SG worker earning S$2.5k says he’s been given 'executive-level' project: ‘The stress is eating me daily' - Singapore News

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean worker is desperately seeking advice online after being told to take on an “executive-level” project despite earning an assistant’s salary and having no extensive experience managing such work.

In a post on Reddit, the worker shared that he holds an assistant position that pays S$2,500 a month, which is S$700 less than the S$3,200 earned by executives who would typically be tasked with projects like this.

To make matters worse, he said the assignment landed on his desk while he was already busy managing a major event.

“It feels like a suicide case if I have to handle this other project,” he wrote.

Hoping to find some support, the worker said he approached his boss to discuss his concerns and workload. However, the conversation did not go as he had hoped.

“I tried telling my boss about it, but he doze off when I talk to him. He told me to speak to my senior even then my senior didn’t sympathise my worries.” 

“He keeps saying the project is easy… I knew by hand this project is difficult because I assisted my mentor before(cause that what assistant were suppose to do, assist).”

Adding to the pressure is the fact that he’s also studying part-time. He said the job was initially presented as something that would not interfere with his education, but he now feels the opposite is happening.

“I’m currently calculating the extra debt that I have today from failing. This job had promise me that my studies won’t be jeopardise, but it seems to be doing the opposite. Please help me, because I’m unsure of what to do, and the stress is eating me daily.”

“Tell your boss you will quit…”

The post quickly attracted responses from other Reddit users, with opinions divided on how he should handle the situation.

Some felt he should view the assignment as an opportunity to gain valuable experience.

“What have you got to lose? Just go and do it,” one commenter wrote.

Others, however, argued that taking on responsibilities well beyond his job scope without additional compensation was unfair.

“Firstly, is it [above] your pay grade or not, if yes ask for promotion,” one said.

“Tell your boss you will quit if he ask you to do that task then,” another added.

Quiet hiring

What the worker appears to be experiencing is commonly referred to as “quiet hiring.”

The term describes a practice where employers assign employees additional responsibilities that fall outside their original job scope instead of hiring new staff to handle the extra work.

In many cases, workers take on duties that would normally belong to more senior roles, yet they do not receive a promotion, salary increase, or official change in title. 

Over time, this can leave employees feeling burnt out, unmotivated, undervalued, and frustrated.

Career experts generally encourage employees in such situations to have an open discussion with their manager about the growing workload, compensation, and opportunities for career progression within the company.

If those conversations fail to produce meaningful changes, experts suggest that employees seek out better employers who are willing to properly recognise and reward their contributions.

Read also: ‘Survived layoffs, now this’: SG worker react as PIP notices issued across company

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