SINGAPORE — An SME worker has revealed that he’s been handling an entire project alone for the past eight months, with no support from his company’s management—only scoldings when things go wrong.
Posting on the r/askSingapore subreddit, he vented about feeling exhausted, unappreciated, and constantly anxious about being reprimanded.
“There is not one day that I will ever look forward to going to work. I feel so exhausted and unappreciated. I hate the anxiety of anticipating being scolded. I am really kind of losing myself due to this job,” he wrote.
Despite giving his all, he struggles with guilt, wondering if he’s “weak-minded” for feeling overwhelmed. However, he also pointed out that the harsh reality of working in an SME means taking on responsibilities meant for multiple employees because there simply aren’t enough staff.
On top of the heavy workload, he pointed out how inflexible the job is. “Work from home” is not an option, and even if everything is done for the day, “leaving early” isn’t allowed. He also found it frustrating to have to submit “weekly updates” and “fill in timesheets,” wondering why these extra tasks were even necessary when there was already so much work to handle.
He added that most of his colleagues share the same fate because the company kept on taking on projects despite having limited manpower.
“They know that they are overworking their experienced workers, and so many people just stay for the contracted years and leave immediately after that,” he said.
“Gain experience and find another job after 1 year…”
Numerous Singaporean Redditors shared their personal experiences of working in SMEs.
One recounted their exhausting stint in a small company: “I once spent 10 months in an SME, and that seemed like years to me because every day was overtime or rushing work for clients, and then being gaslighted by the management that times are hard, hence no annual bonus ahead. They even made us sign an agreement to dock our pay by 20%. That was the last straw.”
Another user shared how they endured a mentally and physically draining work environment, only to be met with hostility when they tried to set boundaries:
“I went through the same experience. At first, I thought I could handle the pressure and not take things personally, but the constant scolding, unrealistic workload, and expectations of working beyond my limits took a serious toll on me.
I was working from morning until 11 p.m., even on my days off. I was forced to perform my duties during vacations because there was ‘no one else to do it.’ When I finally said no, I was called ‘not loyal and disrespectful’, and I was actually shouted at because of that.”
Some also told him to put his mental health first and be smart about handling the situation.
“Bro, there is a rule in corporate [life] that if you can work more, the only thing you will get is “more work”. Play smart and do work which is part of your job scope. Meanwhile, prepare and apply for a better job.”
Another commented, “Gain experience and find another job after 1 year.”
In other news, a 25-year-old man recently confessed on Reddit that he has lost around $20,000 in trading. Devastated, he asked Singaporeans how he could possibly move forward and turn his life around.
Posting on the r/askSingapore forum on Monday (Mar 17), he explained that his family, partner, and friends had all repeatedly warned him to stop when his total losses were still at $5,000. However, he ignored their advice as he couldn’t “stop being greedy” and thinking about making more money.
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)