SINGAPORE: An employee expressed her frustration online after discovering that someone had complained about her phone usage during office hours, even though she insists her work performance has never been affected.

Sharing the incident on the r/singaporejobs forum, the employee said that she has been working in a “typical corporate office” for over a year, where the workforce is largely made up of older staff. 

She noted that “a lot of people are above 40,” with only about 10 per cent of employees in their 20s like herself.

She then explained that she consistently “finishes whatever work she has by the end of the day.”

However, because she finds it difficult to stay focused for long, uninterrupted periods, she tends to alternate between work and briefly checking her phone throughout the day.

During slower periods, she also uses her phone to reply to messages or scroll through social media.

Despite this, she was recently flagged by someone outside her department, who allegedly monitored her behaviour and reported it to her supervisor.

“I recently got a note from my direct boss saying that someone not from my department has been monitoring me and reported that I use my phone too much,” she wrote.

Caught off guard by the complaint, she questioned whether such scrutiny is normal in the workplace.

“Is this normal? How often do you guys use your phones at work? We are not in school anymore. Why is my using my phone bothering someone else who has 0 work relations with me?”

“Precisely, you are not in school anymore. So act like it.”

In the comments, several Singaporean Redditors said that phone use is still generally frowned upon in more traditional office settings, even if the employee is getting all their work done.

One user pointed out that even if a direct supervisor is fine with short phone breaks, other colleagues may not be.

“There will be other people around the office who will find an issue with it. Unfortunately, that’s just how typical toxic corporate culture is.”

Another shared that in some workplaces, there’s this unspoken expectation to always look busy.

“You’re expected to ‘pretend to work’ when you don’t have work,” they wrote. “God forbid that you be doing work that doesn’t look like work too. Someone actually reported me before for ‘surfing’ when I was actually searching for sales leads.”

A third added, “Because the expectation at work is to work. Not to scroll social media. What the other generation does is that they mingle and gossip instead in their free time. It’s just more socially acceptable. The same for how smokers can take smoke breaks but non-smokers can’t take phone breaks. It’s just how society is for now.”

Meanwhile, some commenters advised the post author to manage her short attention span by taking brief pantry or toilet breaks, or walking around occasionally to stretch her legs during the workday.

On the other hand, a few people were more critical and felt the employee didn’t really see why others might view the behaviour negatively. 

One wrote, “Precisely, you are not in school anymore. So act like it. You’re at work. Not paid to leisurely sit there on the company’s time to chit-chat on the phone or scroll social media. If you have so much free time at work, it means your workload is too little or your job is unnecessary.”

They continued, “What’s your point of bringing up age groups? You are younger, so phone usage is the norm, and people should accept it? Those in their 40s probably have more personal tasks to do on their phones than waste time doom scrolling or stalking influencers like you, yet they aren’t using company time to do so, or smart enough to be discreet.”

In other news, a Singaporean jobseeker has shared online that he feels rather “hopeless” after being unable to secure a job despite lowering his salary expectations to around S$3,000 to S$3,500.

Posting on the forum singaporejobs on Monday (May 4), the 26-year-old described the job market in the city-state as “brutal.”

Read more: ‘SG current job market feels brutal’: Singaporean applicant with S$3.5k salary expectations says he’s losing hope after 8 months of job hunting

This article (‘We are not in school anymore’: Employee upset over being reported for using phone during work hours) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

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.