced workplace discrimination that led them to miss out on career advancement or training, according to the latest PwC survey.

Approximately 62% of Singaporean workers said they had faced discrimination: 29% based on age, 17% based on ethnicity, and 15% based on gender. This is higher than the global average of 50%.

Disparities also arose when it came to access to upskilling opportunities, with 75% of unskilled manual workers reporting that they had not received any opportunities for digital upskilling. On the other hand, opportunities were given to 39% of postgraduate degree holders and 22% of school-level qualification holders.

Half of the Singaporean respondents, at exactly 50%, also expressed fears that their job will be obsolete in 5 years, again higher than the 40% global average.

Despite this, 80% of respondents say they are confident that they can adopt to new technologies, whilst 81% are ready to retain or learn new skills.

Approximately 52% of the respondents, on the other hand, are building up their entrepreneurial skills to set up their new business.

"If we want to shift to a model of high productivity, innovation and growth, open collaboration, transparency and inclusion are crucial factors that government and business leaders need to collaborate to ensure are translated into the workplace in the form of equal opportunities. People in the most at-risk industries and groups may need additional interventions to ensure that existing gaps are addressed,” said Martijn Schouten, Workforce Transformation Leader, PwC South East Asia Consulting.

Only a mere 4% of Singaporean respondents said they wanted to go back to a traditional commute and work environment full time. This is not limited to professional jobs, as 64% of manual workers and 61% of semi-skilled workers said there are aspects of their jobs that they can do remotely.

A majority of younger workers between the age of 18 and 34 responded that they prioritise income over purpose in their jobs, at 63%, whilst 37% prioritise “making a difference.”

This reflected the overall sentiment of Singaporean workers, with 62% of respondents, regardless of age, preferring income over impact.