Latest news with #employeeRights
Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
'What to do if your boss talks down to you?' — Employee wants to quit after her boss repeatedly humiliates her at work
SINGAPORE: Being corrected at work is part and parcel of any job, but one Singaporean employee says the way her boss goes about it has left her feeling anxious, demoralised, and increasingly burnt out. On Monday (Jun 2), the employee wrote in a forum post that while her boss is usually friendly and approachable during casual chats or one-on-one conversations, things take a turn the moment she slips up at work. 'She (my boss) likes to talk down to me, especially whenever I make a mistake. And it's always when other colleagues can eavesdrop. Instead of correcting me in private, she would say it in a condescending manner and it sucks,' the employee said. 'It's causing me a lot of anxiety, and I dread going to work every day. I wanna change my job, but as we all know, it's an employer's market now.' Crying out for help, she asked the community: 'What would you do if your boss talks down to you? Is this common in Singapore?' 'Focus on the content of the message rather than how it is delivered…' In the comments, opinions were divided. Some people sympathised with the employee, pointing out how common it is for certain managers in Singapore to use public embarrassment as a way to correct mistakes. They shared that this kind of top-down communication style, where employees are talked down to in front of others, still happens more often than it should. 'I have a manager that's like that, loves to shame you over a small mistake in the group chat,' one shared. 'Tell you what. Just find another job in the meantime.' Another commented, 'I used to have a boss like this, early on in my career. She seemed nice, but she would constantly have criticisms (later on, I realised she did that to the previous girl in my role too), and she would nitpick on every little issue. After I grew older and had more work experience, I realised that was her toxic, insecure way of gaining control.' Others, however, suggested that the employee take a step back and consider whether the issue might also lie in miscommunication or a lack of self-awareness. One said, 'She might have asked multiple times already, but you didn't get it, so she had to be mean so you remember. It's always easiest for everyone to shout toxic without knowing the full context. The best advice I can give you is to increase self-awareness and see if it's partially your fault.' Another advised, 'Focus on the content of the message rather than how it is delivered – for me, if it is really a mistake that I've made and my boss is giving good constructive feedback then I'll suck thumb and learn from it.' What to do when your boss criticises you in front of others Getting criticised by your boss in front of others can feel uncomfortable or even humiliating. But how you respond can either escalate the situation or turn it into something constructive. Here are five ways to handle it well, according to career experts: 1. Stay composed. Even if you feel upset or embarrassed, try to keep your emotions in check. 2. Reflect. Even if the delivery was poor, the content of the criticism might still be valid. Take a moment to reflect: Was this something you could've handled better? Are there areas for improvement? 3. Ask questions. Instead of shutting down or reacting defensively, ask questions to understand the concern better. This shows that you're willing to learn and improve. See also How you lock your smartphone can reveal your age: Study 4. Highlight inconsistencies. If the criticism contradicts the earlier feedback you've received, it's okay to speak up respectfully. You could say something like, 'I remember we discussed a different approach earlier. Should I still be following that?' 5. Stand your ground. If you believe the criticism is unfair or based on incomplete information, it's okay to explain your side. Be clear, calm, and provide any relevant facts to support your view. Read also: Former teacher takes pay cut for career change and falls in love with her new 'eight-to-five' admin job, 'glued to the chair typing away' Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Is this normal?': Boss makes wild demand on a bank holiday
A bizarre exchange between a boss and an employee asking for the bare minimum has gone unsurprisingly viral. UK workplace expert Ben Askins has found his niche online by sharing anonymous but increasingly bizarre text message exchanges between workers and their bosses. He recently shared a wild exchange after an employee sent him a heated work text exchange and asked him, 'Is this normal?' It started normally enough. A boss texted a worker and asked them to make some design changes because the client had been chasing the workplace about it. Nothing out of the ordinary, right? Wrong. The boss made this demand when it was a public holiday, and the worker was completely entitled to the day off. 'Oh sorry I thought we had bank holidays off,' the worker texted back. 'Technically yes but US clients don't have the same ones and if they need something we need to jump on it,' the boss replied. 'I'm not sure I will be free. I just made plans today assuming it was a proper day-off,' the worker replied. 'You are going to have to cancel them I am afraid. Nothing we can do about it,' the boss wrote back. The worker replied and went straight to bargaining asking if there was any possible wriggle room and if they could do the work in the afternoon or at night. The boss responded and shared they'd been online all day and claimed the worker needed to be more 'responsive'. 'I am not asking for much here,' the boss claimed. The worker continued to try to find a middle ground and suggested emailing the client on their day off to explain the situation and let them know they'd work on the design changes later on. 'Look I have said no. I need you on this now. I can't keep repeating myself,' the boss claimed. 'Okay I will take a look,' the worker fired back. Mr Askins immediately called out the boss, claimed they were being 'ridiculous,' and claimed that most clients would be completely understanding. 'You're completely missing the point. It is your business, of course, you're going to care a lot more. If you want people to care about it during bank holidays you have to incentivise them,' he argued. 'Pay them more or give them some skin in the game.' Mr Askins said that the boss needs to set up their business better and annoy employees on a public holiday. 'This is totally not okay and really poor,' he declared. Naturally most people online weren't impressed with the boss making such demands. 'Why do people respond to work messages outside of working hours?' One asked. 'No. If it's my day off, I'm not working,' another declared. 'How about you pay people to work a public holiday,' someone else suggested. 'Normal? Probably. Acceptable? Absolutely not,' one raged. 'People need to touch grass. Unless someone is going to die over the delay, it can wait,' one claimed. Someone else said it was 'bullying' the worker into working for free, and this exact behaviour was why they'd left their last job.
