SMU has once again been named one of Singapore’s Best Employers in the Straits Times – Singapore’s Best Employers 2025 rankings, marking the fourth time in five years that the University has received this prestigious recognition.
Ranked 94th overall, and the highest among Singapore’s autonomous universities, SMU also stands among the top four employers in the higher education sector.
This recognition speaks to our shared dedication to building an inclusive, forward-looking, and empowering workplace. It is a testament to the culture we continue to shape together — one where people grow, belong, and thrive."
SMU President Professor Lily Kong
Rigorous and independent assessment
Jointly conducted by The Straits Times and global data firm Statista, the survey evaluated more than 2,000 employers across diverse sectors in Singapore. Over 14,000 employees provided anonymous feedback, amounting to more than 380,000 individual recommendations.
Employers were assessed through both direct and indirect recommendations, with respondents rating their own employers and sharing perceptions of other employers in their industries. The comprehensive evaluation also covered over 40 workplace-related criteria, including working conditions, compensation, career development opportunities, and company image.
Transforming the employee experience
The award comes on the back of significant strides SMU has made in improving its employee experience. Over the past year, the University has rolled out a suite of enhancements to its workplace policies, infrastructure, and staff well-being initiatives.
Notable among these is Project Optimus, a major digital transformation initiative set to streamline HR, finance, and procurement systems to be rolled out from October 2025[CS1] , delivering smarter, more intuitive services for our people. In parallel, Project Prime is reshaping SMU’s physical workspaces to create a more dynamic, comfortable, and productive workplace. Guided by employee feedback, the redesign will include a mix of modern workstations and dedicated spaces for collaboration and social interaction. Renovation works for the Administration Building began earlier this year and will extend to other parts of the campus in phases.
Advancing staff well-being and flexibility
Following insights from our annual Employee Pulse Surveys, SMU has also introduced several progressive HR policies:
- Expanded leave benefits, including the adaptation of Eldercare Leave to Parent Care Leave, the introduction of Family Care Leave, and increased flexibility in vacation leave carryover.
- Enhanced healthcare coverage, with improvements to group medical insurance and extended age limits for life and critical illness coverage.
- Greater flexibility, allowing employees to adopt flexible work arrangements without the need for formal applications from January 2025.
SMU has also launched a new initiative enabling staff to donate the value of unused employee benefits and annual leave to support the University’s Bursary Fund, with the University matching contributions dollar-for-dollar to benefit financially challenged students.
Boosting faculty support and research capacity
Faculty support has been further strengthened through:
- A reduced teaching load for tenure-track faculty from Academic Year 2026 to provide more time for research.
- Enhanced support for term-track faculty, including transition to open contracts based on performance.
- A restructured faculty compensation framework effective 1 July 2025, with a twelve-month salary structure, annual wage supplement and performance-based bonus.
SMU is also investing in research excellence through an enhanced research and teaching expenses scheme, expanded resources for research support, and targeted investments in strategic research domains.
A continued commitment
Professor Kong expressed her gratitude to the SMU community for helping to win the award.
Our recognition as a top employer is a reflection of our collective efforts as One SMU. Thank you for your contributions, feedback, and commitment to making SMU a great place to work.”
SMU President Professor Lily Kong
She emphasised that while the recognition is a cause for celebration, the University remains focused on enhancing its workplace culture and supporting staff in their professional and personal growth.
