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The leading barrier was a mismatch between candidate expectations and job requirements, cited by 43%.
Singapore employers are finding that hiring the right people is becoming more complex, even as many organisations turn to technology, refine candidate targeting and take a more selective approach to workforce planning.
The latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, released on 8 September, shows that employers are not necessarily hiring at a faster pace in Q4 2026. While 24% said vacancies are being filled more quickly than a year ago, the majority reported little improvement: 42% said time-to-hire is about the same, while 33% said it is taking longer. Just 1% were unsure.
The results underline a central challenge facing employers: identifying candidates whose skills, experience, and expectations align with increasingly specific job requirements. Among employers experiencing longer hiring timelines, the leading barrier was a mismatch between candidate expectations and job requirements, cited by 43%. This was followed by a lack of candidates with the required skills (35%) and a shortage of qualified candidates in the local market (29%).
For companies that are maintaining or improving their hiring speed, better candidate targeting is proving most effective. The offer of greater flexibility, such as remote or hybrid work options, is also helping some organisations attract talent more quickly. Effective screening of applications, faster internal approvals, and the use of external recruitment partners were among other factors cited as helping to accelerate hiring.
The findings come as Singapore employers adopt a more disciplined overall approach to headcount. The country’s seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook stands at +13% for Q4 2026, unchanged from the previous quarter but seven percentage points lower than a year earlier.
Of the 651 employers surveyed, 32% plan to increase headcount in the quarter ahead, while 47% intend to keep staffing levels unchanged. Another 19% expect to reduce headcount, and 2% remain uncertain. The rise in employers planning to hold headcount steady, from 41% in the previous quarter, suggests organisations are focusing recruitment on roles with a clear strategic or operational need.
“Organisations remain prepared to invest in talent where there is a clear business need, but many are becoming more disciplined in how they allocate headcount,” said Linda Teo, Country Manager of ManpowerGroup Singapore. She noted that employers are increasingly prioritising hires that support transformation, address critical capability needs and strengthen long-term competitiveness.
Early-career hiring remains an important part of this strategy, although demand varies by sector. Compared with 2025, 37% of employers said they have increased early-career hiring, while 39% reported no change and 22% said it had declined. Employers reducing entry-level recruitment most commonly pointed to AI-driven automation, cost pressures favouring more experienced candidates and an overall reduction in hiring activity.
READ MORE: Singapore employers remain cautious on 2027 wage growth as manpower costs rise, survey finds
Lead image / ManpowerGroup
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