The Independent
7 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
The employees at highest risk of workplace surveillance revealed
Young people entering the workforce and black employees are among the most likely to be subject to surveillance in the workplace, according to a report. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found that shop floor staff, warehouse workers, delivery drivers, and those in call centres or working from home face a high risk of having calls recorded, emails analysed and possibly even being monitored by webcams. The think tank said there is an urgent need for legal reform to ensure workers can have a say over how they are monitored and managed both in the workplace and while working remotely, as current practices may be breaching privacy rights. Its research suggested individuals in low-skilled roles, where worker retention may be seen as less critical, and low-autonomy jobs, where there might be lower levels of employee trust, as well as those not in a union, are most likely to be subject to monitoring at work. Young workers aged 16 to 29 came out as being at high risk. Black employees were also seen as likely to face surveillance, with high rates of low autonomy and lower-skilled work, although greater levels of union representation. Among workers in the private sector, men were found to be at higher risk of surveillance across all three risk factor measures. The IPPR is calling for new legislation that gives people 'a genuine voice over how they are monitored at work' through new legal rights to consultation – similar to those with redundancy law – and more transparency requirements, compelling employers to disclose what data is collected, why, and how it will be used. Joseph Evans, IPPR researcher and co-author of the report, said while technology has 'evolved really rapidly', legislation has not kept up with the pace of change 'so at the moment many of these practices are not illegal but what we don't have is a mechanism to control them where surveillance does tip over into potential breaches of privacy or freedom of expression and association in the workplace'. He said surveillance can have 'quite negative impacts on people in terms of their health and stress and anxiety'. Artificial intelligence (AI) is has transformed surveillance, he added, giving employers an even greater insight into their employees. 'Surveillance and algorithmic management are very linked. Often surveillance packages are single software packages which both collect data and then use it to make recommendations to employers, and algorithmic management itself is being innovated and rapidly transformed by AI which can create much more sophisticated insights,' he said. Increasing levels of surveillance of certain workers could 'deepen the inequalities already baked into the labour market', said Mr Evans, noting that black workers are more likely to be in jobs with a higher risk of 'intrusive surveillance'. He added that productivity could also be affected. 'If surveillance has a chilling effect on people's willingness to express themselves in the workplace, that may also decrease their satisfaction at work,' he said. 'As part of their wider changes to employment rights, through the Employment Rights Bill, there should be substantive new rights to negotiate and consult over surveillance. And specifically adapting pieces of legislation like the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act to provide the new mechanism for workers to be able to negotiate over surveillance. 'Implicit in the right to negotiate is that it would give workers the right to challenge if they felt it (surveillance) was excessive or unfair.' The IPPR analysed data from the 2023 Institute for Social and Economic Research's UK Household Longitudinal Survey to produce its findings. A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: 'Our plan to Make Work Pay aims to ensure workers' rights keep pace with technological change so that workers' voices are at the heart of Britain's digital transition. 'This includes safeguarding against invasion of privacy and discrimination by algorithms.'
