SINGAPORE: One Singaporean worker is already considering leaving his job less than a month after starting, after realising the role came with exhausting shifts and “virtually unreachable” KPIs.

On Saturday (May 23), he shared on the r/askSingapore forum that his role involves rotating shifts that constantly change from week to week. Some days allegedly follow regular office hours, while others stretch late into the night, ending around 11 pm or even midnight. There are also overnight shifts that continue until the next morning.

By the end of his first week, he admitted he already felt “pretty overwhelmed.”

“My weekends are non-existent and unpredictable, and I only know which day of my weekend is mine, or not at all, on the week itself,” he wrote. “It’s sort of customer-facing… The only upside is it’s a small place, and it’s relatively near home.”

Seeing how hard his supervisor works also added to his concerns.

“I see how my current supervisor is working, and I’m like: … HOW IS SHE NOT RESTING? ARGH. She works seven days a week and comes back on her off days.”

Apart from the demanding schedule, he also complained about the workload and the expectations placed on employees.

“My KPIs are almost virtually unreachable with the resources that are provided, barely three-digit figures, and half the portion of my work does not contribute to my KPI,” he said. “Which means the work I’m doing is not gonna contribute to my performance.”

He also expressed frustration over the company’s training arrangements, revealing that some sessions were conducted as “overnight camps.”

“Who the hell puts trainings as an OVERNIGHT CAMP? Anyways, as much as I would say give it a try, let’s adapt, etc, my biggest turn-off is the inflexibility of the role in terms of schedule.”

“Like, I cannot apply for leave way way wayyyy in advance, so I can’t really plan holidays or vacations. Even minus overseas vacays, I cannot adapt to not knowing which day of the weekend is mine, meaning I can’t make plans or dates till the last minute. It’s the kind of role that kills your social interactions with your friends.”

Wanting a way out, the worker revealed that he has already started exploring other opportunities and is currently progressing through interviews elsewhere.

At the same time, he admitted feeling conflicted, as leaving a stable job so early could reflect poorly on his résumé and potentially affect future career opportunities.

“What do you guys think? Is it wise to quit within the 1st month?” he asked others.

“Prioritise yourself first. This is not living, man.”

In the comments section, many Singaporean Redditors reassured him that leaving during probation was not something he should feel guilty about.

One commenter pointed out that probation periods are designed for both employers and employees to assess whether a role is the right fit.

“I mean, probation is for both you and the company, so I think it’s totally fine to realise it’s not a good fit early on vs waiting till you need to observe full notice period,” the commenter wrote. “Just communicate clearly what led to your decision to move on.”

Another Redditor said personal well-being should always come before work.

“I value my me time more than career and work. I don’t really care if it’s one month; if it’s so bad, I will just quit,” the commenter shared. “I always remember this quote, ‘Don’t burn your own candles to keep others warm.’ Prioritise yourself first. This is not living, man.”

A third said, “Scheduling sounds really bad. No workplace should block employees from planning and taking leave in advance. Just leave. Unless what you are doing is a stepping stone for your aspirational career.”

A fourth added, “If you have savings and are okay to have job uncertainty for a while, then go ahead and quit. Just omit it from your resume.”

In other news, a new domestic helper has raised concerns after finding out that the family she was hired to work for included more people than what was originally stated in her contract.

In an anonymous post in the “SINGAPORE TRANSFER (No Fees/SD), DIRECT HIRE & NEW HELPER” Facebook group, the helper shared, “In my contract, it states that I am only supposed to care for Sir, Ma’am, and two kids. However, when I arrived at my employer’s house, two aunties were also living here.”

Read more: ‘Is this normal and okay?’: New maid shocked to find extra family members living in employer’s home

This article (SG worker wants to quit just weeks into job over exhausting shifts and ‘unreachable KPIs’) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.