The latest updates showed that the unadjusted gender wage gap between male and female full-time employees aged 25 to 54 in Singapore has been narrowed down from 16.3% in 2018 to 14.3% in 2023, according to the released infographic figures from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). According to United Nations data, Singapore ranks as “the second-most unequal developed economy in the world.” “Singapore does not have an official poverty line … Most Singaporeans are not aware of the scale and depth of poverty in Singapore,” stated a report from the Singapore Management University’s Lien Center for Social Innovation.

Unequal Earnings

The gender dimension is one of the most significant contributors to economic disparity and poverty in Singapore. Recent data from MOM highlights that women, despite having equivalent working hours and qualifications, earn less than men. These unequal earnings impact women’s financial stability, limiting their access to essential services such as health care and hindering their ability to save adequately in the Central Provident Fund (CPF). Women have about 40% less CPF savings compared to men, which underscores why 64% of women, versus 38% of men, depend on immediate family members for assistance with medical expenses, according to a 2010 health-care financing study by the National University of Singapore and Singapore Health Services.

The adjusted gender gap involving human capital and the labor market is 6.0% in 2023, lower than 6.7% in 2018. According to MOM’s report, the adjusted gap “is the unexplained component from the decomposition, which is the remaining gender pay gap between men and women employees after adjusting for both human capital and labor market factors where data was available.” The report considered, particularly, the occupational segregation of male and female employees as the main driver behind the gender wage gap in Singapore.

The report concluded three factors that could impact women’s choice of occupations: personality and skills; psychological traits; social norms and values. “These factors would continue to influence one’s choice of occupation, their career progression and earnings,” according to the report.

Unfair Treatment

A recent survey implied that in 2023, female employees still think they are not treated fairly regarding job compensation. In Singapore, 59% of investigated women employees said that they had an unfair base salary, and only 33% of them felt they were satisfied with the payment. Although the job market enhanced advocacy for diversity and encouraged women to have career paths in STEM, the fight against gender wage bias still has a long journey. 

The gender pay gap is a concerned issue for the government and society in Singapore. In 2022, the White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development aimed to support female employees in acquiring equal wages and flexibility in the workplace. In a total of 115 pages, the White Paper gave a call to all Singaporeans to equal job opportunities, caregiver support, mindset shifts in the workplace, etc. 

Minister Tan See Leng said that a closure in the gender wage gap in Singapore might need a “multi-pronged approach.” Fortunately, the Singapore government is striving for more equality in the job market by partnering with schools, industry, and the community to implement the SG Women in Tech movement, aiming to train and involve more talented female employees in the tech industry. 

Tan also mentioned that the government has been advocating for equal sharing of caregiving responsibilities in families by “increasing Government-paid paternity leave from two weeks to four weeks.” MOM has introduced a guideline on Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) to assist employee’s requests for FWA. The government will also introduce the Workplace Fairness Legislation that sets goals to protect employees from discrimination in the workplace, according to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).

Increase in PMET Occupations

By 2018, the number of women who have at least a diploma qualification rose to 71%, which is almost double higher than that in 2002, according to a 2020 report. While traditional occupations such as nurse and accountant still significantly represent women’s labor market in Singapore, there is a large increase in women’s share among professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs). From 2018 to 2023, the percentage increase in female PMET occupations is 2.5% more than that in males, according to MOM.

With the aid of Flexible Work Arrangements, women now have increasing participation in economic activity by enjoying equal educational and workplace opportunities. In the past decade, female employment for ages 25-64 increased from 69.2% to 76.6%, and the employment gap with men has decreased from 20.1 to 12.4 percentage points.

The Singapore government also works with the Council for Board Diversity to improve women’s share on the boards of the top 100 companies listed on the Singapore Exchange (SGX). The percentage of women on boards increased from 7.5% in 2013 to 22.7% in 2023. Statutory Boards also had a nearly 10% increase in women’s representation, according to a 2024 report.

– Cindy Hong

Cindy is based in Milpitas, CA, USA and focuses on Business and Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash