I’m writing this because I just witnessed the most cold-blooded corporate move in my 10 years working in the CBD, and it’s a massive wake-up call for anyone still deluded by the “office friendship” myth.
We had a colleague—let’s call him “Beng”—who was the soul of the department. 15 years of loyalty, OT-ing until 10 PM every night, and skipping family dinners to hit KPIs. Last week, he suddenly passed away from a heart attack. Tragic, right?
The “Work Besties” posted crying emojis on the group chat. The Boss sent a “heartfelt” email about how Beng was “irreplaceable” and part of the company DNA. We even had a 1-minute moment of silence in the pantry.
The Reality?
Before the 1-minute silence was even over, HR had already pushed the job posting live on LinkedIn and JobStreet. They didn’t even wait for the funeral. While his family was still picking out a casket, the company was already filtering resumes to find his “replacement.”
Here is the truth about Singapore office culture that no one wants to admit during the “Team Building” chalets:
1. There is no “Work Family”
The moment you stop being a “unit of production,” you are a liability. Your employment contract is a financial transaction, not a blood pact. If you died tomorrow, your “work family” would be annoyed that they have to cover your workload for a week until the new hire starts.
2. Office “Friendships” are Transactional
We like to think our lunch khakis are real friends. But the second you get retrenched or leave the company, notice how the WhatsApp messages stop. They weren’t friends with you; they were friends with your proximity. In the high-pressure environment of Singapore’s economy, everyone is just looking out for their own career progression and bonus.
3. Loyalty is a One-Way Street
You think staying late for “the team” earns you points? It doesn’t. If the company needs to cut costs to save their share price or pay off corporate debt, your 20 years of service mean nothing. You are a line item on a spreadsheet.
4. Your Seat is Never Yours
That ergonomic chair you’re sitting in? It belongs to the next person. Your HDB loan and your credit card bills are your problems. To the company, you are just a placeholder for a salary expense.
My Advice:
Stop sacrificing your health and your real family for people who will replace you before the obituary is printed.
- Use your Annual Leave.
- Stop checking emails during Sunday brunch.
- Build your own emergency fund and investment portfolio so you don’t have to beg for a “loyalty” that doesn’t exist.
Focus on your personal finance, your real friends, and your actual family. Because at the end of the day, your “Work Family” won’t be the ones crying at your funeral—they’ll be the ones interviewing your replacement while the wake is still ongoing.
Secure your own fortress. Don’t be the person who realizes too late that they gave everything to a company that didn’t even know their middle name.
#Singapore #CorporateLife #OfficePolitics #Career #RealityCheck #WorkLifeBalance #JobPosting #LoyaltyIsDead #PersonalFinanceSG