Singapore bosses don't want men with NS commitments

Despite positive views on National Service (NS) by the majority of NS men, some feel disadvantaged when it comes to securing a job.

The "Singaporeans' Attitudes to National Service" report conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies in NUS, studied the local perception of NS and revealed 42% of employed servicemen agreed bosses would prefer to hire someone without NS commitments.

But despite this, 89% of employed servicemen said their employer has been supportive of their NS commitments.

More than three quarters (76.9%) reported their workload was also adjusted accordingly to accommodate NS responsibilities.

The survey, which looked at responses from 1,251 Singaporean citizens, also revealed positive support from family members and the public, with 97% of them said they were proud a family member serves or has served NS.

Nearly all respondents (98%) also felt NS was necessary and provided security for the country to prosper and develop.

A huge majority of respondents (97%) added they believe NS develops leadership skills and 97.5% said it makes a person more resilient and capable of coping with difficulties.