Lack of Career Growth Opportunities is the Top Workplace Barrier: ADP Report

08 October, 2025

The lack of career opportunities has unsettled some workers globally, prompting them to seek new employers to continue advancing in their careers.

Globally, about one in five workers (19%) cite the lack of opportunities as the main barrier to career advancement.
Workers in Singapore cite thelack of support as the main barrier to advancement.
Slightly more than one-third (34%) of workers who struggle to find advancement opportunities at their current employer are actively looking or interviewing for a new job.

Singapore, 8 October, 2025 – A lack of career growth opportunities is the most commonly cited barrier to career advancement globally, according to the sixth chapter of ADP’s “People at Work 2025” report series.

Based on survey data from nearly 38,000 workers across 34 markets, about one in five workers (19%) say limited opportunities are preventing them from progressing in their careers, followed by a lack of desire to move ahead (13%) and limited time (12%). In contrast, less frequently mentioned obstacles include fear (5%) and lack of education (5%), suggesting that motivation and visibility outweigh skills gaps as barriers to growth.

In Singapore, 12% of workers identified the lack of support, such as mentors or career champions, as the most significant barrier to their career advancement. Notably, Singapore is the only country where lack of support ranked as the most significant barrier, whereas across the Asia-Pacific, the most commonly cited barrier was the lack of opportunity (16%).

Jessica Zhang, Senior Vice President of ADP APAC, said: “In countries like Singapore, career growth often depends on having a committed career champion who can unlock opportunities and provide valuable guidance. Even when leadership roles, new responsibilities, or upskilling options are available, highly engaged employees may lose momentum without the right support. To bridge this gap, employers should cultivate a strong culture of mentorship, turning career aspirations into visible and actionable opportunities.”

Generational and Demographic Differences

Globally, the perception of career barriers varies by age. More than 20% of workers aged 40 and above report that the lack of opportunity is their biggest barrier, compared to just 14% of those aged 26 and below.

The global data also shows differences by job level. Around 16% of executives and upper managers cited the lack of opportunity as a career advancement barrier. This rises to 18% among middle and frontline managers, and 20% among individual contributors.

Among workers who identify as a racial or ethnic minority in their market, 16% report a lack of opportunity as a main barrier, slightly lower than the 20% of non-minority workers who say the same.

Career Stagnation Drives Turnover Risk

Career stagnation appears to be a strong trigger for job hunting across the world. Among workers who perceive few growth opportunities at their current job, over a third (34%) are actively looking or interviewing for a new job.

Additionally, workers globally who feel strongly that they need to change employers to progress are 2.6 times less likely to consider themselves highly productive. Globally, 15% of workers believe switching employers is essential to their career progression. In Singapore, that figure stands at 13%.

What Keeps Employees Loyal?

Among employees who say they see a future with their current employer, the top reasons globally are:

Opportunity for career advancement (45%)
Professional training and skills development (36%)
Flexibility in scheduling (34%)

“The workplace impact of limited career visibility isn’t just employee disengagement – it’s lost productivity, diminished innovation, and higher turnover,” said Nela Richardson, Chief Economist at ADP. “Organisations that design clear, equitable career paths don’t just retain talent – they also increase their ability to unlock the full productive potential of their employees.”

END

About “People at Work 2025” Report Series Methodology

For the first time, “People at Work” is built on the ADP Research Global Workforce Survey, a robust study conducted regularly since 2015. The survey was designed by ADP Research’s team of analysts by obtaining information about the labour market from the perspective of workers themselves, with the goal of providing insights that can improve the world of work by better understanding worker sentiment and expectations.

Based on survey data from nearly 38,000 working adults in 34 markets across six continents, “People at Work 2025” features a representative sample of the global workforce to provide regional and market-to-market comparisons of worker sentiment in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and North America.

Respondents come from a wide variety of industries, educational backgrounds, on-site and remote work environments and skill sets. They represent a range of management and individual contributor roles, working for employers of all sizes.

About ADP Research

The mission of ADP Research is to make the future of work more productive through data-driven discovery. Companies, workers, and policymakers rely on our finely tuned data and unique perspective to make informed decisions that impact workplaces around the world.

About ADP (NASDAQ – ADP)

ADP has been shaping the world of work with innovation and expertise for more than 75 years. As a global leader in HR and payroll solutions, ADP continuously works to solve business challenges for our clients and their workers, from simple, easy-to-use tools for small businesses to fully integrated platforms for global enterprises — and everything in between. Always Designing for People means we’re focused on just that – people. We use our unmatched AI-driven insights and proven expertise to design innovative solutions that help people achieve greater success at work. More than 1.1 million clients across 140+ countries rely on ADP’s exceptional service to support their people and drive their business forward. HR, Talent, Time Management, Benefits, Compliance, and Payroll. Learn more at ADP.com.

ADP Media Contact:

Jolie Fan
Archetype Singapore
adphubap@archetype.co

Ying Wang
PR & Brand Voice Manager, ADP APAC
ying.wang@ADP.com