Only half of early-career Gen Z employees in Singapore feel engaged at work: Report

Nearly half of early-career Gen Z professionals in Singapore feel emotionally detached or only loosely connected to their workplaces, highlighting growing engagement and retention challenges for employers. 

According to a new report titled Transition, Tension, and Talent Retention by Kahoot!, just 51% of respondents said they feel engaged at work, while 20% reported feeling disengaged and 29% described themselves as neither engaged nor disengaged, pointing to a large group of employees whose connection to work remains fragile.

The findings come as employers in Singapore continue to face talent attraction and retention challenges, particularly for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs), making Gen Z engagement increasingly critical for organisations.

Transition from university to workplace remains difficult

The study found that many Gen Z employees struggle with the shift from structured academic environments to less structured corporate workplaces. Respondents said organisations could improve engagement through more structured onboarding programmes, clearer expectations and better access to mentors and coaches.

Around 45% of respondents said they wanted more structured and in-depth onboarding, while 44% wanted clearer expectations and assessment criteria. Another 40% said access to mentors, coaches or peer trainers would help them adjust better to workplace culture.

Researchers noted that structured support systems similar to educational environments could help early-career employees transition more smoothly into the workplace.

Training engagement remains a challenge

The report also found that workplace training programmes are not failing due to lack of interest from Gen Z employees, but rather because of poor design, duration and relevance.

Respondents said training programmes are often passive, boring or time-consuming. About 37% said they wanted more engaging content, 31% wanted more real-life application and interactivity, and 29% said they needed more time to complete training effectively.

Clearer learning pathways and role-specific training were also identified as major areas for improvement.

Gamification in learning received mixed feedback. While 47% said they are more likely to engage with learning presented as games or challenges, interest drops significantly when gamification feels forced or disconnected from real work.

Culture shock and office politics driving disengagement

The report suggests that early workplace “culture shock” plays a significant role in disengagement among Gen Z employees. Many respondents said the fast pace of work initially creates stress, while office politics further reduces engagement over time.

The study also found that transparent leadership communication and inclusion in decision-making are key to building trust and engagement among younger employees. About 41% said transparent communication from leadership improves their sense of belonging, while 35% said being included in decision-making helps them feel more connected to the organisation.

Engagement at a tipping point

According to the report, early-career engagement among Gen Z workers in Singapore is at a tipping point, and organisations may need to rethink how they approach onboarding, learning and development, and leadership communication.

The report concludes that companies that redesign workplace learning to be more engaging, structured and relevant to real work are more likely to retain Gen Z talent in the long term, especially as Singapore continues to position itself as a global business hub.