The First Word: The future of recruitment is AI with a human touch
Across the Asia Pacific, hiring feels harder than ever. Roles stay open for months, recruiters are overloaded, and some new hires leave within a year. It is tempting to blame the market or changing expectations, but the real issue is that many organisations are still using old methods to solve new problems. APAC is now […]
The First Word: When layoffs hit, more than jobs are lost
In 2025 it appears there’s been no shortage of listicles and human interest pieces detailing the hundreds of thousands whose careers have been impacted by the rise of AI (which saw 4,0000 roles cut at DBS earlier this year) and slowing economic growth. Most recently, Agoda laid off 50 employees in Singapore, citing “enhancing operational […]
The First Word: Reshaping employee benefits to attract and retain top talent
Workplaces in Asia have undergone significant transformations in recent years. Rapid technological advancements, economic shifts, and changing demographics have reshaped the way people work and what they expect from their employers. At the same time, they have also influenced talent management strategies. According to Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) Asia Employee Benefits Report […]
The First Word: How to land your dream job in this economy?
With the job market constantly evolving, it is increasingly more challenging for job seekers to secure a job. According to a recent survey we at Robert Walters Singapore conducted, about 88% of jobseekers feel that their job applications often go ignored. Half of the candidates who responded to the survey mention that they send out […]
The First Word: Rethinking quiet quitting in a changing workforce
The phrase “quiet quitting” has gained traction in recent years, sparking debate among employers, workers, and workplace experts alike. Far from a new phenomenon, it reflects a growing sense of disconnection between employees and their workplaces — one that recent data suggests is affecting nearly 59% of today’s workforce. Instead of resigning formally, quiet quitters […]
The First Word: How Gen Z entrepreneurs redefine leadership in uncertain times
Singapore’s economy, once celebrated for its stability, is facing a new kind of test. Inflation remains sticky, living costs have continued to climb, wage growth is uneven, and younger professionals face a more precarious future than previous generations. As companies adjust to a post-pandemic reality marked by inflation, digital disruption, and evolving workforce expectations, a […]
The First Word: A paradigm shift in retaining Gen Z lawyers
I was born in 1984 (i.e. technically, a Millennial) and admitted to the Bar in 2007, less than 20 years ago, but many things have happened since, including a global pandemic, some of which were not even predicted by George Orwell when he wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four. The world’s priorities have shifted for every generation, across […]
The First Word: Embracing the value of older workers
In 2026, Singapore’s retirement age will increase to 64 and the re-employment age to 69, with plans to raise these further by 2030. This shift reflects the nation’s commitment to addressing its ageing population while highlighting the vital role older workers play in a multigenerational workforce. It’s also a chance for employers to rethink human […]
The First Word: Unlocking the recruitment puzzle between job seekers and recruiters
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School’s Associate Professor Dai Xianchi, along with Assistant Professor Si Kao from the University of Macau, published a research paper entitled “The fundamental recruitment error: Candidate-recruiter discrepancy in their relative valuation of innate talent vs. hard work”, which reveals systematic differences in perspectives on talent and diligence […]
The First Word: Gen Z’s skill-first mindset for hiring and keeping talent
By 2025, Gen Z is expected to constitute a quarter of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) population, marking a significant shift in the global workforce dynamic. As this generation rises to prominence in the professional world, understanding their motivations, work habits, and underlying drivers becomes more critical than ever. Our recent data indicates that the economic uncertainty […]
