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I came into my first (and current) job with a lot of wariness: Not wanting to rub people the wrong way as the newbie; careful to self-censor my random quirks for fear of judgement. Just treat it as a workplace and be as professional as you can, was my guiding thought for the first few months. With time, however, a welcoming team sets you at ease, and the freedom to express yourself comes out a bit more. More than two years in, I finally did it: Bought a desk shelf, and fully embraced the thought of personalising my workspace. (Again, a caveat before we proceed - I am new to this entire work desk decoration situation, and am not putting pressure on myself to craft the world’s best personalised workspace, or clinch any design awards in the office. Please pardon me if all this sounds very trivial.) Cleaning - and building - up Even in our old office, I always had little bits lying around on my desk - a 1:32 diecast of the Volkswagen up! bought in 2019, to commemorate my first (and only - thus far) Frankfurt Motorshow visit - then as we moved here, other items like a small plushie of the ebi fry character in San-X’s Sumikkio Gurashi series, gifted to me by family. But for fear of my desk growing messier than it already was, never dared to venture further out in adding more items on. I don’t recall now when it was that the urge to simultaneously clean things up (sorry Des/Denise) while entertaining myself a bit more kicked in - but right at the dawn of 2024 (my Lazada order history indicates 5 January), I finally decided to get a shelf to house everything. Things have been changing - I’m still figuring out what items I want to see daily - but following a team bonding event that we had over this past week, a new tenant resides on the shelf’s top floor: A terrarium of my own making, which stares right back at me now whenever I need a break from my screen. Flanking the other end of my designated work area, bits of what put a smile on my face have also gotten stuck into my name tag - my participant number for an unforgettable media event last year, a picture of a car I adore, and a card from a good friend that… basically calls out who I am as a person. (Here, I have no shame.) All of this is still work in progress, naturally. But anyhow, the point is that injecting my work space with small yet significant parts of my soul has brought me invaluable joy, even if the act doesn’t seem significant in itself. Unsurprisingly, this topic has gotten its fair share of discourse online too. The office is inherently an un-private, and perhaps rather intrusive space - you’re basically at the beck and call of whatever or whoever requires your attention in a professional setting. In counteraction, a study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology noted that “higher personalisation at work reduced the adverse effect of the experience of low levels of privacy on emotional exhaustion”. On a less verified internet-sleuth level, however, I personally enjoy this take by a commenter on Quora, who singles out notions of control, connection and consistency as some of the driving forces behind why we like to personalise our workspaces: “Personal objects give a sense of control in an environment where people often complain of having less and less of it. They offer permanent connection to familiar and reassuring symbols in an environment which increasingly pushes people apart even though they might be in the same open-plan office. Their presence provides consistency in an environment where unpleasant surprises can occur at any time.” I’d like to think that specific material objects - when carefully chosen - can be powerful storytellers for their curators too. When I look at the POPMART toy, for instance - permanently frozen in a stance of faux-attack - I think of last year’s roundtable of blind-box opening at Christmas dinner with my siblings and cousins; laughing at the corner of my sister’s place over red wine and potato chips, while singing along to 2000s mandopop hits. The single, isolated hour of terrarium-making also counts itself as one of my more treasured memories over this tiring week - and I have no doubt the feeling of warmth it gives me will continue to wear well in the months to come. Something to hold onto No matter how much we love our jobs, the undeniable fact remains that work will often confuse and frustrate. In turn, any source of joy we can hold onto - whether small or big; human or inanimate - is of inexplicable comfort. Things don’t have to be static either. As life brings with it routine changes, so too, will new objects of joy fall into frame. In turn, embracing this state of flux - knowing you are in full control - is exciting. Among the decisions I know I will not regret from 2024, buying this shelf will most certainly be one of them. But for now, I think I’ll get cracking with narrowing down its next tenant… - Matt

