Nearly half of employers in Singapore plan to increase their headcounts this year even as workers are less inclined to change jobs, according to the 2022 Hays Asia Salary Guide.

The report included more than 9,500 responses collected between October and November 2021 from China, Hong Kong, SAR, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore.

Forty-seven percent of Singapore employers said they expect staff levels to increase in the next 12 months. This is higher than 36% who reported an increase in staff levels in the last 12 months. In addition, only 10% said they expect a decrease in staff levels, compared to 25% who said staff numbers decreased in the last 12 months.

“Employers certainly have an increased appetite to hire this year, given the lifting of hiring freezes and the high level of business activity anticipated,” said Kristy Hulston, regional director of Hays Singapore. “With the pandemic stabilising and the economy recovering from the disruption, employers in Singapore were some of the most optimistic in Asia, with 73% saying they expect business activity levels to increase this year.”

In comparison, 74% of employers in Malaysia expect increased business activity levels. The least optimistic were employers in China, at 60%.

On the other hand, employees in Singapore are less inclined to leave their jobs. Only 26% of respondents said they are actively looking for a new job this year, compared to 34% last year.