Author: Olivia

I was thinking, employers need to recognize that sick time isn’t just free money to their employees. They actually receive value from sick employees staying home when sick. Here’s how: sick employees work slower due to brain fog/sickness sick employees could make mistakes which cost the company money, either from the mistake itself or from another employee having to fix it. sick people might be irritable and bring morale down. having to work when sick can prolong an illness, thus prolonging the previous issues. sick people might spread their sickness to others, spreading the previously mentioned problems. Therefore employers need to remember they aren’t giving away free money, but are in fact paying to minimize and prevent problems. The cost they pay prevents them from losing a whole lot more from loss of or decrease in productivity.

In my state, unemployment is slightly lower than if you get an entry level job, just enough that if you tighten your budget, and sacrifice excess spending, your rent/ food/ insurance/ etc. is taken care of. I feel like this is a problem because since then, every place I’ve worked is severely understaffed, and I’m taking on the responsibilities of at least one other person at all times. Does anyone else see this in their workplace?

They better have a good explanation…

So what is considered reasonable? I’m currently contracted for 38 hours plus 2 hours “as the business requires it…” each week. For context this is within a structural engineering firm, with over 700 employees across several countries. Routinely we’re told paid overtime is not available due to commercial tightening. To offset this we’re told to take time in lieu, however given the nature of projects and deadlines this is difficult to do, and at the same time frowned upon. It’s not uncommon for me to work 65 hour weeks, but only be paid for 38. We’re told not to book overtime, yet when the chips are down and the deadline is upon us, we’re expected to work double shifts to appease our clients. Then when we ask for time off we’re looked down upon… I love my job, but when it consumes every waking hour, it loses what makes it…

In 2021 I was offered to work for our Singapore branch (I am based in Manila) because I met the “standard” of a tier 1 location, but due to covid restrictions they were forced to keep me here in Manila. I liked the job and I was friends with everyone whom I worked with so I agreed, since it was also a promotion. Unfortunately for me, I got caught between power trippings of my bosses in sg and mnl, as they would often fight over who gets to give me work. My post was the first of it’s kind, a hybrid post working for tier 1 but under tier 3. This caused me a lot of stress because they can’t seem to agree on the specifics of the post, and it hurt my rating because I was to be rated against employees from Manila and my local boss is arguing…

I completed an undergrad in international business and paired it with an MBA, and BARELY managed to find an internship of 3 months after which it took me over 10 months to land my first full time job, which lasted 8months and which was an absolute nightmare (we're talking 8am until 11pm with unpaid overtime and an abusive (and probably unstable) boss that yelled at and called myself and other colleagues horrible names – think motherf***er, dogs, shut the f up, etc.), where our department finally got laid off due to financial issues. I have gained an enormous amount of experience in that role – especially because it was a startup, so I was helping out in other departments too – yet no company seems to want someone with just 1 year of professional experience. What's wrong with companies today? Do they not train anymore? Do I need to go…

I completed an undergrad in international business and paired it with an MBA, and BARELY managed to find an internship of 3 months after which it took me over 10 months to land my first full time job, which lasted 8months and which was an absolute nightmare (we're talking 8am until 11pm with unpaid overtime and an abusive (and probably unstable) boss that yelled at and called myself and other colleagues horrible names – think motherf***er, dogs, shut the f up, etc.), where our department finally got laid off due to financial issues. I have gained an enormous amount of experience in that role – especially because it was a startup, so I was helping out in other departments too – yet no company seems to want someone with just 1 year of professional experience. What's wrong with companies today? Do they not train anymore? Do I need to go…