SINGAPORE: After a fresh grad shared on Reddit that they were having second thoughts about applying to SMEs, many Singaporean users quickly jumped into the discussion and warned them against joining one.

However, among the many responses, one comment in particular caught the attention of other readers.

The commenter, who said they had previously worked at two SMEs, gave a detailed account of the negative experiences they went through while working in such companies. 

“The leadership is filled with their blood”

According to the user, many SMEs are essentially family-run businesses where management positions are filled by relatives, including “cousins, nieces, aunts, uncles.”

The user claimed this creates an environment where it is nearly impossible for regular employees to climb the ranks.

“The leadership is filled with their blood,” they wrote. “It is impossible to penetrate into their ranks unless you follow them for a looong time, volunteer to do OTs on weekdays and weekends, and take initiatives to backstab your colleagues to make the company better.”

“Charged S$1 for every minute late”

The commenter also alleged that some SMEs impose extremely strict workplace policies. In one example, they claimed their “lady boss” charged employees S$1 for every minute they were late, adding that some colleagues ended up paying as much as S$1,000 a month because of traffic delays and long commutes.

They added, “If MOM mentioned a maximum of 44 hours of labour per week, they will make sure their working hours squeeze all the 44 hours in your official handbook, excluding OTs.”

The user also accused some SMEs of having a “save costs at all costs” mentality.

“They’d rather people work OTs to do tasks rather than invest in technology to save time,” the commenter wrote. “But even so, they never fail to bring the ENTIRE family to overseas trips 4x a year and change a new car every year.”

“Reporting to HR is like reporting to your boss”

The commenter went on to claim that it is difficult to report workplace issues because HR staff are often closely related to management.

“99.99% she will be the boss’s wife or sister,” they wrote.

“So reporting to her is like reporting to your boss. They will take note and keep it ‘confidential’ for show, but in the end, everyone will know you are the source for the complaints.”

“I had colleagues crying in the toilet”

The user also described the work environment as toxic and stressful, claiming employees would get screamed at publicly if they failed to deliver results.

“I had a colleague crying in the toilet every morning and after work,” they recalled.

The commenter also claimed that PRs and foreign workers were sometimes pressured into doing overtime or additional tasks outside their job scope.

“If you are PR/FT, good luck. They will threaten not to renew your permit if you don’t do OTs or take on more tasks, even if it is beyond the job scope. I have seen a lot of shouting matches between both parties, and it is a good source of reliable entertainment in the office.”

“I’d rather be jobless”

The commenter eventually said they would rather be “jobless” than work in an SME again.

“Work for MNCs if possible,” they told the fresh grad. “There are good SMEs, but the chances of stepping on a landmine are higher.”

Good reviews about SMEs

Despite the negative experiences shared in the discussion, a handful of users pointed out that working at an SME is not necessarily terrible and can even offer advantages that larger corporations may not provide.

One user compared SMEs and MNCs, saying, “SMEs might be a good start, actually. Feel that it’s much easier to make a larger impact on the organisation, meaning easier promotion/salary increments. MNC, on the other hand, everything seems relatively more structured, and it feels like we’re all just cogwheels in the entire system, process here, process there, and execs hardly know you even exist.”

Another commented, “Some SMEs, especially ang moh ones, can be quite good. Do your research when applying.”

A third added, “I would argue an SME has more learning opportunities as you have to wear many hats, but recruiters would not see that.”

Read also: ‘Just to survive’: Man juggles two gig jobs after struggling to find full-time work in Singapore

This article (‘The leadership is filled with their blood’: Singaporean shares harsh SME work experiences) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.