Singapore: COVID-19 hiring trends
COVID-19 has disrupted various aspects of the job market, and one of the biggest changes is the change in the nature of job openings. According to the annual job vacancies report released by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on April 9, it reflected that nearly 35% of the job vacancies last year were for remote roles. Due to job redesigning and reorganising efforts in the face of the pandemic, nearly half of all job vacancies last year were newly created. This is a notable increase compared with the past 2 years.
IT & Technology roles
The first significant trend is the acceleration of demand for IT development roles. Positions such as web developers, data and system analysts are extremely high in demand today. Prior to the pandemic, IT professionals have already been highly sought after. However, the rising need for IT talents is largely attributed to the adjustment towards remote work and the increased dependence on technology during COVID-19. These tech roles aren’t just limited to the IT industry as well. Many sectors like Finance, F&B are quickly advancing towards moving their business model online. Firms are encouraged to work towards upskilling their employees as the demand for tech skills is not expected to slow down in the coming years.
Healthcare roles
Next, the job demand in the healthcare sector is on the rise as well. Unsurprisingly, the pandemic has amplified the need for more healthcare professionals. Specifically, healthcare assistants and nurses are the positions with strong demand. In August 2020, the Ministry of Health announced plans involving the creation of over 9000 employment opportunities to meet the demand of the healthcare sector. The positions were also offered to candidates without a background in healthcare.
Logistic and supply chain roles
Lastly, due to the pandemic increasing citizens’ reliance on online delivery for food and groceries, Linkedin’s talent management report reflected an increase in demand for talent in the logistics and supply chain management sector. Even in this sector, companies are pooling more resources to invest in technology that can speed up their services.
With the major shifts reshaping the job market, it remains vital for businesses to prioritise workforce planning and continue redesigning the jobs to be future proof. The pandemic serves as a reminder of the power that technology holds, and companies have to continue to adapt in order to expand.
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This article is written with reference from:
HRD. (2021, February 15). LinkedIn reveals Singapore’s most in-demand jobs in 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021, from Hcamag.com website: https://www.hcamag.com/asia/specialisation/recruitment/linkedin-reveals-singapores-most-in-demand-jobs-in-2021/246514
Priya Sunil. (2021, June 2). 86% of Singapore employees surveyed want their employers to invest in tech skills training. Retrieved June 21, 2021, from Humanresourcesonline.net website: https://www.humanresourcesonline.net/86-of-singapore-employees-surveyed-want-their-employers-to-invest-in-tech-skills-training
Yang, C., & Tan, S.-A. (2021, April 9). A third of job openings in 2020 was for remote work; about half were newly created positions: MOM report. Retrieved June 21, 2021, from The Straits Times website: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/jobs/a-third-of-job-openings-in-2020-was-for-remote-work-about-half-were-newly-created
