‘Should I give more value to my work when I don’t receive a wage relative to my work?’ — Teacher asks, ‘How is the value of work perceived in SG?’

SINGAPORE: In the quiet hum of a Reddit thread, a Singaporean teacher posed a question that struck a nerve across professions: “Should I give more value to my work when I don’t receive a wage relative to my work?”

Reflecting on past jobs and the current grind in the tuition sector, the teacher shared a sobering breakdown: “My student numbers do not provide enough revenue to cover my wage after employer CPF deduction, but it exceeds if the employer’s CPF is not included.” Despite pulling his weight with duties beyond teaching, he admits, “This year I compiled the number of lessons and the prorated fees for one lesson, and it is below the total wage I have earned.”

But the issue isn’t just personal — it’s systemic. The post ignited a sharp exchange on how Singaporeans perceive the value of labour when pay doesn’t seem to reflect contribution from the teacher’s explanation and question: “How do you all track the value of your work, whether you are contributing more value than your wage received?”

One fellow tutor offered a quick metric: “Check the lesson fees, and multiply by your student number. I know for a fact that I am bringing in way more than my wage.” Another added a pragmatic reminder: “If all their staff are like yours, costing more to employ than what they bring in from tuition fees, there will be an operational deficit. This cannot be sustained in the long term, and the agency/centre will close.”

But some readers widened the lens. A field service engineer joined in with cold, hard numbers: “I literally have to keep track of the time I spend at a customer site per job… I can quantify how much I earn vs how much I make for the company.”

Then there’s the Redditor who might just be the poster child for underpaid excellence: “One of my projects saved the company S$1 million a year — done 60% by myself. Another saved S$940,000 annually in licence costs. But I’m still being paid peanuts compared to the value I bring.”

Still, not everyone believes in tying work to dollars. One comment cut deep: “If you can be replaced in 2 weeks, nothing you do is ever ‘valuable’.”

So, how is work valued in Singapore? According to this thread, it is not always a matter of impact, nor is it always 100% clear-cut; rather, it is a matter of mostly replacement cost, revenue contribution, and/or cold-eyed business sustainability.

In the end, the hardest factual takeaway is this: Your worth isn’t always on your payslip, even when your boss’ calculator disagrees.

Read related: ‘Why so many job ads in SG want 101 requirements but then still hide the salary range?’ — Jobseeker asks what’s with the HR pay secret