I was scrolling through my LinkedIn newsfeed today when I came across a post that caught my attention.
It was about how employers prefer to hire foreign workers instead of Singaporeans because they are too comfortable and lack the drive to strive for more.
At first, I was taken aback by the post because I’m a proud Singaporean myself and had always been told that we, as a nation, are hardworking and driven. I was curious to learn more, so I decided to reach out to some employers to see if they could explain why they prefer to hire foreign workers instead of Singaporeans.
The first employer I spoke to was a small business owner who’s been in the manufacturing industry for over 10 years. He said that he’s always preferred to hire foreign workers because they are more motivated and willing to go the extra mile.
He explained that Singaporeans tend to be too comfortable and lack the drive to push themselves further. He said that he’s tried to hire Singaporeans in the past, but they often quit after a few months because they aren’t willing to put in the extra effort to make things work.
The second employer I spoke to was a larger business owner who has been in the electronics industry for over 20 years. He shared a similar view as the first employer, but he also pointed out that Singaporeans are often over-entitled and expect too much.
He said that foreign workers are willing to accept lower salaries and work harder to get what they want. He also added that foreign workers are more driven and willing to take risks, while Singaporeans are too risk-averse.
The third employer I spoke to was a startup founder who’s been in the IT industry for just a few years. He said that he prefers to hire foreign workers because they are more open to new ideas and are willing to take on different challenges. He said that Singaporeans are often too comfortable and prefer the status quo, whereas foreign workers are more open to trying new things and pushing boundaries.
From my conversations with the employers, I can understand why they prefer to hire foreign workers instead of Singaporeans. Singaporeans are often too comfortable and lack the drive to strive for more. They are also over-entitled and expect too much for what they do. On the other hand, foreign workers are more motivated, willing to take risks, and open to trying new things.
As a Singaporean, I find this to be quite disheartening, but I also understand why employers prefer foreign workers. I think the key takeaway here is that Singaporeans need to start pushing themselves and strive for more.
We need to be more open to trying new things and not be so comfortable with the status quo. We need to start taking risks and going the extra mile to show employers that Singaporeans can be just as driven and motivated as foreign workers.
Only then can we prove that we are just as capable and hardworking as any other nation.
