Tech worker alleges company’s new ranking system is being used to ‘cull’ workers, wonders if he should wait to be let go

SINGAPORE: A Singapore tech worker wondered if he should wait to be let go, if he already knows he could be let go anytime soon, after the company he works at introduced a new policy that ranked employees internally to “determine” the amount of work they put in.

He said the new policy “feels like they are trying to make up a reason to cull people”, with many of his colleagues working “just anyhow” to produce as much work as possible.

Explaining more details of his “horrible work experience” on r/singaporejobs, he wrote: “Boss kept pushing us to get more points for ranking, but leaders are hoarding all the tasks now as they are afraid to be ‘let go’. Had leader literally said go find your own work and do more but there is no work all the time. Projects come and go and come in high and low periods.”

Everything used to be “very chill” before, he added. Now, as someone currently among the bottom few in his department and feeling like he could be let go anytime soon, he is torn between leaving the work he says has become “toxic” on his own or waiting to be let go and getting severance first.

“I know if I stay, it won’t end well since if the team gets smaller. Means way, way more work and stress during high periods,” he lamented further.

Some commenters advised him to start applying for jobs and do interviews on the side.

One commenter said, “Control your own fate. Severance is also not mandatory apart from paying the notice period.”

Another, however, advised him not to rush to leave. “Enjoy this honeymoon period while it lasts. You’re getting paid while there’s no work. Make use of this low period to search for another job. It’ll be much more exhausting when searching for a job while busy,” the commenter wrote.

Meanwhile, a third asked whether he had tried raising the issue with his boss, saying, “Have you feedback to boss? If so and nothing is done, just leave; don’t wait for them to act cos it’s unlikely they will, and your time is just as precious as anyone else’s. The system is flawed in some way, leader KPI (key performance indicator) should be in line with what their team has accomplished overall and not the same as the individual member points.”

The post author, however, described his boss as “not an easy person to talk with” when the situation gets tense, as he focuses a lot on his own KPI. “I definitely think it is flawed, but the higher-ups don’t see this kind of stuff sadly,” the tech worker added.

In other news, another tech worker has become anxious after being laid off twice in the span of five years, prompting her to ask, “Will it ever get better?” /TISG

Read also: ‘Will it ever get better?’: Singapore tech worker laid off twice says she now fears losing her job over every mistake