Elijah, a 27-year-old working in social services, is one of many Singaporeans grappling with the transition from student to working adult. After graduating in 2020 during the pandemic, he secured a job mediating between parties. However, the workload and emotional toll soon led to burnout. Elijah shared that he often felt “brain-dead” after assignments and would sometimes break down from exhaustion.
His self-care routine proved insufficient, and by February 2022, after less than two years on the job, he resigned, prioritizing his mental health over his salary. Elijah’s story is not unique. A 2022 Wellness at Work report by Employment Hero revealed that 62% of Singaporean workers experience burnout, with 57% rating their work-life balance as poor or average.
While burnout is tied to reduced productivity, there is hope: 47% of respondents noted that their employers were supportive of mental health, a notable improvement from previous years. As Singapore eases Covid-19 restrictions, employees are advocating for flexible work arrangements to become permanent, with both workers and employers increasingly recognizing the importance of mental well-being in the workplace.