Navigating the Working Culture of Singapore: 5 Essential Insights
Meritocracy is valued in the workplace culture of Singapore, where performance and ability are seen as the standards of worth. In the workplace, efficiency is engrained, with duties carried out precisely and goals pursued successfully. When hiring managers have in-depth discussions regarding accomplishments and future contributions to the organization’s goals, it is clear that they are interested in skills and performance.
Culture diversity
Singapore, a nation known for its rich multicultural tapestry, has embraced Malay, English, Mandarin, and Tamil as its official languages. Among these, Malay holds a special place as the national language. English, on the other hand, assumes the role of the primary business language and is commonly integrated into the educational curriculum.
The cultural ambiance in Singapore distinctly leans towards an Asian focus. More precisely, this cultural mosaic may manifest in the form of hierarchical structures, a pronounced emphasis on communal bonds, and a robust adherence to well-defined rules and regulations within the nation’s workplace culture. Now, let’s explore the topic of “how to know if the hiring manager wants you” in the context of Singapore’s professional landscape.
Hierarchical working system
In contrast to certain Western nations, where employees can freely discuss ideas with supervisors and coworkers, Singapore may be exactly the reverse. Westerners may face culture shock when working for Singaporean businesses for the main reason behind this.
Singaporeans employ a hierarchical system of decision-making, which places the power in the hands of those in higher positions. Lower-level employees are allowed to voice their ideas, but they must do it politely. Additionally, you must avoid speaking rudely or back-talking to your managers.
If you’re about to start a job in Singapore, make sure to treat your superiors with respect, especially if they’re older than you. Additionally, refrain from criticizing a situation in front of your seniors. Find a means to start an open dialogue within your team instead.
You will have a better chance of being heard if you do this while avoiding offending and disrespecting your Singaporean coworkers.
Following rules
Singapore has a large number of laws, and hardly anybody breaks any of them. The workplace is not an exception.
Singaporeans set the standards for how to work that other Asian nations imitate. They tend to adhere to these guidelines and refrain from making too many adjustments. Bosses and employers typically don’t support their employees’ odd ideas in Singapore. Work requires creativity, but only to a certain amount that is reasonable.
However, many businesses are allowing people more freedom and flexibility and promoting creative work because of the blossoming effects of globalization.
Group priority
Singaporean businesses favor collectivism over individualism. It indicates that they value a group’s outcome more than a single person’s.
Singaporeans prefer to work as a team to achieve goals rather than competing for distinction on their own, as is the case in Western nations. Each person is responsible for their own tasks, and they all share the benefits.
Working hours in Singapore
The standard working hours in Singapore are as follows:
Up to 9 hours per day or 44 hours a week if you work five days a week.
Up to 8 hours per day, or 44 hours per week, if you work more than five days per week.
The Employment Act specifies that a person may work a maximum of 12 hours every day. Additionally, you get paid at least 1.5 times the normal hourly rate for any overtime you put in up to 72 hours per month.
In actuality, Singaporeans work exceedingly hard. They are well-known for being workaholics. This is due to the intensity of commercial competitiveness. Working long hours is the norm in Singapore. People usually work longer hours at their desks in order to complete the work as quickly as feasible.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Manpower, a Singaporean employee worked 44.4 hours per week on average in 2021.
In June 2021, Singaporeans added 2.5 hours to their weekly schedule on average, down from 2.6 in 2019. The total number of hours that Singaporeans are paid to work has been reduced as part of a variety of initiatives that the Singaporean government has outlined. In particular, Singapore has consistently cut back on its workdays throughout the years.
