SINGAPORE: A Singapore-based employee has shared online that they are now the “only survivor” of their regional team after a series of layoffs and offshoring decisions wiped out the rest of the local office, raising concerns that their own role may be at risk next.

“I am the only one left in Singapore after layoffs,” they wrote on the r/singaporejobs forum on Tuesday (April 20). 

“The rest of the department has been offshored. They have kept me, as I am still leading some important projects in the region. Now I am not working with anyone in the local office anymore. I am leading a team across China and SEA while reporting to a boss in India.”

They added that they previously worked as a senior regional associate under a regional manager. However, after the final round of layoffs, they were effectively made the acting regional manager overseeing teams in other countries, even though their salary remained at the same level.

Looking back, the employee described the downsizing as a gradual process rather than a sudden shift. At its peak, their department had around 40 staff based in Singapore. During the COVID-19 period, the team worked from home, and operations ran smoothly. 

However, things began to change when the company carried out its first major round of layoffs, cutting about 10 employees and replacing those roles with a team based in China.

Although those who remained initially believed the cuts were a one-off move, the pattern continued. 

“Those who survived were a bit scared, but they thought it was just a one-time thing. Slowly, slowly, when some people here resigned, they didn’t backfill with local headcount but moved the headcount to China. Then came the final blow. They sacked the entire team except me and let me oversee those in China.”

“Work that doesn’t require the Chinese language is also offshored to a large team in India. It all felt like a slow death. Once MNCs realise the same work can be done in a cheaper place, SG folks will be chopped.”

Ending their post, they asked the online community, “Has anyone been in a similar situation before?”

“Get your finances in order.”

In the discussion thread, one Singaporean Redditor commented that the company will probably dismiss them too once their current projects are finished.

The post author responded: “Yeah, I’m super scared now.”

Another Redditor advised, “Start looking for another job. The same thing happened to me previously. After a visit from the owners overseas, almost everyone in the office was laid off except for the new director and me. The rest were all let go. I told my old boss before he left that I would be tendering my resignation as well because I knew the headache it would be after the office manpower was more than halved; most of the workload would come to me for the same paycheck.”

A third shared, “Same situation in my company. Most departments were left with only 1 or at most 2 to hand over the entire team task to the overseas team. It is kind of horrible to be in this situation in a way because everyone else gets their retrenchment package while the only survivor(s) have to take in all the remaining tasks and responsibilities and then be the bridge, which they might burn when time comes.”

A fourth added, “Firstly, don’t be afraid. Get your finances in order. Say no to the unnecessary big expenses for at least a year. Remember, your priorities are your own finances and your own well-being.”

“Secondly, upskill and start applying right away. As a retrenched engineer for almost two months, this was something that I didn’t do and am regretting my slow progress right now.”

In other news, a man has sparked quite the online debate after sharing that his girlfriend turned down his marriage proposal when he presented what he thought was a sensible, budget-friendly wedding plan: “a simple ROM (Registration of Marriages), no wedding gown, no banquet, and no pricey ring.”

On Monday (April 20), he wrote on a local forum that he had laid everything out clearly from the start. His idea was to keep things minimal with just the ROM, followed by a small gesture of hosting her immediate family at a single buffet table at the Shangri-La hotel.

Read more: Girlfriend rejects marriage proposal after man suggests simple ROM with ‘no gown, no banquet, no pricey ring’

This article (‘They moved everything overseas’: Local employee, now the only one left in SG, fears being laid off) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean worker’s question about the ever-challenging working life in the Lion City has struck a resonating note online: job security feels fragile, even for those with long careers. The post, shared on Reddit’s r/askSingapore on April 23, 2026, describes a workplace where layoffs seem quick, quiet, and unpredictable.

The worker points to repeated cuts across roles, from junior staff to senior executives, and recalls how a local head with about 15 years in the firm was dismissed after a brief meeting with the global chief. The decision, described as sudden and clinical, left colleagues uneasy about their own standing.

“Work stability is just an illusion…”

Early reactions from other Singaporeans alike show a mix of anxiety and realism. Some say this is simply how modern work operates. Others admit the fear is real, especially when layoffs happen without warning, more than ever these days.

Several commenters who went through retrenchment say the outcome wasn’t always negative. Many moved on to better roles, stronger teams, and higher pay. Their message is that job loss hurts, but it is rarely the end.

Others take a colder view: work, they say, is just a transaction. Companies hire based on need and cost. If a cheaper or more efficient option appears, decisions follow. Loyalty carries little weight in that equation.

“You’re just a unit of production…”

One commenter added that workers are part of a system driven by cost and output. Value matters, but it is relative. Someone cheaper or faster can replace you.

Another, who’s working in human resources, shares a behind-the-scenes perspective. Layoffs usually come from higher-level decisions, rather than personal judgments. The role of HR is to carry them out, instead of questioning them.

That same commenter has also taken a practical approach: learning new skills, exploring side work, and treating employment as one part of life rather than its centre. It is less about avoiding risk, more about staying ready for change.

“Staying useful matters more than staying loyal…”

Across the discussion, one idea keeps coming up: staying useful matters more than staying loyal.

Workers are encouraged to build skills, expand networks, and keep options open. Some suggest having side income streams. Others stress the importance of not tying identity too closely to a job.

