Reeracoen, a leading provider of human resource services in Singapore, has released its latest report titled "Employee Attitudes Towards Digitalisation in a Post-pandemic World", providing valuable insights into the impact of COVID-19 on Singapore workers and their readiness for digital transformation.

In collaboration with Rakuten Insight Global, the study analysed 308 responses from three age groups to better understand Singapore workers' evolving attitudes and behaviours towards digitalisation. The report looks to bridge the gap in understanding and/or expectations between workers and employers, educating both parties with the aim of creating a better environment to nurture local talents for the future.

Specifically, the survey assessed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Singapore workers and their ability to adapt to the rapid digital transformation that's underway in Singapore and other countries worldwide. As businesses were compelled to accelerate their digitalisation efforts in the past few years, Reeracoen sought to determine whether Singapore's workers felt adequately equipped to embrace significant changes to the way they live and work.

The report captured responses from both full-time and part-time workers, offering a comprehensive perspective across different work arrangements. Additionally, it explores workers' perceptions of their companies' readiness for digitalisation, any perceived upskilling gaps and opportunities, as well as the levels of digital preparedness among different employment types.

Digitalisation attitudes varies from generation to generation

Reeracoen commissioned the survey to understand employee attitudes towards digitalisation in a post-pandemic world across three demographics: Gen Z (23%), Gen Y (38%) and Gen X (39%).

The results showed that Singapore full-time workers feel that the responsibility of Digitalization falls under:

1. IT (34%)
2. Govt (26%)
3. Everyone (19%)
4. HR (15%)
5. Mine (6%)

The survey results also revealed several insights between respondent groups:

• Less than half of the respondents have heard of Digitalization.
• Most respondents feel that their company is ready for Digitalization.
• Most full-time workers feel equipped to embrace "Digitalization", whereas most part-time workers feel ill-equipped to take on digital transformation.
• Most full-time workers feel supported by their company in terms of upskilling, whereas most part-time workers do not.
• Both full-time and part-time workers would most like their companies to roll out "Time off to upgrade/upskill", followed by "External training" and "Sponsored scholarships".
• The most popular upskilling platform both full-time and part-time workers are familiar with is SkillsFuture.

"Flexible working arrangements may be a good acquisition and retention strategy for companies in this global war for talent,” says Mr. Kenji Naito, Reeracoen Group CEO

"As the world continues to digitalise, there will be an ever-increasing demand for different ways of working - and this is a trend that will likely continue in 2023 and beyond," says Mr. Kenji Naito, Reeracoen's Group CEO. "To deal with this demand, Singapore based companies must evolve by first understanding their local talent pool, otherwise, they will have to compete globally for talents, which would be expensive and unsustainable. We believe that by providing insights into the changing trends as well as the evolving preferences of workers, we empower employers to attract and retain top talent effectively."

In a landscape transformed by the pandemic and digitalisation, the report gives an insight into workers' perceptions, support systems, and perceived upskilling opportunities, which are all valuable intelligence for the planning and resourcing of any organisation. Combined with their continued dedication to serve as a bridge between the companies and candidates that they represent, Reeracoen has continued to fortify its position as a trusted partner for both companies and job-seekers Singapore wide.