Singapore comes 3rd in Southeast Asia for daily workplace stress, according to Gallup study

Feeling stressed at work? You're not the only one. 

Singapore was ranked third in Southeast Asia for daily workplace stress, according to the State of the Global Workplace: 2024 Report by Gallup.

The global survey, conducted in 2023, aimed to better understand employees and how they feel about their work and lives. 

Thirty-eight per cent of Singapore respondents shared that they experienced plenty of stress in a day. 

At the top of this list is Myanmar, where 48 per cent of respondents answered "yes" when asked if they experience stress "a lot of the day".

And in second place is the Philippines, with 46 per cent of their respondents saying they felt stressed. 

At the bottom and in 9th spot is Indonesia, where only 16 per cent of respondents said they experienced stress during their day.  

On the other hand, when it came to experiencing feelings of anger and sadness in a day, Singapore ranked much lower on the lists, coming in at eighth place for both categories. 

Fifteen per cent of Singapore respondents said they experienced a lot of anger in a day, while 14 per cent of them said they felt sad. 

Myanmar found itself back at the top of another list, with 31 per cent of its respondents indicating that they felt angry "a lot of the day".   

Vietnam, on the other hand, appears to have the least angry people in the workforce, with only 10 per cent of its respondents stating that they felt anger through most of the day. 

As for sadness, Cambodia tops the list with 36 per cent of respondents reported experiencing it.

And once again, at the bottom of the list is Vietnam, with only 11 per cent of people saying that they felt sad.

To put the numbers into context, however, Southeast Asians are not the most stressed according to the survey, with a reported average of 25 per cent, compared to the global average of 41 per cent.

Singapore's outlook on job climate

When it came to employees' thoughts about the job climate and whether it's a good time to find a job, Singapore was at second last place among the nine countries surveyed, with 44 per cent of respondents feeling that it's a good time to go job-hunting. 

Myanmar was at the bottom of this list, with only 19 per cent of employees surveyed feeling that it's a good time for a change in jobs. 

On the other end of the spectrum was the Philippines, where 69 per cent of respondents felt good about the job situation in their area and thought it's a good time to look for a new job. 

With their slightly more pessimistic outlook on the job climate, it isn't surprising that Singapore placed seventh overall when questioned about how intent they were to leave their jobs.

Only 38 per cent of respondents shared that they were looking out for or actively seeking a new job. 

Malaysia and Vietnam were tied for the same spot at the bottom of this list, with 31 per cent of respondents from both countries being on the lookout for a new job. 

The Philippines, on the other hand, topped the list, with 64 per cent of respondents actively looking out for new job opportunities. 

Least engaged employees in SEA, report shows

When it comes to employee engagement, however, Singapore came in at last place with only 13 per cent of respondents being engaged at work. 

This is in comparison to the Philippines, which topped the list at 35 per cent.

In their report, Gallup stated that engaged employees are those who are highly involved in and enthusiastic about their work and workplace. 

These people find their work and work relationships meaningful, and employment is "associated with high levels of daily enjoyment and low levels of negative daily emotions".

The report also found that half of employees who are engaged at work are thriving in life overall. 

Employees who are not engaged are described as those who are "quietly quitting" and are "psychologically unattached to their work and company". 

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melissateo@asiaone.com