Man who worked overseas for 5 years says SG job left him sick and exhausted: ‘I spend my weekends in bed’

SINGAPORE: After spending five years building his career abroad, a man returned to Singapore only to find himself burnt out and overwhelmed by the local work culture.

Posting anonymously on the NUSWhispers Facebook page on Sunday (Jun 29), the man shared that his current role was not really aligned with the work he had done abroad, which included venture capital fundraising, product management, and research and development.

However, he said he accepted the job because it was hard to find something else and because the hiring department assured him that the company would train him.

Unfortunately, they did not follow through on this promise. The man said there was little to no formal onboarding, and he was mainly asked to go through technical documents on his own. As someone without a strong tech background, he found it difficult to piece everything together and keep up.

Beyond the steep learning curve, the work culture also took a toll on him. “The gaslighting and pressure to OT (overtime) is fairly common. I did question myself leaving office at 6 p.m. and would get stares,” he said. “I’ve been trying very hard but keep falling sick and developed issues sleeping, chest pains, etc, but still try my best.”

He eventually raised these concerns to his supervisors but was told that this was simply how things worked in the company.

“They told me pretty much it’s the culture, and the hiring/resignation rate here is tolerated. They don’t have time to care about this as priority is on projects and revenue recognition,” he said.

“I’ve given this about 10 months of trying, and I recognise I’m struggling and admit my aptitude for this technical role isn’t there. What should I do? I did ask for an internal transfer, but unfortunately, due to division politics, that is not feasible.”

“On one hand, I feel like I’m shortchanging myself if I call it quits; on the other hand, I know it’s not healthy — I spend an entire weekend staying in bed.”

“If you really feel that it’s not suitable, maybe you can find a job first before leaving.”

In the comments, one netizen said their ex-colleague had a similar experience. After working in Australia for a few years, he came back to Singapore and couldn’t handle the stress. While the rest of the team didn’t think the job was too stressful, the ex-colleague felt overwhelmed and kept saying the work environment was too much.

In the end, he moved back to Australia. The commenter suggested that maybe the man should also consider returning to where he used to work if the culture here didn’t suit him.

Another person said that staying on the job for 10 months already showed he had given it a fair try. They also urged the man to prioritise his mental health, adding, “Your mental well-being and health are important. If you really feel that it’s not suitable, maybe you can find a job first before leaving.”

Meanwhile, a third netizen advised him to see a doctor if his health was being affected, writing, “Do consult a doctor to check and address your conditions. Don’t feel bad that you have to do so, and if necessary, go on MC (medical certificate).”

“If you have evaluated and think that you can’t make it at this job in the long run, start looking out for other jobs externally, even overseas, if your situation allows relocation. It’s always easier to job hunt while employed.”

In other news, a concerned employer has taken to social media to ask if certain behaviours by his new domestic helper might be considered “red flags.”

In a recent post on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit, the man shared that his helper, who is from Indonesia and has been with the family for about four months, had gone against a household instruction that had been clearly stated from the beginning.

According to him, she mixed her own laundry with the family’s clothes in the washing machine, despite being told from day one to keep them separate.

Read more: Employer says maid mixed her laundry with family’s and suspects her cooking caused stomachaches — asks if she’s ‘a red flag’

Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)