I recall a conversation that left a deep impression on me, late last year. It happened when I visited my client and his newborn daughter. In the years that I’ve known him, I see him as a dedicated educator, always speaking passionately about his role. In this conversation though, he said something shocking to me – “I am thinking of taking a year off, no pay leave. There is a chance they may not extend my contract after that”. I struggled to understand his decision, given his pride as a teacher and the new life stage he is in.
As a concerned friend and financial consultant, I probed further to make sure it was not a rash decision. He did consider all options and decided that a career break was necessary. There were 2 main triggers for his decision: (1) he did not feel appreciated in his workplace because his promotion was long overdue and (2) he wanted to have more time to spend with his daughter. He shared his struggles of the many duties he held, both as a teacher as well as a civil servant. The long hours were bearable in the past. Now that he is a father, he realized he was too exhausted to spend time with his own child after work. This was not acceptable to him, and it compelled him to make this difficult decision.
I find his words reminiscent of the global phenomenon that started with the Covid-19 pandemic, causing millions of people, especially in the US and Europe, to quit their jobs. These “job quitters” have their varied reasons, but land on the same conclusion, which is to resign. Like falling domino pieces, when one colleague leaves, the rest followed suit. Has that ripple effect reached our Singapore shores? What might this mean for us, as an individual? Prompted by this conversation, I begin researching more about this topic.
The employment scene in Singapore
According to MOM’s statistics, the resignation rates in Singapore have remained below pre-covid levels, at 1.6% in Q3 2021 vs the quarterly average of 1.8%- 1.9%. As such, the statistics show that the pandemic has not led to a significant increase in resignations.
While the resignation rates are not alarming, the frustrations and resentment of employees are real. As such, many began to re-evaluate their careers. And here’s why:
1. Work from home (WFH) effect
The pandemic has forced many to work from home due to Covid-19 restrictions. While many struggled at the start, WFH arrangement is now the norm. This gave rise to new possibilities of how we can integrate our work and life. What might be unthinkable in the past, (like having a home-cooked lunch with their partners or catching a Netflix episode between online meetings) is now an everyday affair.
The last two years also gave us time and space to think about our priorities, needs, and wants in life. With new hobbies like plant-parenting and baking, many Singaporeans start to rethink what they enjoy and what is important to them. My teacher client prioritized time with his family over keeping his job. As a father of two, it was very relatable for me, especially when we both share the same core value – family. Unlike him, I am thankful that this pandemic gave me greater control of my time at work. My marriage life improved in the last 2 years and my relationship with my children deepened. It was gratifying when my wife enjoyed the increase in our quality time together. We would sometimes drive down to CBD and buy lunch from her favorite “Cai Png” stall, get coffee from the café where we had our first date, and even stop by at “Thian Hock Keng” to pray for the well-being of family and friends on a weekday afternoon!
I find myself more present with my kids as well. Without having to commute from the office, I can now decide when to pick them up from school. This is a stark difference from my pre-Covid days where it would always be a mad rush from the office. Even after i pick them up, half my mind would still be at work and I was not able to give my kids the attention they needed.
With these positive changes in my family life, I would trade anything to keep this balance I am enjoying right now. The thought of going back to the pre-Covid way of working is now a scary idea to me.
These WFH experiences have elevated certain career elements like time flexibility and stress level at work, which are not seen as priorities in the past. Traditional provisions of a career like money and status may take a backseat for some. Companies are also experiencing push backs from their employees when they attempt to bring people back to the office. The growing support for a hybrid work model as polled by Gallup in 2021, further reinforces the changing requirements of the workforce.
2. The increase in employee disengagement
Before Covid, there are a lot of studies and statistics to show that disengaged employees were more likely to quit, leading to loss of talents and increased costs of training for employers. Many organizations took this seriously and designed employee engagement systems, like town halls, recreational activities, and workplace mentoring systems to support their employees.
With the pandemic, new challenges are created. Covid restrictions and rules have made existing employee engagement systems obsolete. Organizations need to explore new ways to engage their employees. That is if they are not struggling to stay afloat in their business in the first place.
While online engagements offer convenience and cost savings, it cannot replace physical interaction. Speaking from my personal experiences, the disconnection I have with my colleagues is real. They are “so near yet so far” because while they are right there on my screen, I find it harder to establish a connection with them. And in the rare occasions where I get to meet them face to face, the feeling is surreal.
With the growing disconnectedness and shifting organizational needs, it is very demanding on the leadership team as well. While they are coping with the effects of Covid, like any other human being on earth, company leaders also hold the keys to the survival of the company. Juggling these responsibilities can cause burnouts and the effects can trickle downstream. With lesser communication and bonding, conflict resolution becomes more challenging.
Many leaders genuinely care for their staff, but some may find it difficult to manage their well-being. As a result, they failed to care for their employees too. The reduced face times makes things tougher and leaders may grow “rusty” in their ability to connect with their staff. Yet this is a critical period where connection will make a huge difference to the employees. With growing disengagement, there is also an increase in % of employees seeking new job opportunities.
How should I re-evaluate my career?
If you belong to the group that would like to take this unprecedented opportunity to re-evaluate your career options, I would like to offer some suggestions here.
1. Get clear about your life goals and desired lifestyle We often jump into our first job because of our education, only to realize that it may not be what we truly enjoy or can give us the lifestyle that we want. It is never too late, to be honest with yourself about your goals and preferences. While economic goals are highly valued in the world today, they may not be the most important to you. You must decide for yourself what is significant to you and what is not and be at peace with it. If you are unclear about what you want in life, you can start by exploring different paths - paths that you might have never thought about before. My only wish for you is to be true to yourself so that you can achieve the freedom you want. Finding clarity is a very important first step. And if you are too caught up with your day to day, you may like to consider taking time off or plan a mini-retirement, to create the space you need to figure things out.
2. Create a career wish list
Take some time to create a comprehensive wish list that you would like from your ideal career. Did the pandemic give you different exposure to some career elements that you would now like to prioritize in the wish list? What do you need from the job that can allow you to reach the goals you determine in point 1? What will allow you to lead a better, more sustainable lifestyle? Some career elements to consider are flexible working hours, income, growth opportunities, workplace culture, etc. Be clear about which elements are important and describe them in detail. What does a good workplace culture look like? How much income is considered a good income to you? How would you like to be engaged at work? The clearer you are, the easier it is to determine your next step.
3. Evaluate your existing career
Finally, ask yourself that million-dollar question – does your current career meet your requirements? Using your wish list as the checklist, identify which are the areas where your expectations are met, and in which areas do they fall short. It is usually not a straightforward case where all categories are failed (and if that is the case, it is also a clear signal for you to start looking elsewhere!). It does come back to reviewing your priorities and keeping your options open. With the movements in the job market, it creates plenty of opportunities for everyone. Rather than sit and wait for opportunities to show up, approach your friends to understand more about their careers. You may just stumble onto a path that can fulfill your entire wish list.
The pandemic has presented us with a good reflective opportunity to rethink how we want to work and live our lives. As you re-evaluate your career paths and stay open to new opportunities, I believe this one step can bring along plenty of benefits for you in the long term.
Ho Jian Ming is an authorized Advisory Manager representing finexis advisory Pte Ltd. He has more than 7 years of mentoring and coaching experience, and is currently focusing on talent acquisition.
This article contains only his personal views and opinions and is for informational purposes only. The information provided is of a general nature only and does not take into account your specific objectives, needs and financial situation. The information may not be appropriate to your individual needs and should not be relied upon as financial advice. You should seek advice from your financial consultant before making any financial decisions.
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