SINGAPORE: One employee’s patience finally ran out after years of being asked to handle “grey areas” or tasks that had absolutely nothing to do with their actual job scope.

Sharing their frustrations on the local forum called singaporejobs on Monday (May 27), the employee said their boss had constantly expected staff to “cover the grey areas, do more work outside their job scope, and think like a business owner.”

The employee admitted that they initially followed instructions without questioning them and carried out the extra responsibilities “fairly well.” However, they eventually became burnt out as their boss continued to criticise their performance despite their efforts.

According to the employee, their boss ranks staff on a scale of one to five.

“It’s like 1 for ‘cannot make it.’ 2 for ‘barely making it.’ 3 for ‘average.’ 4 for ‘better than average.’ 5 for ‘industry best.’”

During their first year, the boss allegedly told them they “were not good enough” and “dismissed their effort.”

In their second year, the boss reportedly said they “were still a 3.”

By the third year, the employee said they had finally reached their limit. “He told me I was still a 3 and asked me to do more work.”

“I just told him politely no. Since you already said there’s no promotion, then I am happy to do my work, and that’s good enough. Please don’t ask me to do more and cover grey areas and frame it as career development.”

“I think once bitten, twice shy. Unless the remuneration or incentive is made clear upfront, I am not going to do anything that is not within my field of work.”

Wondering if they did the right thing, they asked Singaporean users: “Am I the a***ole for telling my boss no?”

“Good job for standing up for yourself.”

Many commenters quickly sided with the employee, saying there was nothing wrong with setting boundaries at work. 

One user pointed out how absurd the demands were, writing, “Do outside job scope, think like a business owner, but you don’t pay me like a business owner; it’s like asking a horse to think and work like a cow.”

Another said, “You’re not the a***ole. Bosses and owners want to get two workers for the price of one.”

A third simply said, “Good job for standing up for yourself.”

Still, some warned the employee that refusing extra work could come with consequences during future performance reviews. 

One told them, “Just be prepared that your next performance grade might be a 2, or even 1 + a PIP. From what you have shared, it seems like your boss considers covering extra work a basic expectation. Hence, the average grade. That makes not covering that extra stuff a below-average grading.”

In other news, a Singaporean Threads user who tried to call out two national servicemen on the MRT has instead found himself at the centre of online criticism, after his post struck a nerve with many who felt the men were unfairly singled out.

In a post published on Tuesday (March 28), the user, who goes by the handle “chefphotodan,” shared a photo taken inside a crowded train carriage.

Read more: Man criticised online after calling out NSFs for using phones on MRT: ‘Cut our boys some slack, please’

This article (‘Am I wrong for saying no?’ — Employee tired of being asked to cover ‘grey areas’ at work) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

MALAYSIA: A foreign boss has come under fire after allegedly name-calling Malaysian staff in a group chat and complaining about the number of public holidays they enjoy in the country. The comments are largely seen as being disrespectful to the host country.

The comment, which has since gone viral on Threads and was reposted by Singapore’s No.1 personal finance podcast, The Financial Coconut, on TikTok and Instagram, shows the boss writing: “These pigs rest so much” and “1 month 10 days off.”

The boss’s comment in the post drew strong reactions online as many saw it as disrespectful. Others said it revealed deeper attitudes about work culture in the region.

“If your boss says this in a group chat, how would you feel?”

The original Threads post was shared in Malay with a question: “If you work for an international company and then your boss says this in a group chat, how would you feel? Context: Malaysia has many public holidays.”

@akid.ahmad/Threads

That question resonated with many, and according to The Financial Coconut, the negative comment cut deeper beyond workplace rudeness. It pointed to a long-standing stereotype about Southeast Asians being “lazy” or lacking drive.

The podcast explained that such views date back to colonial times, when workers in the region were often labelled “indolent” to justify low wages and harsh labour systems. It added that these ideas didn’t disappear as they continue to show up today in modern language, such as complaints about “too many holidays” or assumptions about productivity.

“When someone says that, they’re echoing a colonial script,” the commentary noted, pointing to issues like salary, power, control and working conditions.

“So when a foreign boss in Malaysia calls his team ‘pigs’ for using public holidays, it’s not just unprofessional, it drags in a whole history where Southeast Asians are only seen as ‘good workers’ if they sacrifice rest… and family time to fit someone else’s business model.”

Online reactions: “Yes, well-rested pigs perform better!”

Reactions online ranged from anger to sarcasm and humour. One witty commenter even responded with: “Yes, well-rested pigs perform better! ”

Others took a more serious tone and said rest days and public holidays are part of labour rights, not signs of laziness.

Some also pointed out that Malaysia’s public holidays reflect its multicultural society, with different religious and cultural observances across the year.

When productivity is judged by hours worked, instead of outcomes delivered

The incident has reopened the usual debate in Southeast Asia: how work is measured, and who defines “hard work.”

For many, the issue is not about the number of holidays, but respect. Calling staff “pigs” crosses that line. It undermines morale and signals a lack of cultural awareness, especially in international teams. It also raises an important question: should productivity be judged by hours worked, or by outcomes delivered?

In Singapore and across the region, this conversation is becoming more relevant as companies push for better work-life balance while staying competitive.

Public holidays are how societies choose to live, work and rest

Good management always starts with respect for their staff, and cultural context matters—so does how leaders speak to their teams.

Public holidays are not a flaw in the system. They reflect how societies choose to live, work and rest. If anything, a well-rested workforce is more often effective. And a boss who understands that will get more out of people than one who reduces them to insults.

This article (When comments on Malaysia’s public holidays cross the line into disrespect) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.