The ‘Great Resignation’ appears to have hit Singapore’s Public Service with a “significant increase in attrition across the board”, Parliament has been told.
Minister-in-charge of the Public Service, Chan Chun Sing said attrition “has clearly picked up momentum in the last six months”, with some areas, such as information and communications technology, experiencing the highest rates.
Mr Chan (pictured) was responding to a question from MP, Patrick Tay who asked whether the Public Service was also seeing an increase in attrition amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Tay, who is a labour union leader, had also asked what was being done to look after the health and welfare of workers in the Public Service, and what Government was doing to ensure that compensation and benefits for Public Servants remained competitive?
Mr Chan said there were various factors contributing to attrition from the Public Service, including pressures of the job, pay and opportunities for professional development and progression.
“In particular, over the past two years, public officers have had to face intense pressure, working tirelessly to sustain the fight against COVID-19,” Mr Chan said.
“At times, they also have to deal with anxious and even demanding members of the public in the course of their COVID-related work,” he said.
“The shift to remote work has also blurred the line between work and life.”
He pointed out there was a risk of an increase in attrition from the Public Service as the economy recovered and job offers from the private sector increased.
Mr Chan said the Public Service would step up efforts to streamline processes and continue to provide clarity of direction in helping officers relate their work and contributions to the core purpose of serving Singapore and its citizens.
“At the same time, it has also increased efforts to support and care for the health and mental wellbeing of public officers, including regular webinars on wellbeing-related topics such as resilience, mindfulness, nutrition and physical exercise,” Mr Chan said.
A 24/7 counselling hotline and a digital platform to help public officers access mental health resources have also been introduced.
Singapore, 19 February 2022
