The Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) annual Job Vacancy Report of Singapore revealed that 35% of job openings during 2020 were for remote work. These openings were mostly for professionals, managers, executives, and technicians (PMET).
2020 is now popularly known as ‘the remote work year’ for most people because the pandemic forced companies to implement flexible arrangements. Some companies successfully adapted to this virtual model, and overall, many countries around the world are starting to see a significant increase of remote and hybrid work models.
Singapore, for instance, recently reported an increase in the number of job vacancies for remote workers.
Remote Work Job Openings in Singapore
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower released the latest Job Vacancy report identifying changes in the hiring trends due to the pandemic. Most companies started implementing remote working policies, but the job offers have also shifted towards more remote opportunities.
Lawrence Wong, the co-chair of Singapore’s COVID-19 multi-ministry taskforce, announced that Singapore continues to adjust to a post-pandemic world by shifting towards a flexible and hybrid work model. This doesn’t mean employees will continue working 100% from home, but there will be a change regarding flexible arrangements.
According to the Job Vacancy report, four out of ten job vacancies in 2020 were for remote workers. These jobs mainly consisted of PMET roles, with 57% remote opening for these categories and only 6% for non-PMET positions.
The report showed that PMET (professionals, managers, executives, and technicians) roles formed 57% of remote job openings, contrasting with the 6% for non-PMET ones.
Manager and administrator roles took the biggest proportion of remote work vacancies, with 71% of job vacancies looking for such positions. These roles allow employees to work from home – or anywhere – without working from the office or a specific location.
Remote Work Trend Contines to Rise
Singapore is not the only country experiencing a change in hiring trends. Countries like Portugal and South Africa are also noticing how employees want to continue working remotely post-pandemic.
Despite some companies starting to re-open their offices, others continue adapting to employees’ demands. Overall, the most recurrent trend is not in fully remote arrangements but flexible and hybrid work structures that benefit both companies and employees.
