SINGAPORE: Is working late to impress the boss becoming a thing of the past? A recent Reddit thread suggests that more Singaporeans are ditching this old habit and opting for a healthier work-life balance by leaving work on time.
The conversation kicked off when one user asked, “Do you leave on time at work? I am working 9-6 but at 6, majority of the people still stay and don’t leave till like 6:15-6:30. Is it wrong to leave at 6? Is there any unspoken rule not to leave on time?”
In response to this query, many Singaporeans mentioned that they now make a point of leaving work on time, regardless of what their colleagues or boss might think. They’ve realized that sticking around just to make a good impression isn’t really necessary, especially since they often finish their work long before the end of the workday.
One netizen shared that he starts getting ready to leave at 5:50 PM, shuts down his computer by 5:58, and walks out precisely at 6:00. He pointed out that since he doesn’t get paid for overtime and always arrives a bit early, staying late doesn’t make sense.
He added, “I have better things to do than linger in the robot box, aka office. I also take my full hour of lunch and ignore any messages until after.”
Another commenter revealed that she typically leaves the office an hour earlier. She explained, “It’s a habit from the pandemic era when bosses gave us green light to leave early to Siam the peak crowd. I make sure I do my work so bosses won’t say anything.”
A third netizen mentioned that he regularly leaves the office around 4 to 4:30pm. He said, “This is encouraged by the boss. No point to squeeze in traffic, so we all leave early and just head home to do work. Much better mentally as well because there’s time to run errands between 4.30-6ish, then continue work at night when most things in Singapore have closed.”
A fourth individual commented, “My working hours is 9 to 6, but I arrive to work around 9.30 and leave at 5.30. Some of my colleagues leave at 4.30 even. I think mainly because my company have this 10 to 4 “core hours” we have the flexibility to leave earlier if we have errands.”
Meanwhile, others pointed out that workplace culture plays a significant role in whether leaving on time is feasible. They noted that in some companies, the expectation to stay late remains strong, and leaving promptly might still be seen as a sign of poor commitment or lack of dedication.
One user mentioned that he consistently ends up leaving the office at 6:30pm because his boss frequently assigns him additional tasks at the last minute.
Another netizen drew comparisons between different workplaces. At his first job at a Japanese multinational corporation, he was “praised for being dedicated” when he stayed in the office until 9pm. However, at his next job at a UK multinational corporation, he was encouraged by his boss “to shut down his computer by 5:55pm and join his colleagues for drinks.”
He said, “This all depends on company culture. I’m sure SG SME bosses have their own ideas too.”
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