The Independent
7 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
‘Young people and black workers at highest risk of workplace surveillance'
Young people new to the labour market and black employees are among the most likely to be subject to surveillance in the workplace, according to a report. Shop floor staff, warehouse workers, delivery drivers, and those working in call centres and from home are all at high risk of having calls recorded, emails analysed and possibly even being monitored by cameras or laptop webcams, a think tank said. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said there is an urgent need for legal reform so workers can have a say over how they are monitored and managed both at work and while working from home, amid a warning rights to privacy could be being breached. Its research suggested those in low-skilled roles – where worker retention may be seen as less critical – and low-autonomy jobs – where there might be lower levels of employee trust – as well as those not in a union are most likely to be subject to monitoring at work. Young workers aged 16 to 29 came out as being at high risk. Black employees were also seen as likely to face surveillance, with high rates of low autonomy and lower-skilled work, although greater levels of union representation. Among workers in the private sector, men were found to be at higher risk of surveillance across all three risk factor measures. The IPPR is calling on the Government to introduce new legislation that gives people 'a genuine voice over how they are monitored at work' through new legal rights to consultation – similar to those with redundancy law – and more transparency requirements, compelling employers to disclose what data is collected, why, and how it will be used. Joseph Evans, IPPR researcher and co-author of the report, said while technology has 'evolved really rapidly', legislation has not kept up with the pace of change 'so at the moment many of these practices are not illegal but what we don't have is a mechanism to control them where surveillance does tip over into potential breaches of privacy or freedom of expression and association in the workplace'. He said surveillance can have 'quite negative impacts on people in terms of their health and stress and anxiety'. Artificial intelligence (AI) is has transformed surveillance, he added, giving employers an even greater insight into their employees. He said: ' Surveillance and algorithmic management are very linked. Often surveillance packages are single software packages which both collect data and then use it to make recommendations to employers, and algorithmic management itself is being innovated and rapidly transformed by AI which can create much more sophisticated insights.' Increasing levels of surveillance of certain workers could 'deepen the inequalities already baked into the labour market', said Mr Evans, noting that black workers are more likely to be in jobs with a higher risk of 'intrusive surveillance'. He added that productivity could also be affected. 'If surveillance has a chilling effect on people's willingness to express themselves in the workplace, that may also decrease their satisfaction at work,' he said. 'As part of their wider changes to employment rights, through the Employment Rights Bill, there should be substantive new rights to negotiate and consult over surveillance. And specifically adapting pieces of legislation like the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act to provide the new mechanism for workers to be able to negotiate over surveillance. 'Implicit in the right to negotiate is that it would give workers the right to challenge if they felt it (surveillance) was excessive or unfair.' The IPPR analysed data from the 2023 Institute for Social and Economic Research's UK Household Longitudinal Survey to produce its findings. A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: 'Our plan to Make Work Pay aims to ensure workers' rights keep pace with technological change so that workers' voices are at the heart of Britain's digital transition. 'This includes safeguarding against invasion of privacy and discrimination by algorithms.'
Khaleej Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
You don't have to do it all: The case against multitasking at work
As stated in last week's column, the advancement of personal technology and its use in most of our daily lives for our work is the bare minimum. Beyond being taken for granted, it's also forgotten — how could it not be, when the job was found online? An Internet connection and sufficient tech in hand to even think about starting a job, the effort of everything we don't do anymore — snail mail, relying on phone calls before email, cutting the cord outside of official work hours, commuting — we allowed all that additional effort to be claimed by managers. Tasks and responsibilities became more intensive, the pay and hours got worse, and when you're on shift, you're struggling to keep up with the bare minimum. You can't put effort into it because you're still trying to find your footing. Though oftentimes a lack of communication confidence can hold us back — it's held me back talking to my boss sometimes — there has to be a line of respect and responsibility. When I clock in, it is because THEY need ME. This is an EXCHANGE of goods and services, I did not become a bear chained to the ground that must dance whenever my master says so, because if I can so easily lose my job and income, they can lose their employees and reputation. This gets to the overall decline in the value of merit and the much more overt importance of personal relationships and social dynamics to sustain hiring and promotional practices. Though many places are better for the average worker — I would argue the vast majority of employers, offices, companies and modern cities that need workers to call them home — the horror stories rise to the top, and so there must be constant focus on improving the material conditions of that worker. How do we do this? Am I going to solve the ethical dilemma that is the international supply chain that upholds the economy in this column? No, but we can all start moving with a little more awareness of how much we have at our fingertips, and that we should take pride in the end of multitasking. In some ways, this would be a move to an 'abundance mindset'. With work, there are multiple tasks; see how many tools you already have to use on those tasks. Keep in mind, tasks, not problems. We have too much at our fingertips with the Internet and technology for mistakes to not stem from a specific source. And when I make a mistake, it's always been from trying to split my focus. Lack of communication, too many lines of communication, unresolved language barriers, embarrassment, shame, all these things draw our mental energy away from our focus. Our focus, our labour, our time, our money. Even beyond work, I have been stressed planning for a job interview while editing my CV for a different job application, and then despite my lack of mistakes, I have felt terrible anxiety over a mistake I might have made because I didn't give myself that time for another proofread. Me, a journalist with a graduate degree in the craft. So, stay upfront. Stand by your work and say, 'I'm busy, send me an email', or 'Sorry, I just saw this message. I was working on task ABC, but now you and task XYZ have my full and undivided attention'.
