Hiring in Technology and Transformation: Guide and Trends in 2026

Businesses strive for flexibility and cost efficiency with new team structures

AI dominated conversations in the Tech & Transformation hiring market in 2025, though the year also saw a sharp rise in demand for skillsets in cloud and data. New data centre projects and capacities also boosted hiring volumes as companies sought talent for roles in infrastructure, engineering and operations.

However, Daen Huang, Associate Director at Robert Walters Singapore, says that employers were more careful with their headcounts. Cost pressures throttled headcount growth for permanent positions, and there was a growing tendency towards offshoring or hiring on contract.

The year also saw renewed discussions around hybrid work. While the work model remains the norm across the industry, new challenges arose around employee engagement and productivity.

Read on to find out more about the labour market and hiring trends for Singapore’s Tech & Transformation professionals in 2026.

Blending teams across borders and work models

Heading into 2026, cost pressures will continue to affect how businesses build their workforce.

Companies will maintain a flexible mix of permanent and contract employees. As a result, there will likely be an increase in contract positions.

Global talent remains important, but employers face mounting pressure to show stronger local representation in their workforce. This trend is particularly prevalent in Singapore, and it’s an issue Daen expects will preoccupy companies in the year ahead.

When hiring, employers are shifting towards a skill-first approach. Less weight is given to degrees, while practical assessments, real project experience and proof of skills go a longer way in the hiring process.

Within the industry, AI presents the greatest risk to repetitive and rules-based jobs such as entry-level data reporting, low-level programming, basic analysis or first-line IT support. Professionals will need to show a strong grasp of their domain expertise, an understanding of AI governance, and the ability to harness AI in their daily work. Skills such as stakeholder management and business storytelling will also become more important.

Top roles and skills in demand

With cost pressures bringing offshoring back into play, commercial roles have come back into focus in the Singapore market. More firms are ramping up recruitment for sales and presales talent, a trend that is increasingly prevalent in tech product and services companies.

AI/ML and data engineers will remain in high demand. Engineers who can scale and productionise solutions are seen as key players for many businesses.

Cybersecurity specialists, particularly in cloud and data centre security, are extremely sought after. This comes as the attack surface broadens with more infrastructure going online.

The most valuable soft skills are change management, critical thinking and problem-solving, collaboration in hybrid cross-functional teams, and the ability to influence and communicate with business leaders.

Advice for talent attraction and retention

Candidates are more wary about job moves, giving equal weight to stability, career growth and pay.

“That said, people are still willing to move for the right opportunities,” remarks Daen. “There’s also less stigma around contracting than before. These roles are now seen as a way to gain market exposure, boost earnings and build skills quickly.”

Daen’s advice for companies looking to attract and retain talent in 2026 is to move fast, be efficient, and showcase clear career value. Some ways to streamline the recruitment process include keeping interviews to three rounds at most, scheduling interviews closer together and providing timely post-interview feedback. It is also important to help candidates understand how they can grow in a role. In addition, competition remains stiff for critical roles, so attractive pay also remains essential.

Overall, businesses will do well to move towards a blended approach – building a solid core of permanent staff supported by contractors for flexibility.

Salaries hold steady

For most of the industry, salaries are expected to rise at a stable rate without any dramatic jumps.

Skills like AI, cloud and cybersecurity continue to command high premiums as demand remains high amidst limited supply.

Find out more

Request access to our 2026 Salary Survey to benchmark salaries and to find out more about key hiring trends in the Tech & Transformation industry in Singapore.