Ageism plagues Singapore's workplace equality status: report

A third said age could lower their chances of being hired.

Ageism is still rampant in Singapore workplaces despite government efforts to address it, according to a study by recruitment firm Hays.

One-third of Singaporeans said their age was a factor that could lower their chances of being hired, due to the notion that innovation is linked to the dynamism of being young, said Hays Singapore regional director Grant Torrens.

On the other hand, Hays revealed that 57% of Singaporeans said they have not been excluded in the workplace. Of those who felt excluded, 60% disclosed that this has not happened in the last year.

Singapore is also one of the most gender-equal nations, where 67% received equal pay and rewards regardless of gender—up from 40% in 2017.

About 40% of all respondents across five regions said they have women managers in their midst, an improvement from 39% last year.

Meanwhile, leadership bias remains high with 60% saying that their leaders were inclined to promote those who look, act or think like them. About 59% felt the same during the hiring process.

Furthermore, 72% felt unconscious bias training for leadership had a direct impact on hiring more diverse talent even if only 49% of organisations provided such training.

One-third of all respondents faced discrimination due to age, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or socioeconomic background, with over half saying it happened to them within the past year.

When asked on which areas would benefit the most from diversity and inclusion (D&I) practices, 76% of all respondents chose company culture, 59% picked innovation, and 53% voted talent retention. Organisation leadership, a constant top choice, was voted out of the top three.

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