SINGAPORE: After months of grinding, taking on extra responsibilities, and doing everything they could to impress their boss, one Singaporean employee finally came to a simple but sobering realisation: ‘A job is just a job.’
In a Reddit post, the employee shared that this epiphany came after their boss hired someone inexperienced for a role they had been eyeing for months.
According to the employee, they had been told that a promotion would be theirs if they could prove themselves worthy of it.
“I was covering for my boss, doing extra work, OT, and taking on more responsibilities because I saw the carrot hanging in front, which is promotion, but something happened in Q4 last year. My boss hired someone at a higher rank than me, who was less qualified, and gave that person management tasks instead.”
The employee said they tried to push back against what they felt was an unfair decision and raised their concerns with their boss.
In response, they were told the same thing they had heard before: that they still needed to “convince” management. Their boss also added that if they gave “200%, 300% effort,” they “could” eventually be promoted, but this time there were no promises.
Hearing that completely shattered their expectations.
Since then, the employee said they have been binge looking for jobs.
“I finally had my ‘a job is just a job’ moment. I [realised] it just pays my bills, my hobbies give me peace of mind. I come to work, clock my hours, do my BAUs, and just chill. I no longer go the extra mile or stress over things. If nobody else cares, then so be it.”
They added that for now, they are still stuck in the job because they know that if they “throw the letter” today, they would just end up in a state of anxiety due to the tough job market. “I know myself, and I know I would be desperate to settle for any job that comes along.”
The employee also shared that they had come close to securing the same role in the same industry, but it eventually fell through when the employer informed them that the position had been closed due to a “hiring freeze.”
Wanting to explore other paths, they have since decided to pursue another certification to pivot into a different industry.
“I’ve been busy with another certification to pivot industries. It takes time, efforts, and, of course, money, but peace is finally restored while I pursue other things for my future.”
‘I’m just lying flat and working like a sloth’
Their story struck a chord with many commenters, who shared their own moments of disillusionment with workplace promises and corporate loyalty.
One commenter said their wake-up call came barely a year after graduating.
One wrote, “I can’t believe I got this moment 1 year post-graduation. Same company, but different manager. Everything I did right, the manager claims credit for and says, ‘WE did it.’ Everything I did wrong, suddenly is ‘HE did it.’ Harsh wake-up call.”
Another commented, “After 10 years in my organisation, I was ‘promised’ a managerial position in 2024 by my director. This year’s appraisal, my new managing director and other management heads decided I’m not doing enough to deserve the promotion.”
“I’m taking the same salary as my colleagues who are doing half of my workload and get away with whatever mistakes they can make. Now I’m just lying flat and working like a sloth.”
Perhaps the most emotional response came from someone who said they learned the lesson after losing their father.
The commenter explained that they had started a better-paying job around the same time their father was diagnosed with a rare illness. Because the treatment costs were high and not covered by subsidies or Medisave, they pushed themselves to work as hard as possible to keep the income flowing.
Although they still made time to visit their father, they often arrived exhausted.
“He could tell I was very tired and asked me to go home and rest,” the commenter recalled.
After their father’s passing, they found themselves questioning the sacrifices they had made.
“When he passed, I kept asking myself if I could have done better, why I had to spend so much time working when my dad mattered more to me.”
In other news, a Singaporean father shared he is absolutely devastated after his son decided to drop out of a prestigious international school, an opportunity he believes could have opened many doors for him in the future.
In an online post titled ‘My son wasted his life and is going to drop out in 2 months’ shared on Tuesday (Jun 2), the divorced father recounted how he had initially wanted his son to attend a “normal” local school and grow up alongside other “regular children” his age.
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