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Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Mon, 30 Jan 2023 4:34 pm
by JWNYsg
After living overseas, came back to Singapore but struggled to adapt this one year
The pace of life was always known to be fast but struggling with normal work habits and expectations as well.
Other than work competitiveness, sometimes environment can be a quite political (do not want to use the word toxic)
Also. People seem to complain a lot. Not sure if constructive or ranting.
Anyone else felt the trade off for work life balance is hard to come by?
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Mon, 30 Jan 2023 5:32 pm
by smoulder
JWNYsg wrote: ↑Mon, 30 Jan 2023 4:34 pm
After living overseas, came back to Singapore but struggled to adapt this one year
The pace of life was always known to be fast but struggling with normal work habits and expectations as well.
Other than work competitiveness, sometimes environment can be a quite political (do not want to use the word toxic)
Also. People seem to complain a lot. Not sure if constructive or ranting.
Anyone else felt the trade off for work life balance is hard to come by?
When I moved here for the first time, I was with a system integrator and implementing a website for one of the local companies.
Work life balance was crazy but that was mainly due to system integrator work culture. Coming from a service provider, that was obviously different. However, that had nothing to do with Singapore.
What I did find a bit different was the Singapore customer who I felt was very demanding and at times tended to dehumanize the guys working to implement their website - namely "us", aka their "vendor". Demanding for sure, but never something that I felt overwhelming, probably because I'm a hardened guy who grew up in equally fast paced Mumbai. So these customers were in for a rude shock when their vendor (me) would give it back to them.
So I guess the take away is that it all depends on your past experiences - if you've spent a lot of time in a more slow paced environment, then I suppose the work life balance here might be a bit of a challenge.
Then again, in my ten years here across 1 Indian SI, one Aussie company, 1 US Bank and 1 local bank, I'd say that work culture really varies depending on the company. Hint - the Aussie company was laid back, the rest, not so much. From what I hear, the Chinese companies are even more ball busting, but I have no direct experience there.
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Mon, 30 Jan 2023 8:23 pm
by Lisafuller
JWNYsg wrote: ↑Mon, 30 Jan 2023 4:34 pm
After living overseas, came back to Singapore but struggled to adapt this one year
The pace of life was always known to be fast but struggling with normal work habits and expectations as well.
Other than work competitiveness, sometimes environment can be a quite political (do not want to use the word toxic)
Also. People seem to complain a lot. Not sure if constructive or ranting.
Anyone else felt the trade off for work life balance is hard to come by?
Completely get you, a healthy work life balance is very hard to achieve here. There's a culture of overworking and competitiveness that pervades our society, and it's quite impossible to release yourself from its effect.
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Mon, 30 Jan 2023 8:24 pm
by Lisafuller
smoulder wrote: ↑Mon, 30 Jan 2023 5:32 pm
JWNYsg wrote: ↑Mon, 30 Jan 2023 4:34 pm
After living overseas, came back to Singapore but struggled to adapt this one year
The pace of life was always known to be fast but struggling with normal work habits and expectations as well.
Other than work competitiveness, sometimes environment can be a quite political (do not want to use the word toxic)
Also. People seem to complain a lot. Not sure if constructive or ranting.
Anyone else felt the trade off for work life balance is hard to come by?
When I moved here for the first time, I was with a system integrator and implementing a website for one of the local companies.
Work life balance was crazy but that was mainly due to system integrator work culture. Coming from a service provider, that was obviously different. However, that had nothing to do with Singapore.
What I did find a bit different was the Singapore customer who I felt was very demanding and at times tended to dehumanize the guys working to implement their website - namely "us", aka their "vendor". Demanding for sure, but never something that I felt overwhelming, probably because I'm a hardened guy who grew up in equally fast paced Mumbai. So these customers were in for a rude shock when their vendor (me) would give it back to them.
So I guess the take away is that it all depends on your past experiences - if you've spent a lot of time in a more slow paced environment, then I suppose the work life balance here might be a bit of a challenge.
Then again, in my ten years here across 1 Indian SI, one Aussie company, 1 US Bank and 1 local bank, I'd say that work culture really varies depending on the company. Hint - the Aussie company was laid back, the rest, not so much. From what I hear, the Chinese companies are even more ball busting, but I have no direct experience there.
A lot of the experience also has to do with cultural differences, for example, in Singapore like you mentioned, clients tend to be more demanding and uncompromising, whereas in the US, they tend to be a lot more polite and understanding.
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Wed, 01 Feb 2023 10:02 am
by JWNYsg
Thanks guys for sharing.
It’s not easy to switch off my corporate device after office hours as people still reply messages and some use their own personal devices for these chats thus easier for them to react
The hustling is hectic and sometimes draining
Hopefully better times to come
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Wed, 01 Feb 2023 10:17 am
by smoulder
JWNYsg wrote: ↑Wed, 01 Feb 2023 10:02 am
Thanks guys for sharing.
It’s not easy to switch off my corporate device after office hours as people still reply messages and some use their own personal devices for these chats thus easier for them to react
The hustling is hectic and sometimes draining
Hopefully better times to come
My suggestion is that if it's possible, you should draw a line. Rules like -
1. No meetings beyond work hours
2. Even if people use whatsapp or Teams to ping you after work hours, it's up to you to respond or not.
There may occasionally be exceptions when something is quite urgent. But by and large, adherence to the above can help you to avoid burn out.
If it's really not possible to draw the line because of how you will be perceived in the office, then you are probably working for the wrong employer
What kind of work do you do?
