Yahoo Finance 
Fewer WFH, or remote work, vacancies in Singapore in 2022: MOM
MOM said that the drop reflects a normalisation of remote work trends as more workplace activities resumed on-site.
SINGAPORE — There were fewer remote-work vacancies in 2022, with remote-work openings dropping to 21 per cent of the total number of vacancies in 2022.
In 2021, these types of jobs made up 31 per cent of the total vacancies that year.
However, the data – which was released on Thursday (30 March) in the latest Job Vacancies 2022 report by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) – also reflected that remote work is more possible for PMET (Professional, Manager, Executive and Technician) positions.
In 2022, 37 per cent of PMET vacancies could be done remotely, while such roles only made up 3 per cent of non-PMET vacancies, where physical presence is generally required for the job.
The report – compiled through a survey conducted from October to December 2022 – stated that the drop reflects a normalisation of remote work trends as more workplace activities resumed on-site in 2022. The survey covered 15,530 public and private sector establishments employing 2,070,070 employees in total, with a response rate of 85 per cent.
Overall, the number of job vacancies declined for the third consecutive quarter in December 2022 to 104,500. However, the level remained much higher compared to pre-pandemic figures of 51,100 in December 2019.
Also read: Job skills preferred over years of experience among recruiters: Survey
Also read: Singapore workers prioritise digital skills the most in APAC, survey finds
Also read: How CEO-doctor duo gave up stable jobs to build online vet service in Singapore
Top PMET job vacancies
The report also showed that the highest PMET job vacancy in 2022 was for "management executive" roles. This is followed by vacancies for software, web and multimedia developers, with commercial and marketing sales executives in third place.
Teaching and training professionals came next, followed by administration managers at number five on the list. Rounding up the top 10 PMET job vacancies list are software and application managers at number six, followed by nurses, systems analysts, business development managers and mechanical engineers.
The report also highlighted that demand for tech talents remains high. Tech positions rank among the top PMET vacancies in 2022, with three positions populating the list. Positions as management executive, commercial and marketing sales executive, and business development manager, have remained in the top 10 PMET vacancies since 2020.
For PMET roles that were difficult to fill, employers cited unattractive pay, lack of specialised skills and lack of necessary work experience, as the main reasons. Among the top PMET vacancies unfulfilled for at least six months were commercial and marketing sales executives, and enrolled or assistant nurses. Employers cited unattractive pay and the lack of necessary specialised skills as reasons for the difficulty.
In PMET vacancies where academic qualification was not the main determinant, the skills and work attitude of the job applicant were the key considerations, the report found. It opined that skills and work attitude will take precedence when job applicants are assessed for suitability.
Hence, having a higher qualification does not mean a candidate is automatically ranked ahead of their counterpart with a lower qualification.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.
