Survey shows Singapore managers put health, work—life balance over career

Channel NewsAsia - Friday, June 19

SINGAPORE: A local survey shows that Singapore managers are a pragmatic lot, with over 80 per cent polled viewing good health, work—life balance and passion for work as more important than career advancement and higher salary.

In comparison, only 61 per cent scored career advancement and high salary as more important despite the financial pressures of the economic downturn.

The inaugural survey, commissioned by the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), shows 86 per cent intended to work beyond the retirement age of 62, although more than half would prefer to work on a part—time basis, doing freelance or consulting work.

When it came to training, seven in 10 managers viewed skills and knowledge upgrading as important. Most, however, preferred to implement on—the—job training through learning of best practices and short—term courses than long—term programs or job rotations within the organisation.

Tracking the general sentiments on the economy, there was more pessimism about the global economy than Singapore economy.

Compared with the 77 per cent who voiced their uncertainty about how the global economy was performing, only 61 per cent of respondents said they were concerned about how Singapore’s economy fared.

This might explain why only slightly more than half the 750 respondents were confident of keeping their jobs.

Executive director, SIM, Ronald Tan, said: "It shows how they realign their priorities, vis-a-vis, the current turbulent times. So they have to very quickly look at what is most critical to them to ride out the storm, given the limited resources that they have. So we see that there is a general and common reaction underpinned by a sense of prudence, pragmatism and being realistic."

Some 750 respondents took part in this survey which will be conducted twice a year. The SIM Management Monitor is a comprehensive management survey that aims to identify key trends in management and better understand the issues, concerns and challenges that Singapore managers uniquely face.

— 938LIVE/CNA/yt

From Yahoo! News; see the source article here.

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