SINGAPORE: A candid Reddit post about toxic workplaces has been making the rounds after a local shared how two bad jobs in a row left him thoroughly fed up with corporate life and seriously questioning his next move.
Sharing his dilemma on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Monday (Jan 12), he said he initially assumed his unhappiness in his previous role stemmed from stagnant pay and a lack of progression.
However, after switching companies and finding himself just as miserable, he realised the issue was not the job title or salary but the corporate environment itself
“I’m already taking my first MC because I barely slept due to my own thoughts,” he wrote, hinting at how overwhelmed he has been feeling.
According to him, things got worse in his current job. Within his first few weeks, he allegedly came across a chat among several senior staff members who were making “bets on how long he would last” in the role.
Management style was another major issue. He shared that his manager’s boss was very direct, which he could accept but said she often scolded staff in a “really rude way” during meetings with many other people on the call. He added that these public scoldings made him deeply uncomfortable.
On top of that, he claimed there were no proper workflows or SOPs in their company.
“There are no proper workflows or SOPs for me to follow,” he said. “It is super Chinese culture in here, but it’s not like I’ve not been in a Chinese company before, but it’s so daunting to be here, and my big boss does not believe in WFH even though we’re entitled to 1 per week.”
Feeling stuck, he turned to fellow Redditors for advice, writing, “I have no more drive to continue in corporate; is it time for a career change? I’m thinking of pivoting to retail. How much does a typical uni grad earn in full-time retail? I’ve applied to some known Western brands, but I want to know what to expect. Any kind advice from SG redditors?”
Adding to his stress, he revealed that he has a house coming in the next few months. “I feel really stressed because of this because I’m expected to suck it up and earn my current $ to be able to afford the house comfortably.”
“Follow your gut, you know this is not sustainable.”
In the thread, many commenters encouraged the man not to force himself to stay in a toxic work environment, and instead look for a new job or career that would be better for his mental health.
They felt the trade-offs of continuing simply weren’t worth it.
One told him, “This does sound quite stressful and not a good environment to be in, and it seems unlikely that the environment will improve over time. If you can tell it won’t be a pleasant journey ahead, it might be better to cut your losses and find a job where there’s a better culture, and people are nicer.”
Another wrote, “Just look for a new job while you are still there. Leave when you get the chance to. See, you have so many red flags about this company already; honestly, how long you think you can take it?”
A third added, “Look for a new role immediately; tolerate your current role before you quit. Follow your gut, you know this is not sustainable.”
“Meanwhile, you need to overpower your workplace with your energy and do things to keep the atmosphere light. When you leave, say you got a really good offer that you just couldn’t refuse. May you only win!”
In other news, an employer has called on government authorities to implement stronger protections for households after her helper abruptly stopped responding and did not return to work following an approved urgent leave.
The woman, who shared her experience in the Facebook group ‘Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper’ on Tuesday (Jan 6), said her helper had only been employed for three months when she requested to return to her home country.
“She told us her mother was sick and asked for five days of urgent leave. I agreed and allowed her to travel back,” the employer wrote.
Follow Google News
Join us on WhatsApp
Follow us on Telegram