The 2026 Singapore Market Outlook and Salary Guide offers salary benchmarks for employees and job seekers across more than 600 roles and 11 key sectors, analysing the country’s evolving talent landscape amid digital transformation and economic resilience.
The report also includes early findings from the 2026 Talent Outlook and Expectations Survey, which highlights talent sentiments from 500 respondents on job-switching behaviours, work-life balance priorities, and AI adoption at work.
Singapore’s talent market is navigating a complex landscape as the muted hiring activity level from 2025 is expected to flow over to the new year. The global economic picture remains uncertain, characterised by a more fragmented global economy that could lead to potential trade barriers for small and open economies like Singapore.
Against this backdrop, companies are expected to maintain their talent strategies in the new year to continue focusing on cost optimisation and productivity efficiency. In this environment, employers must recognise that the success of recruitment will hinge on their investments in specific growth sectors, AI adoption, and a renewed push to build employer brand reputation.
high-growth sectors and job demand
Singapore continues building strong competitive advantages in the digital economy, which is not just attracting high-quality investments but also creating high-value jobs for local talent. The engineering, financial services, and life sciences sectors have demonstrated resilience with demand for high-value roles such as robotics and automation engineers, specialists in green financing and sustainable investing, and biomanufacturing technicians.
Even as some outward-oriented sectors like Professional Services and Technology experienced employment easing, fields like cybersecurity and enterprise software remain prominent for highly-qualified talent.
workforce’s adoption determines AI transformation successes
AI has emerged as the defining technology in this era as it transforms not just processes, but also job roles and skills as outlined in sectoral job transformation maps. Many companies are already realising the benefits, with AI driving productivity gains and creating new sources of value.
However, merely adopting technology is insufficient. The talent pipeline requires significant reskilling to remain competitive. Across industries, skills such as Prompt Engineering are now in-demand even for non-tech roles, reflecting the growing expectations that employees can effectively use AI-powered tools and systems independently.
These shifts highlight the need for employers to understand the causes behind adoption gaps and fluctuations, as well as ensure equitable access to AI upskilling opportunities across all workforce segments.
Our latest research reveals that generative AI applications are most commonly used among local employees, with 70% using them for content creation like writing emails and reports. Despite strong engagement with publicly available tools such as ChatGPT, enterprise-level AI adoption remains low.
This disparity indicates a maturity gap in workforce readiness, particularly in industries facing more automations and AI integrations like Construction, Manufacturing, and Banking & Financial Services. Employers can help bridge this gap through targeted investment in structured AI training and integration of enterprise-grade solutions, ensuring that all workforce segments are equipped to capitalise on AI’s transformative potential.
talent sentiments in 2026
According to the 2026 Talent Outlook and Expectations Survey, 53% said that they will look for new jobs if they feel dissatisfied with their pay raise, bonus, or both. 41% of respondents are keen to switch jobs, but only if they chance upon a better job opportunity as there are no strong push factors.
Meanwhile, 43% of job seekers say they are considering a lateral move, compared to 28% who believe they can secure both a promotion and pay rise. This marks a lower appetite for advancement among the local talent pool compared with periods of stronger economic confidence.
Beyond salary, talent now evaluates employers based on the quality of their total rewards and workplace culture. The most valued benefits include:
- performance bonus (68%)
- flexible work hours (60%)
- comprehensive healthcare (47%)
- flexible work location (44%)
For talent in Singapore, manageable workloads and reasonable total working hours remain core to their perception of work–life balance.
As companies pursue productivity gains in 2026, it is critical to ensure workloads remain sustainable. Many organisations have already consolidated roles to boost efficiency, yet this must be balanced with adequate technological support, shared services, and outsourced solutions to prevent burnout and disengagement that will ultimately impact recruitment outcomes.
download now: randstad singapore’s 2026 market outlook & salary guide
Our 2026 Job Market and Salary Trends report cuts through the complexity to deliver actionable insights and expert analyses from our business leaders in Singapore. Let us help you navigate today's challenges and create new opportunities to strengthen your workforce for the future, ensuring your business doesn't just adapt — it thrives.
Salary benchmarks for more than 400 job titles are also featured in the report for the following specialisations:
- Accounting & Finance
- Banking & Financial Services
- Construction & Property
- Human Resources
- Insurance
- Legal
- Life Sciences
- Manufacturing & Industrial
- Sales & Marketing
- Supply Chain & Procurement
- Technology
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