82% of Indonesians happy at work; only 56% of Singaporeans said the same

SINGAPORE: According to Jobstreet by SEEK’s Workplace Happiness Index, Indonesian workers are the happiest in the Asia-Pacific region. More than 8 out of 10 (82%) of Indonesian workers said they felt somewhat or extremely happy at work.

Singapore ranked the second-lowest among the countries surveyed concerning workplace happiness, with only slightly more than half (56%) saying they feel this way.

The study’s findings show that experiences in the workplace differ greatly from country to country in the region, in large part due to culture, each country’s economy, and the environments of workplaces themselves. Helping workers be happier, therefore, is not the same for each country, which needs specific strategies to engage and support workers.

After Indonesia, the Philippines (77%) ranked next in terms of workplace happiness, followed by Malaysia (70%), Thailand (67%), New Zealand (65%), and Australia (57%).

Hong Kong took last place, with less than half of the workers surveyed (47%) saying they felt somewhat or extremely happy at work.

“This may be partly reflective of a cultural tendency among Indonesians and Filipinos to answer more positively to surveys,” the report said, while adding that Singapore’s happiness at work rate may be due to “the persistent impact of economic pressure and an ‘always on’ work culture in Singapore.”

Nevertheless, the majority of Singaporean workers said they believe happiness is possible. While eight out of 10 Singaporean workers believe this, the fact that only about half say they’re actually happy shows the gap between workers’ expectations and lived reality.

The study identified three key pressure points that workers feel: burnout, limited progression, and uneven access to opportunity.

Interestingly, 45% of the Singapore workers surveyed said they felt burnt out or exhausted by their jobs, with 41% of the workers who said they were happy having this response. As for workers who say they are unhappy, the study shows that they are 1.5 times more likely to experience burnout.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that 64% of the survey’s participants said that higher pay would make them happier. Nevertheless, the study also reveals that long-term workplace happiness is determined in large part by purpose, growth, and recognition.

“What our latest Workplace Happiness Index shows us is that Singapore’s workers are not disengaged or unmotivated, but rather feeling stretched and undervalued,” said Esther Lee, Managing Director, Singapore, Jobstreet by SEEK. /TISG