What makes us happy at work: Your manager, the culture, or the salary?

None of the above it seems, as most respondents in the latest workplace happiness survey say they are driven by a sense of purpose.

Stepping into a new leadership role often comes with careful clarity on KPIs and expectations; but as Esther Lee, Managing Director, Singapore, Jobstreet by SEEK, who has recently stepped into this role after 11+ years in various leadership roles with the company, shared, true clarity sometimes arrives only after being immersed in the everyday rhythm of a place and its people.

"After weeks of observing conversations in the office, riding in Grab cars, and absorbing Singapore’s fast-paced culture, a realisation emerged: understanding a job on paper is very different from feeling its purpose," Lee said (pictured below). 

And the theme of 'purpose' resonated across the room at a media event to release the Workplace Happiness Index: Singapore findings, attended by HRO.

When workers in Singapore were asked what makes them happy at work, the following happiness drivers came up (in order of importance to them):

• 1^st: Purpose at work
• 2^nd: Career progression opportunities
• 3^rd: Your day-to-day role responsibilities
• 4^th: Your company culture
• 5^th: Salary
• 6^th: Team/colleagues
• 7^th: Senior leadership
• 8^th: Work-life balance
• 9^th: Company commitment to ESG
• 10^th: Company values

Evidently, being able to see a sense of purpose has a strong impact on workplace happiness.

The report, which primarily features Singapore findings, also gauged overall workplace happiness sentiment across other markets in Asia through an online survey. Here's where employees across markets stood on their happiness levels:

While Indonesia workers were happiest in the region (at 82%), those in the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand were also doing quite well (77%, 70%, and 67% respectively). However, in Singapore and Australia, workplace happiness levels were pegged at just 56% and 57% respectively. 

Workers in Hong Kong, however, displayed the most worrying sentiments at just 47% saying they felt happiness when it comes to their workplace. 

So what makes workers in some markets unhappier than others? 

The report data showed the #1 cause of concern was stress levels. The second most cited response was career progression opportunities, or the lack thereof, while company leadership was also to blame. Interestingly, respondents did not cite unhappiness with their manager or their location of work in the top five.

Another interesting perspective presented in the report was that of happiness metrics by age. 

For Gen Z (18–29 years old), their workplace happiness is most influenced by flexible working arrangements, career progression opportunities, salary, and day-to-day role responsibilities – with flexibility and everyday responsibilities mattering more to them than other generations. This reflects their strong focus on wellbeing, flexibility, and personal development when deciding where to work.

For Millennials (30–44 years old), workplace happiness is most driven by purpose at work, company culture, and career progression opportunities. However, less than half of Millennials are happy with these elements, and their happiness with purpose is lower than any other generation.

For Gen X (45–59 years old), who are more advanced in their careers and likely the highest earners, happiness is driven most by purpose at work, senior leadership, and company culture. Where other generations are more impacted by daily tasks, Gen X workplace happiness is more influenced by broader workplace experiences.

Baby Boomers (60-64 years old) stood out as the happiest generation in the workplace. They are also the happiest with their purpose. In addition to greater seniority and autonomy, this could be also linked to this generation having the highest proportion of part-time or freelance workers, as many may be seeking greater work-life balance as they near retirement.

With all the conversation around happiness, one big takeaway from the launch was that workplace happiness is a shared responsibility. It is likely also not a one-time achievement, but a sustainable feeling and practice that, when done well, can create lasting value for people and organisations alike.

ALSO READ: Happiness, not convenience, is what employees want from their perks 

In-line photo / Journalist's own 
All other images / JobStreet report