Hello boss, I'm on holiday and NOT taking calls
Who said Singaporeans are workaholics?
Not if you go by poll findings that recruitment firm Randstad released on Tuesday (June 16).
We're 4th when it comes to taking work calls while on holiday - with one in two feeling like they just have to answer the phone during vacations.
Ah, the sun, sand and sea... and I'm a busy worker bee. PHOTO: REUTERS
The study covers 34 countries in the Asia Pacific region, Europe and the Americas.
About 400 people in Singapore answered an online questionnaire. Their replies threw up another surprise for those lamenting the work-life imbalance here.
The Singapore worker is more switched off compared with his counterpart in Hong Kong (77 per cent), China (67 per cent) and India (63 per cent).
GRAPHICS: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
But letting go of work completely can be tough, as these stats show:
*1 in 2 said their boss expects them to be contactable. *1 in 3 found it hard to let go of work - even while on holiday. *3 in 5 don't mind handling work-related matters in their own time. *2 in 5 choose to stay on top of their work during holidays as they like to stay involved.Don't blame the inability to switch off on greater connectivity and the prevalence of smart phones.
Randstad country director for Singapore, Mr Michael Smith, said:
"Singapore employees are also known to have a strong work ethic and are often motivated by money and career progression.
"This can often translate into working long hours in order to achieve their career goals, also making it harder to switch off once they leave the office."
While it's great to have a high level of commitment to the job, Mr Smith said employees have to learn to let go.
Here are some tips to help you switch off and relax:
*Hand over your work to a colleague before you go on holiday.
*Give instructions that you only want to hear from them if something really urgent comes up.
*Stop responding to e-mails once you’ve left the office unless it’s really necessary, otherwise that’s what your clients and colleagues will come to expect all the time.
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