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/workplace-discrimination-age-jobs-recruitment-3900191 14 jobs and 5 industry changes later - marketing and editorial professional Imran Johri found himself facing ageism in the job market. SINGAPORE: “The team is quite young and we intend to nurture a hustle culture with them.” This, I would soon realise - in hiring terms - was code for, "I don’t think you’ll fit in, old man". That in itself didn’t bother me much, but what did bother me though, was that I was beginning to see a trend. In the most recent batch of about six job interviews I’d attended, there began to emerge an archetype of hiring managers that, within minutes of talking to me, would in high probability reject my candidacy. At first, my thought was “Am I the problem here?”. After much self-reflection I can wholeheartedly say, maybe. Before you judge my annoying prata-flips, let me give some context. GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN Ageism in the workplace has been under the spotlight recently, with a survey released by the Ministry of Manpower in July showing that age was the most common form of discrimination experienced by jobseekers. Across age groups, those aged 40 and over had a much higher incidence of being discriminated against. Considering that Singapore’s retirement age is 63 - and is set to be raised to 65 in 2030 - being told that you’re too old for a job while in your 40s is unnervingly early. Singapore’s population is not only ageing, but ageing rapidly - with 25 per cent of Singaporeans expected to be 65 and older by 2030. This will be a massive change not only for society, but the workplace too. Luckily for older workhorses like me, the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices will soon be enshrined into law. Now, anyone who’s ever seen my resume will either brand me an incorrigible job-hopper or commend me for my extensive and varied work experience. To be fair, both of these cursory judgments are valid. Right out of university, I was fuelled by abject idealism, and despite growing older and wiser, this intrinsic motivation or rebellious passion to go against the grain has fuelled most of my career choices. This of course came at a cost - for I knew this was not the path to wealth, fame or meteoric success, but rather, a self-gratifying journey of personal wins. Despite this - never would I imagine that after 24 years of chasing that next new exciting project - I would come to a head-on collision with ageism. FROM YOUNG UPSTART TO OLD BIRD The first five years of work were often peppered with, “let’s do this, you’re clearly hungry” from my first bosses. And I absolutely was, my risk appetite was bottomless and I wanted to do more, all the time. I went from being scriptwriter for an award-winning TV show to being the editor of two men’s magazines. I was on a career warpath, and I worked myself very close to burn-out. Luckily for me, I eventually recalibrated, mostly from stints overseas and really started to pace myself, but by then the publishing industry was starting to decline. I then had to make the hard decision to switch industries and at that point, it was plausible and easier, in fact, to change, mostly because my next batch of bosses in marketing saw my editorial experience as a huge plus. By 2018, I had become the head of marketing for a venture capital (VC) but alas, I had also come to a point where I had to make another tough choice. I had to either become an entrepreneur, as per the philosophy of the VC, or choose an alternate pathway, which the organisation would fully endorse and support either way. So after five years with the VC, I chose to leave and to explore what the market held for a 49-year old man with a chequered CV. YOUNG GUN MARKETEERS ARE A DIME A DOZEN The rejections were varied and in volume, some of them coming in fast and furious. “You don’t have the necessary experience,” was a common reply. So was “We’re looking for someone less senior”. In retrospect, it’s hilarious to me now how I simultaneously didn’t have the necessary experience and yet be too senior for the job. Some rejections, however, were slow and painful, with multiple interviews across recruiters, managers and directors. To which I was either ghosted or simply sent a very tardy rejection email. One thing stood out for me though, during those tough job-search months - I became adept at identifying the specific type of hiring manager that would reject me after the first meeting. They were always early- to mid-30s marketeers, who’d attained an accelerated upward trajectory in the marketing world and were now the marketing heads. Now, I can absolutely empathise with their decision to reject me outright. Those hiring managers were under pressure to lead young, high-performance teams, all of whom were hungry and ready to hustle. The last thing they needed was an older man to second-guess their decisions in the midst of the fire-fighting and chaos. They needed to move ahead, unabated. But here’s the thing about being an older guy with experience, I will second-guess and challenge the decision-making process if I think there might be a better way of doing things. UNCLE CAN’T HOLD HIS TONGUE So am I the problem here? Maybe. Is ageism being practised? I think so. But not in an absolutist way. In fact, I would argue that it’s nuanced and contextual. In the end, just as I eventually knew what would not work in my favour - I started seeing what would. Some of the interviews I’ve attended were an absolute joy, with clear, transparent communication and hiring managers who saw the value I brought to the table. I have since made the transition to a technology company, one that has one of the most diverse team compositions I have ever worked with, with everyone driven to ensure we make a mark in the market. One of the annoying key drivers of ageism, it seems, is the belief that older employees can't keep up with technological advancements. Preposterous. I’m literally a tech-bro at 49 - and the assumption that older employees lack the vigour, adaptability or skills required for a “young person” role is unfounded. We older guys have too much at stake, with too many dependents and no time, to even consider ourselves being at a "disadvantage". So if you’re on the job hunt, keep at it. No matter who you are, or what you do, there will be an -ism working against you. But take heed, take notes and take charge of your own career - it’s the only way to go. Imran Johri is a marketing and editorial professional with extensive experience in the Asia Pacific region.

