Would you rather have 10k salary but work 50+ hrs/wk with lots of stress or 6k salary & work ~40 hrs/wk with ‘average workload’

SINGAPORE: A Reddit user wanted to know if netizens in Singapore would prefer a higher salary with a harder job, or lower pay with an ‘average workload.’

u/SillyMilly9052 wrote on r/askSingapore on Thursday (July 20), “Which would you choose and why?”

The two scenarios she laid out are as follows: Scenario A has a “10k salary but high workload, stress and working hours (more than 50 hours a week),” while with Scenario B, there’s a “6k salary but average workload and great working hours (~40 hours a week).”

She also asked those who preferred Scenario B what minimum salary they would “consider to put up with the workload/stress? Assuming everything else is comparable such as boss, culture, progression, work, benefits, etc..”

Since many people are showing interest in the workplace environment and work/life balance recently, it’s no surprise that a good number of commenters responded to the post author’s question.

One commenter who said that he’s currently in Scenario B—lower pay and stress—said that he sometimes wonders if he should switch jobs.

“Currently in scenario B – extremely comfortable, office within walking distance, low stress, friendly boss and colleagues, never go home after dark before.

Yet some days can’t help but to have that nagging doubt to change jobs especially since I feel like I’m lagging behind my peers/cohort in terms of pay…oh well, grass is always greener I guess.”

Another Reddit user who said he took a pay cut to be in a more relaxing job wrote, “Now I have my weekends, time to gym, date, even consider side hustles. That net loss in income was worth the mental health gains alone.”

One seemed to agree with this, writing, “Money can’t really buy happiness, go for one where you can have work-life balance.”

Some said, however, that they would take the job with higher pay and more stress, but only for a limited amount of time.

Another wrote that Scenario B actually sounded ideal.

“As a single man I’ll take the 10k,” wrote another.

/TISG

“What kind of work-life balance?” — Netizens question job offer with 12-hour shift on weekdays