SINGAPORE: A Singaporean employee from the media advertising sector has shared her struggle on Reddit regarding a tough career choice: should she wait until she receives her 13th-month bonus or prioritize her mental health by resigning immediately?

In her poignant post on the r/askSingapore forum on October 1, she revealed the overwhelming stress her job has inflicted on her life, spotlighting the oppressive nature of upper management.

“The big boss micromanages all of us, and plans are constantly shifting. We feel like we're walking on eggshells due to management’s temperament,” she expressed. The employee also mentioned the emergence of workplace politics and a new head of finance, raising concerns about the possibility of receiving a satisfactory performance bonus.

What’s more troubling is that she was originally hired for one role but has been pressured to take on tasks outside her area of expertise. “The workload is daunting and my direct manager, who will be leaving the company soon, took credit for our team’s hard work while often throwing us under the bus during setbacks,” she lamented.

Having joined the company mid-year, she faces a financial conundrum: if she quits now, she won’t qualify for the full 13th-month bonus. “If I decide to stick it out, I can only leave next year after receiving both the 13th-month and performance bonuses in December,” she stated.

Compounding her dilemma is her significant weight loss—over 40kg—resulting from her grueling hours, often stretching from 10 am until 2 or 3 am. The exhausting schedule has led her to contemplate whether returning to a similar agency job is feasible; her bouts of overtime have caught up with her physically and mentally.

The Reddit community responded with a range of advice based on their own work experiences. Some users cautioned her against quitting immediately, noting that job opportunities are scarce in the current market. One user commented, “You might struggle to find a new role since it’s not hiring season; typically, hiring picks up after performance bonuses are paid out, around Q1.”

Others encouraged her to focus on her mental and physical well-being, asserting that no salary is worth enduring a toxic work environment that gaslights and undermines talented individuals. “It’s probably not worth it to stay for just a prorated bonus. You could miss out on better bonuses at a new position and if you leave now, you might secure a full bonus instead,” one user advised.

Encouragement flowed from those urging her to prioritize her health, with one comment reading, “If you can afford it, please take the plunge and quit. Your well-being should come first.”

This story touches on a broader issue affecting workers not just in Singapore, but globally—the impact of oppressive work conditions on mental and physical health. As companies reconsider workplace cultures, stories like this may catalyze urgent conversations about employee welfare and the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

What will she decide? Only time will tell if her health will lead her to a new beginning or if she will stay in her current role for a fleeting, uncertain bonus.