SINGAPORE: Workplace burnout continues to be a pressing issue among Singaporean employees, and one worker recently took to Reddit’s Ask Singapore forum to share her struggles. Despite having worked at a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) for just over a year, she revealed that the stress of her job has already taken a significant toll on her well-being.
According to her post, her boss expects her to be constantly available, regardless of the time or situation. “I have been contacted during my sick leave, vacation, weekends, and more,” she wrote, expressing frustration at the lack of boundaries between her personal and professional life.
On top of that, she disclosed that she had not received proper training or a structured knowledge transfer when she started the role. Instead, she was left to manage a heavy workload on her own while also being responsible for handling all Business-As-Usual (BAU) matters.
Unsurprisingly, the excessive demands began to affect her performance. However, rather than addressing the unrealistic expectations placed upon her, management simply labelled her a “poor performer.”
“I am totally burnt out,” she said. “Have any of you been in this situation? How did you get through it?”
“Take care of yourself first. Health above all…”
Many Singaporean Redditors responded to her post, opening up about their own experiences with burnout and frustration over toxic work environments. Their stories painted a sobering picture of workplace cultures that often prioritize profits over employee well-being.
One Redditor shared a particularly heartbreaking experience, proving just how little some employers care about their staff’s personal struggles.
He recalled, “I was in a situation just like yours about 10 years back. I was so tired of my boss blaming me for everything and not taking ownership of his role in any of the company’s failures. The last straw was when I told him my uncle was dying and cut me some slack; he told me not to use it ‘as an excuse’.”
Another echoed the same sentiment, describing how his previous job disregarded his well-being. He wrote, “Been there myself. I quit last year. I had to work during working hours. Free OT. I will be called up during weekends (in the last few months, I always don’t care). Go to office always got reprimanded for not doing things well enough.”
Others, meanwhile, left some words of encouragement and practical advice. One commented, “Keep applying for jobs while staying there, assuming that you have done so much, use some time to furnish your resume with big words and leave when a new job is secured.”
Another reminded her, “Take care of yourself first. Health above all. No job worth sacrificing that over. You are just a figure in the company book as an employee.”
A third said, “Remain strong. Keep applying for other jobs.”
47% Singaporean workers are experiencing burnout
A 2024 survey by Telus Health, reported by The Straits Times, found that 47% of Singaporean workers feel mentally or physically exhausted due to their jobs. Mr Haider Amir, Telus Health’s director for Asia, noted that exhaustion is a key symptom of burnout, along with increased cynicism and decreased performance.
Meanwhile, a separate report by Employment Hero, a leading provider of people, payroll, and benefits software, revealed that despite employers’ ongoing efforts to create a healthier work environment, most still fall short in offering adequate mental health and well-being support.
Read more: Singapore faces crisis as worker burnout soars
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)