Singapore is one of the richest countries. So why are 9 in 10 workers checked out?

According to the inaugural Singapore Workplace Report 2026 by Gallup and the Singapore Institute of Directors, only 14% of Singapore's workforce is engaged at work, meaning 86% are either disengaged or actively disengaged. This figure has barely changed since 2019 and is lower than the global average of 20% and the Southeast Asian average of 25%. For workers under 35, engagement drops to just 10%. The report estimates that low engagement costs Singapore's economy approximately US$73.6 billion in lost productivity annually. Despite Singapore's high GDP per capita and economic competitiveness, worker engagement remains critically low compared to regional peers like the Philippines (39%) and Thailand (34%).