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Wed, 01 Feb 2023 3:52 pm
by therat
I always make a point.
1. My personal devices is not for business use.
2. After work hours, I will shut down company laptop and bring out my own laptop for own usages.
Covid, make us WFH, must know where to draw the line.
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Wed, 08 Feb 2023 3:40 pm
by JWNYsg
smoulder wrote: ↑Wed, 01 Feb 2023 10:17 am
JWNYsg wrote: ↑Wed, 01 Feb 2023 10:02 am
Thanks guys for sharing.
It’s not easy to switch off my corporate device after office hours as people still reply messages and some use their own personal devices for these chats thus easier for them to react
The hustling is hectic and sometimes draining
Hopefully better times to come
My suggestion is that if it's possible, you should draw a line. Rules like -
1. No meetings beyond work hours
2. Even if people use whatsapp or Teams to ping you after work hours, it's up to you to respond or not.
There may occasionally be exceptions when something is quite urgent. But by and large, adherence to the above can help you to avoid burn out.
If it's really not possible to draw the line because of how you will be perceived in the office, then you are probably working for the wrong employer
What kind of work do you do?
Thank you for sharing
I work in a global mnc
Think the struggle is mostly expectation. sometimes a herd mentality of working long hours
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Wed, 08 Feb 2023 3:42 pm
by JWNYsg
therat wrote: ↑Wed, 01 Feb 2023 3:52 pm
I always make a point.
1. My personal devices is not for business use.
2. After work hours, I will shut down company laptop and bring out my own laptop for own usages.
Covid, make us WFH, must know where to draw the line.
Thank you for sharing
Some of my colleagues even use their personal device for corporate use as easier to manoeuvre than bring 2 devices
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Wed, 08 Feb 2023 5:02 pm
by therat
JWNYsg wrote: ↑Wed, 08 Feb 2023 3:40 pm
smoulder wrote: ↑Wed, 01 Feb 2023 10:17 am
JWNYsg wrote: ↑Wed, 01 Feb 2023 10:02 am
Thanks guys for sharing.
It’s not easy to switch off my corporate device after office hours as people still reply messages and some use their own personal devices for these chats thus easier for them to react
The hustling is hectic and sometimes draining
Hopefully better times to come
My suggestion is that if it's possible, you should draw a line. Rules like -
1. No meetings beyond work hours
2. Even if people use whatsapp or Teams to ping you after work hours, it's up to you to respond or not.
There may occasionally be exceptions when something is quite urgent. But by and large, adherence to the above can help you to avoid burn out.
If it's really not possible to draw the line because of how you will be perceived in the office, then you are probably working for the wrong employer
What kind of work do you do?
Thank you for sharing
I work in a global mnc
Think the struggle is mostly expectation. sometimes a herd mentality of working long hours
For global MNC, you need to tell your counter part, what time is now at your end.
They might not aware that it is midnight at your end.
They arrange a meeting at 5am. I just told them, it is 5am at my end. I cannot wake up.
Hence didn't not accept their meeting invite.
What is the point to force my body to wake up but my mind still in far far kingdom.
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Thu, 09 Feb 2023 10:46 am
by abbby
I think it's important to use the devices for work separate from personal use, otherwise it would be hard to draw the line if you don't answer emails or phones after work hours. I have worked in toxic environments before, when people tend to gossip about one another behind their backs. I would usually just stay away and not get involved with small talks.
I also have personal friends who would meet just to talk about her friends whom I don't know. After a few meetings, I just find the 'negativity' getting to me, I just try to stay away as much as possible.
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Mon, 13 Feb 2023 12:49 pm
by malcontent
I would have to juggle two phones in order to keep business and personal separated. What I do instead is switch off email notifications, only instant messages, calls and meeting reminders come through, and I don’t have a problem ignoring them when it makes sense.
I often advise people, you have to manage your job… don’t let your job manage you. No matter how crazy it gets, you always have to think — if you were out of the picture, the world is not going to end, the business will find a way to carry on. You don’t get extra pay to be stressed, so don’t. Not saying it’s easy to get into this mindset, but it’s really important that you find a way to.
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Tue, 17 Oct 2023 4:01 pm
by JWNYsg
abbby wrote: ↑Thu, 09 Feb 2023 10:46 am
I think it's important to use the devices for work separate from personal use, otherwise it would be hard to draw the line if you don't answer emails or phones after work hours. I have worked in toxic environments before, when people tend to gossip about one another behind their backs. I would usually just stay away and not get involved with small talks.
I also have personal friends who would meet just to talk about her friends whom I don't know. After a few meetings, I just find the 'negativity' getting to me, I just try to stay away as much as possible.
Thanks for sharing, so far i haven't had trouble not replying messages after office hours. Maybe just FOMO feeling
Re: Vexed in Singapore
Posted: Tue, 17 Oct 2023 4:02 pm
by JWNYsg
malcontent wrote: ↑Mon, 13 Feb 2023 12:49 pm
I would have to juggle two phones in order to keep business and personal separated. What I do instead is switch off email notifications, only instant messages, calls and meeting reminders come through, and I don’t have a problem ignoring them when it makes sense.
I often advise people, you have to manage your job… don’t let your job manage you. No matter how crazy it gets, you always have to think — if you were out of the picture, the world is not going to end, the business will find a way to carry on. You don’t get extra pay to be stressed, so don’t. Not saying it’s easy to get into this mindset, but it’s really important that you find a way to.
thanks for advice. Need to instill discipline to try and not worry too much. Singapore has changed a lot nonetheless