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Singapore employee quits job after going through motions daily

In a sobering post that resonated with many Singaporeans, a Redditor recently shared a growing sentiment among local workers who are feeling like NPCs (non-playable characters), just going through the motions of life and work.

In gaming, an NPC refers to any character in the game that is not controlled by the player.

It is also sometimes used to describe someone who lacks independent thought or blindly follows trends.

Employee feels like he’s blindly going through the motions

The post, published on r/askSingapore on 10 July, began with the question, “Anyone feel they are a NPC in Singapore?”.

Anyone feel they are a NPC in Singapore? byu/PenguinFatty inaskSingapore

What followed was a poignant account of a resignation conversation that captured the quiet disillusionment simmering beneath the surface.

The OP, a human resources (HR) professional, recounted how an employee, who had been with the company for six years, decided to quit.

Apparently, the employee was leaving due to a monotonous routine.

“He felt like an NPC… simply going through the motions day after day,” wrote the OP.

Promoted just once in six years

Joining the company at 31, the employee rose steadily in the ranks and received a single promotion.

By 37, he was earning S$7,200 monthly, up from S$4,200 and lived simply, spending just S$1,500 a month.

He told HR he realised that he could now afford to stop working and live with his parents.

Source: sitthiphong on Canva for illustration purposes only

However, what truly pushed him to quit was the realisation that effort does not always equate to opportunity.

The company, while publicly listed, is largely family-owned.

When the son of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) joined as a management trainee, the employee saw that it would never be fair, no matter his effort.

That made him feel that the work he put in was pointless.

Netizens share similar feelings of disillusionment

The Reddit post sparked a wave of reflection from others, many of whom shared similar feelings of disillusionment.

One netizen felt that as long as you are not an entrepreneur, you are someone’s “passive income”.

Source: Reddit

Another Reddit user said it is okay to be an NPC as main characters get the “short end of the stick” sometimes.

They also described such a life as peaceful.

Source: Reddit

Meanwhile, another netizen felt the same way at work but stressed that people should not mix work and personal life.

One’s self-worth is also not dependent on their job or career, wrote the Redittor.

Source: Reddit

OP draws a clear line between work and personal life

The OP, a 34-year-old HR professional, told MS News that they were not able to give much advice to the employee as it was during an exit interview.

When asked if this was a common theme, they said: “Yes, most employees who are leaving usually feel that they want more freedom.”

“I feel that most Singaporeans focus too much on their career and neglect personal life,” the OP shared.

“Personally, I am fine with my life because I draw a clear line between those two.”

Also read: MS Polls: 64% of respondents don’t see themselves working 5 days a week in the long term

MS Polls: 64% of respondents don’t see themselves working 5 days a week in the long term

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