Singapore unveils inaugural list of 300 employers recognised for career, wage progression

[SINGAPORE] Singapore’s tripartite partners on Wednesday (Jan 21) unveiled the inaugural list of 300 employers recognised for supporting career and wage progression, as part of a broader push to strengthen workforce resilience amid rapid skills change.

The organisations on the list – spanning small and medium-sized enterprises to multinational corporations – represent the top 20 per cent of the nearly 1,500 employers assessed under the Singapore Opportunity Index (SOI), said Manpower Minister Tan See Leng at an event to recognise these companies.

They include social service agency Rainbow Centre, Japanese electronics manufacturer Murata Electronics Singapore, as well as in-flight caterer and ground handler Sats. About half of the companies on the index are members of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF).

The SOI, developed by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) with the Singapore University of Social Sciences and the Burning Glass Institute, was launched in October last year and is publicly available online. 

It is based on government data, and assesses employers across five key workforce outcomes: progression, pay, hiring, retention and gender parity.

Depending on an organisation’s performance, it is classified as either a Career Launcher, Career Builder or Career Anchor.

Career Launchers open doors to overlooked talent and prioritise skills over formal qualifications. 

Career Builders invest in structured pathways to nurture growth, and Career Anchors foster long-term stability and trust through sustained employment.

Dr Tan said in October that the index is not meant to rank employers, but to help both firms and workers better understand how workplace practices shape workforce outcomes and inform decisions.

SEE ALSO

New MOM index finds top employers across all sectors and sizes

Referencing a 2025 report from the World Economic Forum, the minister noted in his speech on Wednesday that workers can expect two-fifths of their skill sets to either change or become dated in the next five years due to artificial intelligence and shifting business needs.

“In this environment, I don’t think it’s possible for us to just preserve jobs as they are… What’s more appropriate is for us to help workers build resilient and adaptable careers,” he added.

The SOI, he said, shines a light on how organisations create opportunities for their workers, showing how employers shape outcomes through everyday human capital decisions such as hiring practices, development pathways and job design.

“These decisions accumulate over the course of an individual’s career and make a real difference to whether they progress, stagnate or thrive,” said Dr Tan. He stressed, though, that workers should still take responsibility for their own career development and actively seek growth opportunities. 

For employers, being in the top 300 also sends a strong signal that their organisations deliver “real opportunity and real growth”.

Additionally, they will be supported by MOM, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), SNEF and the Singapore Business Federation.

According to a joint statement by MOM, NTUC and SNEF, the 300 companies will receive detailed individual reports with granular data and benchmarks to help them interpret the results and compare their performance with industry peers.

SNEF council member Benjamin Boh, who is also co-chair of the Tripartite Workgroup on Human Capital Capability Development, said that the employers federation hopes to support more companies in driving workforce and workplace transformation through its resources and consultancy services.

This, he added, should help companies position themselves as “employers of choice and opportunity in Singapore”.