Singaporean in his 40s questions pressure to climb the corporate ladder: ‘I have zero ambition’

SINGAPORE: While the younger generation has been vocal about saying no to “climbing the corporate ladder”, it seems mid-career professionals feel the same way.

On r/singaporejobs, a diploma holder in his early 40s said he had “zero desire to ever become a manager”.

“I have zero ambition to climb into a managerial role. I’m just not a people person, and the thought of managing office politics, doing performance reviews, and dealing with team drama sounds like absolute torture,” he said.

“I just want to do my work, get paid, and go home. But sometimes it feels like society expects everyone our age to be leading a team or climbing the ladder,” he added.

Asking if others felt the same way, he wrote: “Anyone else perfectly content staying an individual contributor forever?”

Discussions among some mid-career professionals in Singapore surfaced earlier this year as they shared that they are starting to ditch the ambition.

Some mentioned wanting a life outside of work, with others even willing to take a pay cut just to have a better work-life balance. Some realised how liberating it was to work from home during the lockdowns brought on by the pandemic. Meanwhile, others were simply tired of the rat race and wanted to stop focusing on career growth after securing housing. A few shared that a health scare pushed them to rethink their priorities.

Similar priorities have been reported among mid-career professionals in the US, with a survey finding that many in their late 30s and early 40s are seeking higher pay, more flexibility or a healthier work-life balance. /TISG

Read also: Singapore man who ‘accidentally climbed the corporate ladder’ says he just wants to mind his own business, do his job, and go home