SINGAPORE: A fresh graduate shared that his first IT job requires him to be on standby 24/7 for less than S$4,000 a month, raising questions about fairness and what “normal” really looks like in Singapore’s tech sector.
Posting on the r/askSingapore subreddit community forum, the employee said he joined a small IT company two months ago after being told during interviews that duties would be “24/7 on standby with rotation.” The reality, however, turned out to be very different.
“After working here, I realised that I have no partner/team member and will basically be on standby every day alone,” he wrote.
While he said he does not mind standby work, being on-call every single day has begun to affect his personal life. “Being on it every day seems to interfere with my weekend getaway plans,” he added, before asking plainly: “Is this normal?”
“No, it’s not normal…”
The employee, who described himself as “a fresh degree grad (not new to full-time jobs),” said he earns “sub S$4K a month” and is torn between enduring the role for experience or leaving early, especially given the weak job market.
“I’m thinking of staying here for a year for the experience, but I don’t know if I can last that long here,” he explained. “Fully aware that the job market is horrible right now, too.”
His situation resonated with many in the comments, particularly those with long careers in IT.
“No, it’s not normal. I’ve worked in IT for almost 10 years,” one commenter said, advising him to check his contract carefully and set boundaries. “Start saying no. Don’t respond when you’re on leave. In the meantime, find another job.”
“If they expect me to give 24/7, they’d better pay for that expectation…”
Others took issue with the economics of the arrangement. One commenter noted that if standby effectively covers “31 days 24/7,” the hourly rate becomes “very, very low,” and added that companies should invest in teams and properly compensate for standby time.
“My personal principle is ‘on-standby’ would mean fully at work,” another wrote. “If they expect me to give 24/7, they’d better pay for that expectation.”
Several advised him to raise the issue directly with management and clarify whether additional staff would be hired to enable proper rotation. “Everyone deserves days off,” one commenter said. “Don’t stay with a job because of the experience if it abuses you.”
A familiar early-career dilemma
While opinions differed on how long he should stay, the consensus was clear: permanent solo standby, especially at entry-level pay, is not standard practice. For many, the post highlighted a recurring issue faced by fresh graduates: unclear expectations, blurred boundaries, and the quiet normalisation of overwork disguised as “experience.”
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