In ManpowerGroup’s 2025 Global Talent Barometer report published in mid-2025, the overall Global Talent Barometer score awarded to Singapore is 64%. This percentage was derived from three key indices: Well-Being (63%), Job Satisfaction (55%), and Confidence (74%).
According to the report, Singaporean workers are feeling more confident in their careers than before. Many believe that they now possess not just more skills but also the necessary tools to succeed. However, there is still a significant number of workers who feel they are stuck due to a lack opportunities for advancement or career growth.
Is there a way for us to address this mismatch of career confidence and growth opportunity?
We speak with Ms Linda Teo, country manager for ManpowerGroup Singapore, on her insights of this paradox, as well as her advice for jobseekers and employers to close the opportunity gap.
ManpowerGroup’s 2025 Global Talent Barometer report shows high worker confidence but low perceived career mobility — what do you think is driving this disconnect in Singapore?
The disconnect between high worker confidence and low perceived career mobility in Singapore may reflect a tension between individual readiness and structural limitations. Many workers today — especially those who have invested in upskilling and embraced digital tools — naturally feel more confident in their capabilities.
However, possessing the right skills and feeling confident doesn’t always translate into access to advancement. In organisations with lean structures or limited middle-management layers, there may simply be fewer roles to move into. This structural constraint can make progression feel elusive, even for capable employees.
Another contributing factor could be the evolving nature of leadership and advancement criteria. While employees may feel technically proficient, they may not yet possess the broader strategic, cross-functional, or leadership competencies that are increasingly valued for promotion.
Organisational culture also plays a role. In environments where internal mobility pathways and talent decisions lack transparency, employees may struggle to understand how to progress or what is expected of them.
In essence, while workers may feel ready, the systems and structures around them may not yet be fully aligned to support their growth, creating a gap between confidence and opportunity.
Are there specific groups that are more affected by this lack of opportunity?
Certain groups do appear to experience the opportunity gap more acutely. Based on data from ManpowerGroup’s recent Global Talent Barometer report, 58% of women in Singapore reported having enough career opportunities, compared to 69% of men. This gap is most apparent among the Baby Boomers — 38% of women compared to 63% of men. Essential front-line workers, as well as workers who are onsite, also report fewer opportunities for career moves and promotions.
What are the most common barriers preventing career progression today?
Firstly, it’s important to recognise that career progression may not always equate to promotions. At times, progression may involve lateral moves that provide broader experience and exposure to different parts of the business.
Barriers preventing career progression typically stem from a combination of factors — from skills mismatches and limited access to development programmes, to a lack of transparency in promotion processes or meaningful career conversations with supervisors.
Skills mismatch remains a common challenge. Even when employees are technically proficient, they may not meet the broader criteria for leadership or lateral movement, such as strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, or cross-functional collaboration.
Beyond skills, limited access to leadership development programmes, career interruptions, and fewer opportunities for visibility to senior decision-makers can also restrict progression.
Additionally, in organisations where internal mobility processes may lack transparency or consistency, employees could find it difficult to understand what is required to progress.
Finally, organisations also shouldn’t overlook the importance of regular career conversations between employees and their supervisors. Without these discussions, employees may lack clarity on expectations, available opportunities, or how to position themselves for growth, which can lead to stagnation, even among high-potential talent.
What best practices are you seeing among employers who are successfully developing and promoting talent from within?
Employers that are most effective in developing and promoting internal talent tend to adopt a strategic and employee-centric approach. They start by identifying and establishing clear career pathways supported by competency frameworks, helping employees understand what’s needed to advance. Structured learning programmes — including leadership training, mentoring, and digital upskilling — are also common among organisations with strong internal talent pipelines.
It is also not uncommon for such organisations to leverage internal talent marketplaces, giving employees access to short-term projects and cross-functional roles that build experience and visibility.
A consistent theme across these organisations is a culture of mobility and transparency, where internal movement is encouraged, and managers are trained to have regular career conversations with their teams. This signals to employees that their growth is valued and supported, which strengthens retention and engagement.
How can individuals assess whether their organisation is serious about career development before deciding to leave or stay?
Employees can observe their day-to-day experience for signs of a development-oriented culture. These include structured learning programmes, transparent promotion criteria, and access to internal job postings or cross-functional projects.
Equally important is the quality of communication with their direct manager. Regular career conversations, constructive feedback, and support for development goals often reflect a culture that values growth. If managers are proactive in discussing aspirations and helping employees navigate opportunities, it’s a good sign the organisation is invested in long-term development.
Additionally, observing how colleagues progress — whether they’re promoted, mentored, or given stretch assignments — can offer insight into how seriously the organisation supports internal advancement.
For jobseekers evaluating a potential employer, it’s helpful to ask about internal mobility during interviews. Questions about how performance is managed and how employees are supported in their growth can reveal a lot about the organisation’s priorities.
It’s also helpful to review employee testimonials on platforms like Glassdoor or LinkedIn, and to look for signs of internal promotions or development programmes in company announcements or social media. Organisations that are transparent about growth opportunities and showcase internal success stories often have a stronger track record of investing in their people.
Do you see any industries or sectors in Singapore where internal mobility is particularly strong or weak? Why?
Based on data from the report, employees in the communication services, consumer goods and services, and healthcare and life sciences sectors reported fewer opportunities for career moves and promotions. This may be due to the organisational structures and operational demands of these industries, which can limit role variety and internal movement.
In contrast, employees in the energy and utilities, information technology, and transport, logistics, and automotive sectors reported more opportunities for internal mobility. These industries often have clearer career pathways, a stronger focus on upskilling, and a greater need to retain specialised talent — all of which support internal progression.
That said, many organisations across all sectors are beginning to recognise the value of internal mobility and are investing in initiatives such as digital learning platforms, talent reviews, and leadership pipelines to support career progression.
According to ManpowerGroup’s 2025 Talent Shortage Survey, 83% of employers in Singapore report difficulty finding the skilled talent they need. Furthermore, the Q1 2025 ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey found that 39% of employers in Singapore are actively looking to upskill and reskill their employees to overcome talent shortages.
What’s one actionable step both employers and employees can take to close the gap between confidence and opportunity?
A valuable concept for both employers and employees to keep in mind when looking to close the gap between confidence and opportunity is the 3Es: Exposure, experience, and education. This aligns closely with the 70/20/10 learning and development model, which suggests that 70% of learning comes from on-the-job experience, 20% from exposure to coworkers and other sources, and 10% from formal training and educational programmes.
For employers, this means embedding growth conversations into regular performance and check-in meetings. When managers consistently engage employees in discussions about their aspirations, strengths, and development areas, it creates opportunities for employees to be exposed to new projects or leaders, experience through stretch assignments, and education via targeted learning programmes. This not only aligns individual ambitions with organisational goals but also signals a genuine investment in long-term talent development, not just short-term performance.
Employees, in turn, can take ownership by actively seeking feedback, identifying skill gaps, and expressing interest in new challenges or roles. Initiating career conversations with their managers not only demonstrates initiative but also helps uncover potential pathways for advancement.
When both employers and employees commit to open, ongoing dialogue about career growth, it fosters a culture of shared accountability. This alignment is key to turning confidence into real, visible opportunities — and ensuring that potential doesn’t go untapped.
This article was done in collaboration with ManpowerGroup Singapore.
