Many commenters responded to a Singapore worker who just moved back from a Nordic country and is having a difficult time adjusting to the working hours, as he sought advice online.
While netizens were sympathetic to the worker’s plight posted on the NUSWhispers Facebook page on Thursday (May 19), they also said that one needs to adjust to the working culture of Singapore.
The poster wrote that they had spent several years working in an unspecified Nordic country, where their salary was “approx SGD$13000-ish when converted.” And while this sounds nice, they also paid 46 per cent in taxes and the cost of living there is much higher.
On the other hand, the working hours were relatively easy. They were described as “from 8.30am to 4.30pm with a 1.5 hour lunch/nap break in between and we are mandated by law to be provided with a minimum of 24 weekdays of paid leave per year (which companies are required to extend to a minimum of 25 days after 5 years of employment).”
In Singapore, meanwhile, the poster takes an SGD$5000 pay cut, but they’re still better off even after taxes and CPF.
What bothers the poster is “the much harsher working conditions” that they “simply cannot cope with.”
“I have to start at 8.30am and I realised that I’m only going home at 7+pm and I even have to come back on weekends! I know this sounds normal to most people but it really is not for me.”
For the poster, this is “too big a jump.”
They added, “So I’m asking how do I cope with the working hours here? Will I get better with time? because I truly feel MISERABLE working here. Maybe I just became weak after working in a country with good labour laws.”
One commenter acknowledged that while work-life balance is better in Nordic countries, he told the poster “Give yourself some time, and I’m sure you will slowly get used to be home” with working in Singapore.
“Just have to htfu and adapt to the work conditions here,” wrote another.
“Happiness vs Money vs Time. Which is your priority in life?” one commenter asked.
Another encouraged the poster to “learn to adjust to the new environment,” assuring them they’ll “be fine after a while.”
“Work-life balance is nil here,” admitted one netizen.
/TISG