One death too many, 45th this year. This time a 31 years old Singaporean. Wonder what kind of machine. RIP. Rifle Range workplace death: Victim’s family wants more to be done to prevent such accidents https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/rifle-range-workplace-death-victim-s-family-says-too-many-such-accidents-authorities-must-do-more

Source: https://mustsharenews.com/ex-shopee-employees/ Ex-Shopee Employee’s Glassdoor Review Shared On Facebook With the mega sale season upon us, many of us have taken advantage of the discounts on platforms like Shopee to purchase products that we’ve been eyeing. Recently, however, it seems Shopee has also been in the limelight for the wrong reasons. Earlier this week, Wake Up, Singapore published a compilation of accounts and glassdoor reviews from ex-Shopee employees. Most of the reviews were scathing and revolved around themes such as sexism, discrimination, and toxic work culture. In response to the allegations, Shopee published a statement stating that the company will be looking into these allegations. Shopee also reiterates its commitment to providing a safe workplace for its employees. Reviews from ex-Shopee employees revolve around similar themes On 25 Nov, the Wake Up, Singapore Facebook page shared a compilation of Glassdoor reviews apparently from ex-Shopee Employees. The reviews were all rather scathing, with many of them revolving around similar themes. These issues include sexism, discrimination, unprofessionalism, and toxic working culture. Interestingly, many of these reviews also listed “high compensation” as one of the pros while working at Shopee. However, they did include a disclaimer that this comes at the expense of employees’ personal time and health. One review highlighted hiring manager’s discrimination during interview One of the reviews was particularly scathing, as the reviewer claimed the hiring manager present at the interview he attended was extremely unprofessional. The hiring manager allegedly brought up the interviewee’s race and used it as a yardstick to measure his potential. At one point, the manager allegedly said “… historically speaking “your kind” is the least performing race in Shopee …”. The review ends with the reviewer providing a stark reminder that if this was the level of professionalism at the point of recruitment, one can only imagine the possible standards junior employees are subjected to after they join the company. Business developer at Shopee inhibited sexist tendencies An anonymous testimony was also shared by Wake Up, Singapore Facebook page on 26 Nov. This submission tells of a business developer in the company who constantly inhibited sexist tendencies. On occasions, he referred to female subordinates as “slaves” and would regularly comment on their bodies. The allegation also described the business developer to have stalked female candidates after interviews and would regularly get male staff in the office to comment on their appearances. Shopee issues statement on Instagram In response to the allegations compiled in the post, Shopee Singapore issued a statement on Instagram on Friday (26 Nov). In the statement, Shopee says they take the allegations very seriously and will be conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. They reiterate that they are committed to providing a safe workplace for all their employees. Hope Shopee get to the bottom of allegations Workplace harassment is a serious concern that needs to be brought up more in the workforce. As power dynamics and politics come into play, companies should do more and open up channels for employees to air their grievances privately. We hope Shopee will get to the bottom of these allegations — after all, it’s likely no coincidence that the reviews share common themes.

Being backstabbed by a fellow colleague that u trusted and lost your job... What's your next move? Find another job n move on? Juz curious....

How many of you uses scented candles or have colleagues using them in office? Or do you use them at home? Brands like Yankee Candle, Bath & BodyWorks 3 wick candles. Are scented candles a fire hazard since it's an open flame? Recently a colleague been using it. It's nice but want to know if it's allowed since management hasn't straight out said it's not allowed. How else to reduce chance of it catching a fire? Esp. those of you who own one at home. Safe? How else

How long did it take for you guys to get used to the work culture, environment, job scope, and colleagues at your new workplace? Generally a change of new job can seem daunting to many. Not knowing what to expect and whether you will like the people you work with.. Would be great if you guys can share the dos and donts of surviving at your new workplace especially if it’s a totally new industry from what you’ve done previously. Thanks!

anyone knows if there is any law on workplace temperature ?? we are 3pl and we are stationed in a big warehouse (half a football field) at the cargo complex. the whse has many wall fans but sometimes the weather gets so hot that the fanned wind is just hot air also ... it can get up to about 32deg in the afternoons. although there are roller shutters but when we open them, more hot air gets blown into the warehouse ! if there is such a law to indicate the temperature of a workplace, I would want to bring it up to the hirer so they have to make the environment better for my staff.

