“No bonus for me despite working for SME for two years, but my boss got another new car!” — Employee feels unappreciated 

SINGAPORE: Despite dedicating two years to working in his current company, one Singaporean worker claims he has not received any bonus payout.

Taking to r/askSingapore, he shared that he has done countless projects for an SME in the personal care industry’s Research and Development (R&D) sector and that the products he developed are now even out in the market.

“I’m not earning any commission from my products at all which question my abilities in the company. They mentioned that if the retail team hits a target we can get a bonus and to reward the staff. But guess what, no news, nothing.”

Things got even more frustrating for him when his boss showed off a new car.

Feeling unappreciated, he’s now questioning where he stands and his future with the company.

“It makes me question my role in the company. What should I do? The thing is, I enjoy doing what I’m doing now because it’s something that I’m insanely passionate about!

But the downside is the market for my field is niche and not in demand in sg. What should I do?”

“Start updating your resume and send those CVs out.”

In the comments section, one user shared why many experienced Singaporeans avoid working for SMEs. He explained that these companies often have a bad reputation for dishonesty, especially regarding money. Bosses at SMEs frequently tell their employees that the company isn’t making enough money to “avoid handing out bonuses.”

He added, “Few months later, they moved into a new condo and bought new cars.”

Another user commented, “Very common stories from my friend who worked in SMEs. Companies tell employees little or no bonus because the company is not doing well. Meanwhile the bosses or the owners can change cars every year.”

A third user said, “Strong stink… The boss definitely wanna keep you down financially and make you think you should be grateful to the boss for having a job. But well, since you’ve gone without bonus for 2 years, I’m sure the boss thinks this can continue forever.”

Meanwhile, several users also encouraged him to start looking for a new job.

One user advised him, “Start updating your resume and send those CVs out. The Job market is tight, so start early.”

He also suggested that the Singaporean worker do his research and avoid SMEs as much as possible since they will undoubtedly make “grand promises” during interviews but later introduce conditions that make it difficult to receive bonuses. He also said that his current boss likely won’t be concerned if he leaves, as they can easily find another unsuspecting candidate to replace him, continuing the cycle.

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