SINGAPORE: A Singaporean employee shared on social media that fear of unemployment and financial insecurity has forced her to remain in a toxic, mentally draining role.
In her post on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Monday (Dec 22), the employee detailed her situation, explaining that her agency is “notoriously known for poor work-life balance” and that, during her short tenure, she has already witnessed a steady stream of colleagues resigning, describing them as “dropping out like flies.”
“[My] workload is crazy, and it’s affecting my mental health,” she wrote. “My clients tend to dump tasks on me at the last minute with unreasonable deadlines, and I end up rushing to finish them on top of my existing workload. It’s terrible. They’re also incredibly indecisive and constantly change their mind even after something has already been confirmed.”
The employee added that she sometimes skips lunch just to keep up with her responsibilities. When time still falls short, she is forced to work overtime at night.
According to her, the constant overtime has become a daily expectation. “Working late every day is horrible, and it’s honestly killing me,” she said.
Despite recognising that the job is harming her health, she said leaving is not a realistic option at the moment due to the brutal job market and the lack of time to properly search for other opportunities.
“I’ve been applying but getting no responses, and even if I do get interviews, I feel like I wouldn’t even have the time to schedule one. It’s a whole struggle,” she explained.
She also highlighted that many others in Singapore face similar challenges. “The job market is horrible right now. I have friends with great portfolios who still can’t find jobs because there are too many applicants and not enough openings. I don’t know what to do,” she wrote.
“I want to quit, but if I do, I’ll be unemployed and broke… so I’m basically stuck here in purgatory,” she concluded.
“You don’t have to quit NOW, but you plan the exit.”
Her post quickly resonated with other Reddit users, many of whom took to the comments to offer empathy, encouragement, and practical advice drawn from their own experiences.
“I have been in your shoes before, and I am currently in your shoes,” one user wrote. “Keep applying, find pockets for mental breaks, do what you can, and scale back where you can. The sun will shine again. It will just take time for that opportunity to arrive.”
Another commenter echoed the sentiment, saying, “I’m in the same boat as you right now. Keep on applying. It’ll make you feel less anxious day-to-day knowing that there’s hope out there. Every time your client drops another unreasonable task on you, look for 1 more posting to apply to.”
Some also urged her to consider prioritising her mental health, even if leaving immediately was not possible.
“Hey there, I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve been there. The only real solution is to get out of the agency environment,” one user said. “I’d advise you to take a sabbatical if you can, but if your finances are not in order, perhaps you can try speaking to a doctor at a polyclinic to see whether they can refer you to a psychologist.”
A fourth shared, “I am so sorry to hear that; that was my experience when I was working in an agency. Please do not listen to ignorant boomers about how we should always keep a job forever, no matter how bad it gets. It’s bad advice, and that’s why we have a mental health crisis. You don’t have to quit NOW, but you plan the exit.”
In other news, a woman took to social media to express her frustration after her brother caused the family to lose over S$100,000 in a failed business venture.
Posting on a local forum, she shared that her brother had convinced the family to invest in a promising company where his close friend was the CEO and where he himself had secured a well-paying job.
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