I don't start topics very often but just came across this link which I thought I'd share. http://www.openculture.com/2015/12/simple-sabotage-field-manual.html So apparently it's about a declassified CIA/OSS manual from 1944 and it's hilarious at how many of the point can be found existing in our workplaces of today. You can even download the pdf manual from the CIA website: https://www.cia.gov/news-information/featured-story-archive/2012-featured-story-archive/simple-sabotage.html Managers and Supervisors: To lower morale and production, be pleasant to inefficient workers; give them undeserved promotions. Discriminate against efficient workers; complain unjustly about their work.

What do you guys think about this? http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2013/11/kickstart-of-campaign-for-lgbt-workplace-equality/ Last year, Lawrence Wee brought a suit against his former employer Robinson’s in Singapore. He alleged that he was harassed into leaving his job because Lawrence is gay. Concerned that the law is ambiguous, Lawrence is now asking the High Court to judge whether Article 12 of our Constitution, which guarantees all persons equal protection of the law should also apply to people on the basis of their sexuality. Article 12(2) of the Constitution states that “…there shall be no discrimination against citizens of Singapore on the ground only of religion, race, descent or place of birth in any law…” Lawrence, who worked at Robinson’s for six years before he was sacked, believes that people should be allowed to prove their worth at work, without fear that an immutable characteristic does not become a millstone around their neck. The campaign team estimates that the court costs, lawyers’ fees and sundry expenses, as well as the costs of campaigning will come up to be about S$30,000 which is the set target funds to be raised.

After working for more than a decade, I have never believe in having real friends especially in the workplace. I have seen too many cases of back stabbing when it comes to guarding one's own ass at the critical moment. Call me pessimistic but keeping myself away from all these useless politics is how I manage to survive throughout my career. Have anybody been lucky enough to really have a friend in the workplace?

Siao liao then those with vocation as a sniper can do what huh? Maybe work for LTA's outsourced enforcement agencies catching motorists perhaps? [laugh] From ST Forum: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-...kplace-20130408 Recognise skills learnt in NS at the workplace Published on Apr 08, 2013 MANY interesting ideas were put forward to change the perception of national service (NS) being a liability rather than an asset ("Getting back that NS feeling"; March 23). The top suggestion should be to recognise the skills acquired by full-time national servicemen during their training. Even the roles of non-combat NSFs as clerks, for example, should not be viewed as a form of compulsory cheap labour. Instead, the IT skills and work experience they acquire during their NS stints should be taken into consideration in the selection of applicants for government scholarships or civil service jobs. This is especially so for those who are recognised by their supervisors for having commendable work attitudes. Similarly, for officers in the public service, the leadership skills they acquire during their training days should be noted when they are being considered for promotion. Simply giving NSmen pay increments is insufficient. By being recognised for their skills, NSmen will view their service as an advantage rather than a burden to be performed without a choice. This is especially so as there are significant disadvantages in devoting two years at the prime of one's life to NS. I hope the upcoming review will be fruitful and yield more positive attitudes towards serving NS. Yeo Boon Eng (Ms)

I only remember what Uncle Ben said: With great power comes great responsibility [laugh] Seriously we all want a caring, understanding and most important of all, a generous boss But the fact is most of the time we do realise there is no such a boss or they rarely in existence and we make do what we have. Bosses pay us to provide a service for them so most basically deliver but some of us do really excel either for self pride or to get more reward i.e. bonuses. From ST Forum: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-...piness-20130321 Bosses' role in ensuring workplace happiness Published on Mar 21, 2013 THE workplace, if anything, is not a social laboratory for human endurance. It is an incubator for growth and productivity. The compelling need to retain staff and ensure workplace "happiness", as advocated by Mr Lawrence Loh Kiah Muan ("How to retain staff and keep them happy"; Monday), cannot be a zero-sum game. Too often, the root cause of workplace unhappiness lies in intangible things like the abuse of power, the absence of fair procedures, the instilling of fear that prevents debate, favouritism and the lack of action against bullies. Perhaps central to workplace unhappiness is the mutilation and interpretation of power dispensations. Bosses need to change their mindsets and ensure that power becomes a vehicle for reform, with the concomitant drawing up of definite parameters for its exercise. As a large percentage of Singapore companies are small and medium-sized enterprises, this guiding principal seems to have been lost in the rush to boost bottom lines. Power is greatly coveted everywhere. Perhaps former United States president Abraham Lincoln was right when he said: "If you want to test a man's character, give him power." Jaya Prakash

