MOM launches new Singapore Opportunity Index to help workers identify progressive employers, build sustainable careers

Come 2026, Singapore workers will have a new national employer listing to find firms that use progressive human resource practices aligned with their career goals.

The new Singapore Opportunity Index (SOI) recognises employers that advance careers based on the outcomes of progression, pay, hiring, retention, and gender parity.

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng launched the index on 14 October 2025 at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals’ (IHRP) People Behind People 2025 event.

“The Singapore Opportunity Index is the first of its kind in Singapore. It draws on millions of real career histories from Government data to understand how employers shape outcomes like pay, progression, and retention.

“To be clear, the index is not intended as a ranking exercise. What it does is serve as a common yardstick to help employers and workers understand organisations’ impact on our workforce to support decision making,” he said.

A listing of the top 300 organisations with strong workforce outcomes will be featured on the SOI website by the first quarter of 2026.

The Manpower Ministry (MOM) partnered the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and US-based think tank Burning Glass Institute (BGI) to develop the index. BGI also developed the American and British Opportunity Indices.

The SOI is the first recommendation arising from the Tripartite Workgroup on Human Capital Capability Development (TWG-HC) that was formed in early 2025. Amid growing manpower constraints and rapidly evolving skills needs, the workgroup aims to strengthen foundational HR practices, offer more support to firms, introduce national standards for measuring human capital outcomes to drive strategic HR practices.

How workers can use the index

When choosing companies to work for, workers can leverage the new national index to make more informed decisions for sustainable career growth.

Workers should know that the SOI stands out from other employer listings, such as Singapore Best Employers and Best Workplaces in Singapore, for using Government data from over 1,500 companies with at least 100 employees, including Government organisations and multi-national companiess. The data includes information on wage levels, education, and gender, helping to track workers’ career progress across companies and influencing outcomes like pay, advancement, and retention. These companies represent nearly one million residents or about 45 per cent of the workforce.

“The SOI will motivate employers to enhance their human capital capabilities and be recognised for their efforts.

“This, in turn, benefits jobseekers as they can more easily identify employers who offer opportunities that align with their career aspirations. Over time, this will raise standards across the labour market and create a positive cycle of improvement,” NTUC Assistant Secretary-General and TWG-HC Co-Chair Patrick Tay said.

The 300 top employers will be categorised under three models based on the type of career opportunities offered. They can also be classified under one or more categories.

For workers starting or restarting their careers, check how your prospective employer scores in the Career Launchers category, which provides pathways through onboarding, training, and growth opportunities.

For those seeking career progression, focus on the Career Builders category to see how the firm supports your growth through promotions, internal moves, or preparations for your next role.

If you are an older worker, look out for the Career Anchors category, which details how the company ensures fair advancement, fosters a strong culture, and retains senior talent.

NTUC’s role in enhancing HR competencies

MOM said that the different models of the SOI were developed based on inputs from NTUC on their effectiveness in catering to different types of workers, and in sustaining their careers or enhancing retention and stability.

In recent years, NTUC’s Mr Tay, a Labour Member of Parliament championing labour issues, has consistently advocated for upgrading HR capabilities, urging greater certification standards, elevating HR to a strategic role, enforcing fair employment practices, and encouraging HR practitioners to lead workforce transformation.

Most recently, during the September 2025 Parliament session, he called for the IHRP certification, which equips HR practitioners with essential competencies in workforce planning and regulatory compliance, to be made mandatory for all companies.

What the index means for employers

Employers can use SOI to benchmark their workforce performance against industry peers and determine if there is a need to strengthen their talent development plans.

“It offers employers an opportunity to gain meaningful and easily accessible insights into workforce outcomes.

“SNEF [Singapore National Employers Federation] supports its introduction, recognising its potential to inspire employers to strengthen their human capital strategies, which ultimately drive greater value for both employers and employees,” SNEF Council Member and Workgroup Co-Chair Benjamin Boh said.

Firms can also gain insights from the BGI report on human capital practices based on SOI data to enhance their talent strategies.

The report challenges the notion that only big firms and selected industries can offer good opportunities for growth.

From the findings, Manpower Minister Tan surmised that an individual employer’s strategy in hiring, developing and managing people is the key to optimising talent development.

For instance, top employers feature across nearly every industry and size, pointing to a deliberate strategy in hiring, wage, and retention practices. The report also indicated that outstanding companies tend to achieve strong outcomes through a mix of strategies tailored to their operating environments.

“Comparing firms at the extreme ends, workers at companies in the top 20 per cent are 2.2 times more likely to stay past their first year, earn 3.4 times more, and have 86 per cent chance of getting a higher wage in their next role,” Mr Tan elaborated.

Companies can further boost their workforce plans by tapping into Career Health SG’s suite of resources, including the SkillsFuture Work-Study Programmes and Career Conversion Programmes.

Firms are also encouraged to contact NTUC, SNEF or MOM to find out more about translating SOI insights into actionable plans.