Hiring is just the first step. Can Singapore keep workers with disabilities in their jobs?

But there is no equivalent goal or tracking data for retention, which is a longer-term marker of how well PWDs fit into their place of work and in society.

Employment figures tell only one part of the story. A person who frequently moves between jobs may count as employed but struggle to reach financial stability or achieve career progression.

When asked for a goal for the retention rate, SG Enable did not give a number, saying it would continue to monitor outcomes, including retention, as the new measures are implemented.

From principle to practice

The low retention rate raises a deeper question of whether Singapore workplaces are truly ready to integrate PWDs.

Hiring someone with a disability may signal a company’s commitment to inclusion. But keeping the person employed often requires changing the way rank-and-file employees work, communicate and relate to one another.

National Institute of Education associate professor Wong Meng Ee, who researches disability sociology, said the real test of inclusion is when people have to adjust to having colleagues with disabilities.

“That is where the tension lies, (when moving) from principle to practice,” said Wong, who has visual impairment.

Ron Loh, assistant chief executive (services) of local charity SPD, said that when a job coach’s support ends or an understanding supervisor leaves, some PWDs may feel apprehensive about interacting with managers who may not understand their needs.

The National Council of Social Service’s Public Attitudes Study, which was conducted in 2019 and 2023, showed that the proportion of respondents who had positive attitudes towards PWDs at the workplace fell from 59.6% in 2019 to 50.6% in 2023.

No specific reasons were identified for the drop, but one expert said it could be due to stressful workplace environments and a lack of understanding over accommodations.

Some PWDs may need accommodations, such as screen readers for the visually impaired or extra breaks for neurodivergent individuals who experience sensory overload.

Without these, employers may mistakenly believe that workers with disabilities cannot do the job, said Max Soh, research and policy manager at the Disabled People’s Association (DPA).

For example, Zulaiha said, Nafiz could have benefited from having a daily schedule as people with autism usually work well with clear instructions, but not all employers understand this.

Other factors include the limited duration of wage support. Soh cited SG Enable’s Place-and-Train programme, which offered employers 90 per cent of salary support from the Government for up to a year to place and train PWDs.

A DPA report in 2024 found that some workers were let go when the subsidies ended, raising concerns that such schemes may inadvertently encourage short-term hiring without leading to sustained employment, said Soh.

Getting buy-in

The disability task force’s measures aim to address some gaps. Of significance is SG Enable’s new Employment Support Office, which plans to provide longer-term support beyond initial job placement.

It will also help employers identify suitable roles and redesign jobs, and develop hiring guides for sectors with strong potential to hire PWDs, such as retail trade and finance and insurance services.

Financial support for employers like the Enabling Employment Credit will be expanded.

Firms will also get more flexibility to support PWDs’ needs, with new grants promising to offset costs of customised in-house training and the hiring of professionals to support employees with moderate needs.

Having more job support generally leads to greater retention of PWDs.

About 60% to 70% of SPD’s clients in its employment programmes are still in their jobs at the one-year mark. The charity helps in securing workplace accommodations and redesigning jobs, and facilitates discussions between PWDs and supervisors or colleagues, said Loh.

But all these can only go so far if colleagues remain reluctant to work alongside PWDs. Experts said employers must prepare staff at every level to understand disabilities, navigate difficulties in interactions and make reasonable adjustments.

The key is to help employees move beyond “tokenism”, where inclusive hiring is deemed as charity. PWDs must be seen as actual contributors, said Lyn Lee, author of the bestseller Tiny Rice Grains, which explores diversity, equity and inclusion in workplaces.

A company that has made strides towards inclusivity is UOB. Besides providing step-by-step visual instructions for employees with autism, it also trains other employees to support them.

The bank started hiring employees with disabilities in 2013, first for its Scan Hub and recently also for its Wholesale Operational Readiness Centre.

PWDs also must be more confident in communicating their needs, said SPD’s Loh.

In 2025, the charity set up a support group for employed PWDs to learn how to navigate the workplace.

Nafiz was upset when he was not offered a full-time job. He is now undergoing training to join other industries, and his mother hopes employers can better understand PWDs like him.

But the real test of inclusion is not whether someone like Nafiz gets hired. It is whether he can stay in one place and build a future in it.