Hi folks, I know there is a thread on season parking rates in CBD area. Would like to check if you were to drive to work and realise ur company would not pay/subsidise for a lot for you, would you still guai guai purchase the freaking high cbd season parking rate ? Or would you rather take the BMW (bus,mrt,walk) instead? Car parked at home cp is farking waste of under-ultilization + the decepreciation.. furthermore if it is normal plate. For park and ride, nothing new u have to sqeeuze into mrt same as BMW route. Some I know they only pay for the allocated lot to high position employees (ie directors, senior manazer) Your thoughts/alternatives?

Any truth in this survey in your company or organisation? Happy no, less unhappy maybe for me at my workplace as compared to them as they are generally fastidious about almost everything and so maybe more unhappy... In any case can we say men are "less unhappy" than our female counterparts at our workplace instead? From CNA: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1202853/1/.html Survey shows Singaporean men happier than women at the workplace Posted: 22 May 2012 1434 hrs

Hi guys, feeling depress and just wanna let go some where and maybe get some information. Been with my company for more then 10 years already but seems like over the years company is getting from bad to worse, people have leave the company not becos of work issue but due to 1 person, and the person is our GM, he is no. 2 man in our company, he like to verbally abuse people, humiliate and insult people infront of the whole company. he use vulgar language, calling ppl sluts, bitch, sometime he will personal attack like saying you very free doing nothing and getting fat and ugly etc. theres once during weekly manager meeting he insulted a lady manger who is in the late 40s and still single, asking her is it that u very long never touch by man? u want me to squeeze for u? this kind of comments making the lady manager cry after the meeting. he also like to stir s--t between staff. you may say if so unhappy with the company then just leave right? but then sometime its really no choice due to many committment, actually company pay well and the benefit is good but becos of this 1 person staff are facing mental stress. everyone is just trying to earn a living so all just keep quiet and work under his bully but seems like this make him boost up his ego and now he is getting from bad to worse, everyday we are like seeing his mood to work, u never know u the target for the day...... I'm just wondering, if take the video of him abusing somebody and post it on the internet like stomp etc. will we get ourself into trouble? is there any organisation or something that can help the employee? sometime i wonder, we as employee really thats nothing we can do? economy is bad so just swallow and move on, cos even if want to sue him also dun have the capital to fight with him and if really want to confront also afraid of losing the job..... sigh..... bascially theres nothing much we can do unless leave the company right? me just trying to let go somewhere, please dun shoot me, life is already so stress..... thanx for reading

hi guys, its me again my current job requires me to travel long distances everyday. i hav to take bus, mrt, bus to reach my destination. in worst case scenerio it will take me more than 1 and a half hrs. driving only takes me half an hr so it is really worth having a car. starting next week, however, i will be embarking on my new career. now my new workplace is just a few bus stops away from my house!!! cost of owning car per mth: cost of car: $250 road tax: $50 insurance: $122 parking: $60 petrol: $100 (i think full tank would last me for 2-3 weeks once i change job) total: $600 per mth for not even using my car's services is crazy i am someone who likes to make my car work for me not the other way round. im the type who will use it as much as possible when and as i want. now the problem is that my new job doesn't require me to use it!!! if i take bus it will be 60 cents? the time i save by using my car to get to work will no longer make much diff anymore. i will only be working at my new place for around a year. after that i believe i can fully utilize my car again. the qtn is.... any idea what i can do with my car for the next 1 year.... i think it will be sleeping most of the time any advise for me?............. thanks in advance!

can i get season parking for such lot? how much will it cost me? i cant be tearing 9am-6pm 1/2 parking coupons hor... tear till i blur leh so many