Young Singaporeans seek long-term solutions to balance career and family

Singaporeans between 23 and 38 years old are looking for more than maternity and paternity leave in starting or expanding their families.

That's according to a recent survey of 1,000 Singaporeans.

Among the 400 men and 600 women polled by Jobstreet.com Singapore, 31 percent say shorter work days from 9am to 5pm will nudge them towards having children.

More than two thirds of them (70 percent) say they leave the office by 7pm daily on the average.

Another motivator for starting or expanding a family is more handy and lower-cost childcare facilities.

A quarter of those surveyed say heavily subsidised childcare facilities in every office block will motivate them to have children.

Asked if having 14 days of childcare leave for working parents will motivate them to have children, only seven percent of the respondents agree.

Similarly only seven percent consider having six months of maternity leave for working parents a motivator for having children.

Nearly a quarter (24 percent) of those polled say that none of the factors listed will affect their decisions in having children or not.

Of the 1,000 people surveyed, half say they do not have children.

Amongst those with children, only 10 percent say they have three children or more.