SINGAPORE: Nearly three in five employers plan to freeze headcount in 2026 amid uncertain business prospects, the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) said on Tuesday (Dec 2).
About 240 employers hiring more than 120,000 workers responded to an SNEF survey conducted from Jun 25 to Aug 15. The survey found that 72 per cent of employers faced uncertain business prospects this year, up from 58 per cent in 2024.
This translated to 58 per cent of employers intending to freeze headcount next year, compared with 50 per cent in 2024, with small employers more likely to do so at 63 per cent.
