Nearly half, or 42%, of workers in Singapore say that work-life balance is the top factor when choosing an employer, according to a survey from recruitment firm Reeracoen Singapore in partnership with Rakuten Insight Global. Income (41%), potential career growth (13%), learning opportunities (10%), and the company's public image (4%) were also factors.

The study found several differences between generations.

Unlike other age groups, Gen Xers place 'Work-life Balance' (46%) as their top priority, with 'Income' second and 'Accessibility/Location' third.

Gen Z's chose 'Income' (43%) as their highest priority, followed by 'Work-Life Balance' and 'Learning Opportunities.'

Millennials weighted "Income" and "Work-Life Balance" an equal 43%, followed by "Potential Career Growth".

Respondents in the 'tourism, leisure, hospitality, food & beverage', 'human resources, and 'publishing/ printing/ advertising/broadcasting' industries were more likely to prioritise work-life balance over other factors including income.

Reeracoen's Group CEO, Kenji Naito said, "As companies worldwide recover from Covid-19, the demand for global talent will intensify. Companies in Singapore have no choice but to up their game if they want to compete. To do this effectively, they must have an effective strategy to attract the best talent. Only through understanding the needs of job seekers will businesses be able to do this effectively," said.