Overview of Hiring Activity
Singapore’s online hiring activity remained under pressure in March 2026, with the foundit Insights Tracker declining 5% year-on-year. While the rate of contraction has eased from February’s −9%, the broader trend continues to reflect sustained employer caution — hiring is down 1% over the last 3 months and 2% over the last 6 months — as companies maintain disciplined headcount management and prioritise replacement and selective hiring over net additions.
Hiring Trends by Industry (YoY change)
3 of the 15 industries tracked recorded year-on-year growth in March 2026, with 3 others holding flat; the remaining 9 recorded declines.
The industry-level picture remains broadly negative, though the pace of annual contraction has eased and Advertising has turned strongly positive. Several sectors that were declining in February are now flat.
In demand
Advertising, Market Research, PR, Media & Entertainment (+13%) A standout reversal. Accelerating corporate spend on digital marketing and performance media has driven a sharp turnaround in hiring across creative, content, and campaign functions.
IT, Telecom/ISP & BPO/ITES (+2%) A return to marginal positive territory, with selective digital infrastructure and tech-led hiring more than offsetting ongoing efficiency-driven rationalisation in BPO and shared services.
Production/Manufacturing, Automotive & Ancillary (+1%) Flat to marginal gains as stable demand for precision manufacturing roles sustains minimal but positive growth.
Holding steady
Engineering, Construction & Real Estate (0%) Niche project activity and maintenance hiring are preventing further decline, with the sector recovering from negative territory in prior months.
Shipping/Marine (0%) Stable trade route activity and steady operational requirements sustain flat hiring at maintenance levels.
Oil & Gas (0%) Capital discipline and measured upstream activity keep hiring at maintenance levels, neither growing nor contracting.
Facing challenges
Government/PSU/Defence (−1%) Modest softness reflecting cautious public sector budget deployment.
Retail/Trade & Logistics (−1%) Weak consumption and efficiency-led cost control in consumer-facing formats sustain the marginal decline.
Health Care (−3%) A slight decline despite stable healthcare demand, likely driven by cost rationalisation and slower replacement cycles.
Consumer Goods/FMCG (−3%) Muted consumer demand and margin pressure continue to limit new hiring across this segment.
Import/Export (−4%) Softer global trade volumes and cautious expansion by trading firms continue to weigh on hiring.
Hospitality (−5%) Operators remain focused on leaner staffing models and cost control as post-pandemic demand stabilises.
BFSI(−9%) Banks and financial institutions continue to focus on automation and productivity rather than net headcount growth, sustaining a meaningful annual pullback.
Education (−13%) A significant annual decline driven by lower enrolments, budget tightening, and consolidation across institutions and training providers.
Others (−21%) The steepest industry decline, with broad-based contraction continuing across smaller and mixed verticals.
Hiring Trends by Functional Area (YoY change)
5 out of 12 functional areas recorded positive annual growth in March 2026. Software and marketing functions lead, while Legal remains under the most severe pressure of any category.
In demand
Software, Hardware & Telecom (+5%) A return to positive growth, with selective investment in digital systems, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise technology driving steady demand for tech talent.
Marketing & Communications (+5%) Stable demand for digital marketing and customer engagement roles keeps this function in positive territory, consistent with the broader advertising sector’s strong performance.
Engineering/Production (+3%) Marginal positive momentum, supported by niche manufacturing and infrastructure maintenance requirements.
Health Care(+2%) Demand for clinical and allied health roles remains supported by population ageing and sustained healthcare utilisation.
Sales & Business Development (+2%) A notable reversal from negative territory, with some firms beginning to cautiously add frontline commercial capacity.
Facing challenges
Customer Service (−1%) A reversal from positive territory, as efficiency mandates and AI-led support tools soften demand for traditional support roles.
Purchase/Logistics/Supply Chain (−1%) Near-flat but directionally negative, reflecting stable but non-expansionary operational demand.
Finance & Accounts (−3%) Automation and shared services models continue to reduce incremental hiring across finance functions.
HR & Admin (−5%) Firms continue to limit back-office expansion as cost discipline persists.
Others (−5%) Broad softness across miscellaneous functional categories.
Hospitality & Travel (−9%) Cautious consumer demand and efficiency-led staffing models continue to soften hiring across this function.
Legal (−20%) The sharpest annual decline across all functions, as companies reduce in-house legal headcount and rely more on external counsel amid sustained cost pressure.
About the foundit Insights Tracker
The foundit Insights Tracker (fit) Singapore (formerly the Monster Employment Index) is a monthly benchmark of online hiring activity across the nation. By analysing millions of job postings, fit provides timely, data-led intelligence on recruitment trends across industries, occupations, and skill categories, helping organisations and talent navigate an evolving labour market.
