‘I want to leave too’: Employee says toxic office culture has pushed colleagues to resign amid a harsh job market

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean employee recently shared on social media that the toxic culture at her office has driven a number of colleagues to hand in their notices this month.

On Thursday (Oct 23), she posted on a Reddit forum, saying that because of the wave of resignations, she and a handful of remaining employees have been forced to take on the work left behind by those who quit.

She also mentioned that it will take some time before the company can hire new staff and train them, meaning the extra pressure on current employees is unlikely to ease anytime soon.

“I want to leave too, but the job market is really bad, and I’m too overworked to even find the time to look for another job,” she wrote.

Desperate to get out of the toxic environment, she asked, “Any tips on how to job hunt while coping with an increased workload at this company?”

“Hang in there—you don’t want to leave and be jobless.”

In the comments, one Singaporean Redditor advised the woman not to let the pressure get to her. “Just maintain your regular work pace and don’t do overtime if possible,” they wrote. “And be more thick-skinned; if your boss keeps chasing you for deliverables, just say you are already working at 100%.”

Building on this, another suggested she try “quiet quitting” to make things more manageable. “If you are definitely leaving, you can just do less until you switch or get fired. That way, you’re less tired or can spend more time job hunting.”

A third user also recommended that she communicate her concerns to the higher-ups. “Inform your manager/bosses that you are overloaded and you can’t finish your work on time. Also, take a step back and breathe. Reorganise your workload, and prioritise things that need to be finished and things that you can sit on.”

A fourth added, “Hang in there—you don’t want to leave and be jobless. Take it from someone who has been in the job market for 2+ years searching, applying, interviewing, applying. Singapore employers hate Singaporeans, and it just sucks to be in constant limbo.”

In other news, a part-time worker has publicly criticised a “drink stall chain” in Singapore for making her and other employees pay for any incorrectly made beverages.

In a post on the r/SGexams subreddit, the worker wrote that she found the policy both “unnecessary” and “unreasonable”, especially since they are only paid S$9 per hour.

Read more: Drink stall chain allegedly makes staff pay for incorrect orders, says part-time worker