A few also point out that Singapore’s competitive labour market plays a role. Many aim for similar roles, such as office jobs, sales, and corporate tracks, which increases competition and makes replacement easier.

“Layoffs are part of business cycles…”

There is little denial in the discussion, as most accept that layoffs are part of business cycles. The concern is not that they happen, but how suddenly they can happen.

The tone is less outraged, more adjusted. Workers are not expecting stability. They are learning to live without it.

“Keep skills current, maintain professional connections, and, if possible, avoid relying on a single income path…”

Careers are no longer built on long-term security nowadays. They are shaped by constant movement, skill updates, and changing demand.

For Singaporeans, this hits harder in a high-cost environment where a steady income matters, so the fear is practical rather than abstract.

There is no neat fix for this at the moment, and companies will continue to make decisions based on cost and strategy, given how the current economy works.

What workers can control, however, is narrower but still useful: keep skills current, maintain professional connections, and, if possible, avoid relying on a single income path.

Work is part of life, not the whole of it, so always treat it that way, and uncertainty then becomes easier to carry and navigate throughout life.

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Read related: ‘The most useful thing a senior told me at work’ — Workers share the advice that ‘stuck with them until today’

This article (‘Are we all one meeting away from getting fired?’ — Singaporean asks after seeing ‘so many people get cut no matter how experienced or “valuable” you are’) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Flexible work is easier to request in Singapore today, but using it tells another story.

A Channel NewsAsia (CNA) report on Apr 22, 2026, shows many workers still face subtle pushback after getting approval. Some are ignored in text or email messages. Others feel watched more closely. A few even fear losing their jobs.

One father, who works from home twice a week to care for his toddler, said his colleagues became less responsive. Meetings shifted to in-person. Work slowed. Despite strong performance, he worries his arrangement may cost him his role.

His case is not rare; other workers have also said that such work flexibility often comes with hidden penalties. These include slower career progress, strained relationships, and social isolation at work.

Approvals from management are up, but worker hesitation remains

On paper, the progress on flexible work approvals looks solid. Around 70 per cent of firms now offer flexible work options, according to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

A 2025 survey by the People’s Action Party (PAP) Women’s Wing and National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) found about 90 per cent of requests were approved, fully or with changes. Yet one-third of workers still avoid asking to use it, citing the stigma associated with it.

That hesitation says more about workplace culture than policy.

Many managers still equate staff presence with work commitment

Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) chief executive officer Aslam Sardar said some work leaders struggle to move away from “presenteeism”. That means judging a worker’s effort by time spent in the office rather than by their results.

That leads to micromanagement. Workers reported being checked on frequently when working from home. Some felt they had to prove they were not taking advantage.

A museum employee who cared for a sick parent said a senior manager monitored her closely. And after her parents passed away, expectations from her work tightened. She believed it affected her career prospects.

Managers rated remote workers lower on commitment

A study by National University of Singapore (NUS) assistant professor Wang Senhu and King’s College London researcher Chung Heejung found obvious work bias.

Managers rated remote workers lower on commitment and promotion potential. This was based on a 2022 survey of 473 managers.

The effect was stronger for fathers than for mothers. Fathers who asked for flexibility were seen as breaking the “ideal worker” image of full availability.

The study also found framing matters. When flexible work is seen as a benefit for caregivers, it looks like a special favour. This weakens its professional standing.

When work flexibility becomes a fear of career threat

For some, the career stakes are high. In one case, a father of a child with special needs said he was warned he could be dismissed after working from the hospital during a family crisis. He later changed jobs for more flexibility but now avoids asking for it.

Another senior employee filed a complaint with the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) after her request was rejected. The dispute remains unresolved.

These cases show how quickly flexibility can shift from support to risk.

Worker uncertainty over remote work

Flexible work is no longer a fringe perk. It shapes hiring and retention, as a 2024 MOM survey found 65.4 per cent of workers consider flexibility when choosing jobs. Only salary ranked higher.

One worker even said uncertainty over remote work is holding him back from having another child. This then also links workplace culture directly to birth rates in Singapore.

Some companies adapt faster and don’t struggle with flexible work arrangements

Some employers, however, are adapting more quickly to changes in work-life balance than others.

One marketing head in an investment firm works from home twice a week with full team support. Meetings are planned around her schedule. Her performance is reviewed regularly, with no issues raised.

Another firm offered a part-time permanent role to a returning mother, with benefits and structured hours. This shows flexibility can work when designed well.

Managers need to focus on workers’ results, not their attendance

Experts agree that the next phase is not to add more work rules. It is better to improve the execution of work instead.

Managers need to focus on outcomes, not attendance. Decisions must be transparent. Flexible workers shouldn’t face hidden career threats and costs.

NTUC assistant secretary-general Yeo Wan Ling said policies can guide change. Workplace culture decides if they actually work.

Judge workers by what they deliver, not for where they work from

Flexible work is already here, so the next question is whether companies treat it as normal work practices or a special exception.

If someone meets deadlines, supports the team, and performs well, their work location should no longer matter.

Anything else is just old habits dressed up as effective management.

This article (Singapore employees fear job loss amid higher flexible work approvals) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.