Poor Leadership Causing 50% of SG Employees To Burn Out

Over half of Singaporeans are burned out and considering switching jobs the following year, while 16% admitted to ‘quiet quitting,’ according to new Slack research. 

The study, Leadership and the war for talent, based on a survey of over 1,000 Singaporean knowledge workers, found that the impact of the pandemic, the uncertain economic environment, and the burnout experienced by over half of Singaporean knowledge workers in the last year, have irrevocably changed what employees want from their leaders.

SG employees now value stability and job security (53%) more than salary (40%) when it comes to choosing the company they work for. Having a good manager (31%) was almost as much of a consideration as salary. Respondents preferred leaders who demonstrated soft or ‘power’ skills and embraced collaborative technology, fostering a greater sense of connection to a company.

Slack’s research linked poor leadership and decreased employee morale and productivity. Only half of the Singaporean professionals said they felt inspired by their leaders, and the same number found their leaders “stuck in their ways of working.” ‘Quiet quitting’ was strongly linked to poor leadership; over half (51%) of those who ‘quiet quit’ reported having poor leaders.  

According to the study, employees with poor or average leaders felt they had much less voice and less control and autonomy over their work. Additionally, they reported a disconnect between leaders and employees and a more forced culture. 

Survey respondents also identified teamwork and collaboration, transparent and trustworthy leadership, flexible work, and employee well-being as the four most prominent factors in driving success — all valued more highly than financial achievement. Regarding flexible working, over two-thirds of Singaporeans want to be trusted to do their job regardless of location or work hours.

Shweta Verma, Slack’s country manager for Singapore, said, “The reality is that many Singaporean professionals are burnt out. Leaders have an obligation to address this — not least for the well-being of their employees but also to drive the productivity of their organizations. As we continue to go through one of the biggest workplace experiments of the century — moving from physical offices to digital headquarters — it’s critical that employers demonstrate sound, positive leadership. By harnessing collaborative technology at scale and engaging employees in ways that best suit them, leaders can help drive productivity and a happier, more engaged workforce.”

Image credit: iStockphoto/yuriyzhuravov