Singapore's workforce may look relatively settled in 2026, but the wider ASEAN career landscape is moving quickly.

Across Southeast Asia, professionals are reassessing career moves, additional income and the impact of AI on their work. To understand how these shifts are playing out, Reeracoen Group partnered with Rakuten Insight to conduct The Great Restructuring: ASEAN Consumer & Business Pulse Survey 2026 across 3,630 consumers and business leaders in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

For Singapore professionals, one finding stands out immediately: only 13% say they are considering a career change, the lowest share among the six markets surveyed. Yet 47% are seeking additional income, while AI and automation are cited by 32% of Singapore respondents who are considering a move.

That creates a more nuanced career story than a simple 'stay or leave' decision. Singapore professionals may be less inclined to change jobs, but the skills, financial priorities and technology shaping careers are still changing around them.
So what should professionals do if they are not planning an immediate move? The answer is to use this period of relative stability to benchmark skills, understand how roles are changing and prepare before the next career decision becomes urgent.

The Great Restructuring is a six-market ASEAN study by Reeracoen Group and Rakuten Insight covering 3,630 consumers and business leaders across Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. This article focuses on what the regional consumer findings mean for professionals in Singapore.

●    Singapore has the lowest career-change intent among the six markets at 13%.
●    47% of Singapore consumers surveyed are seeking additional income alongside their main job.
●    AI and automation are cited by 32% of Singapore respondents considering a career change.
●    Career-change intent varies substantially across ASEAN, from 13% to 29%.
●    The survey does not show that the same individuals are simultaneously changing jobs, upskilling and seeking extra income; these are separate indicators.

2026 ASEAN Snapshot

Indicator	Survey finding	Why it matters
Career-change intent	13%–29% across six markets	Career mobility differs materially by market.
Additional-income seeking	47%–71%	Financial responses are widespread across the region.
AI as career-change motivator	12%–39%	Technology is increasingly part of career decisions.
Selective hiring	32%–47% of businesses	Candidates face a more deliberate hiring environment.
AI/technology growth priority	24%–33% of businesses	Digital capability is increasingly relevant to workforce strategy.

Singapore's Workforce Looks More Settled — But Not Static

At 13%, Singapore records the lowest share of consumers considering a career change among the six markets surveyed. That is meaningfully below the regional high of 29% in Indonesia.

The survey does not establish why Singapore's figure is lower, so it should not be treated as proof of greater job security or satisfaction. What it does establish is a comparatively measured appetite for career movement at the time of the survey.

For professionals, that distinction matters. Not planning an immediate move can be a rational position while still reviewing whether your skills, compensation and role remain aligned with where employers are heading.

AI Is Becoming Part of the Career Decision

Among people considering a career change across ASEAN, AI and automation are cited as a motivator by 12% to 39% depending on the market. Singapore sits toward the upper end at 32%.

This does not mean 32% of Singapore workers believe AI will replace their jobs. The survey measures AI and automation as a reason among those already considering a move; it does not identify whether the motivation is fear, opportunity, reskilling or another factor.

For candidates, the practical signal is that technology is increasingly relevant to career planning beyond explicitly technical occupations.

Additional Income Is Common Across ASEAN

Between 47% and 71% of consumers across the six markets report actively seeking additional income alongside their main job. Singapore is at 47%, the lowest of the six markets, but that still represents close to half of respondents.

The survey does not specify whether this additional income comes from freelance work, part-time employment, investment, business activity or another source. It is therefore safer to read the result as a broad financial-planning indicator rather than assume how people are earning more.

Career planning and financial planning can be considered together, but the survey does not establish that the same respondents seeking extra income are also considering a job change.

What Singapore Professionals Can Do in 2026

1. Audit your role before you audit the job market

Ask which parts of your work are becoming more valuable, which are becoming easier to automate, and which skills would make you more useful if your role changes.

2. Build practical AI fluency

Reeracoen's guidance is to understand the tools and workflows relevant to your function rather than chase AI credentials for their own sake. The survey shows AI is part of the career conversation; it does not prescribe one skill set.

3. Keep your market knowledge current even if you are staying

A settled workforce can still face changing employer expectations. Periodic salary, skills and role benchmarking can help you make a deliberate decision rather than react only when circumstances force one.

4. Separate financial resilience from career panic

Seeking additional income is common across ASEAN. It does not automatically mean a job is insecure. Treat financial planning and career planning as related but distinct decisions.

5. Look beyond job titles

As businesses prioritise operational efficiency and technology, Reeracoen's view is that transferable capability — problem solving, data literacy, stakeholder management and effective use of digital tools — may become increasingly relevant.

 

No. The survey measures whether consumers are actively considering a career change; it does not measure overall job satisfaction or job security. Singapore's 13% figure simply places it at the lowest end of the six-market career-mobility range.

Among Singapore respondents considering a career change, AI and automation are cited by 32%. The survey does not establish whether this reflects concern about disruption or interest in new opportunities, but it shows technology is already a meaningful factor in career thinking.

Yes. 47% of Singapore consumers surveyed report seeking additional income alongside their main job. That is the lowest share among the six markets, but still close to half. The survey does not specify the form that additional income takes.

Not on the basis of this survey alone. Regional figures are useful context, not a rulebook. A career decision should still depend on your role, skills, compensation, development prospects and personal priorities.

The survey does not rank specific skills. Reeracoen's practical guidance is to build capabilities that complement the growth priorities businesses report — particularly technology awareness, adaptability, problem solving and the ability to work effectively with new tools.

 

Read the complete findings, market comparisons and 2026 ASEAN outlook in The Great Restructuring: ASEAN Consumer & Business Pulse Survey 2026.

For Job Seekers

If you are exploring your next role, speak with a Reeracoen Singapore consultant or browse current opportunities to understand what employers are looking for.

For Professionals Not Ready to Move

You can still use current hiring and workforce trends to benchmark your skills and prepare before your next career decision becomes urgent.

 

• Job Hugging Is Singapore’s Hottest New Career Trend — But Is It Actually Right for You in 2026?
• Top 10 Career Checklist for Singapore Professionals Before Your Next Move in 2026
• What Singapore Workers Actually Want Beyond the Paycheque in 2026 (and How to Ask for It)

 

About the Author

Valerie Ong, Regional Head of Marketing, Reeracoen Group

Valerie leads content and market insights for Reeracoen across Asia, working closely with Reeracoen's specialist recruitment consultants to translate hiring data, salary benchmarks, and labour market trends into practical guidance for employers and professionals across the region. Her work draws on Reeracoen's proprietary research, including the Salary Guide, Hiring Pulse, and Hiring Manager Survey.

Language Note

This article is published in English. Reeracoen Singapore also publishes selected content in Chinese and Japanese for its bilingual and Japanese-speaking professional community. 

  

Reeracoen Group × Rakuten Insight. The Great Restructuring: ASEAN Consumer & Business Pulse Survey 2026.

Survey statistics and market comparisons in this article are drawn from the sources above. Practical recommendations and forward-looking implications are Reeracoen's editorial interpretation and are identified separately from measured survey findings.

  

  

  

Disclaimer

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and reflects survey findings and market interpretation available at the time of publication. Business conditions, hiring trends and career outcomes vary by market, industry and individual circumstances. Survey findings should not be interpreted as guarantees of future hiring, investment, income or economic outcomes.