Singaporean workers are burning out

Local workers are exhausted and fatigued because of problems at work, but a huge number still refuse to take a sick day to cope.

According to a new survey by JobStreet.com, 60% of local workers said they experience mental fatigue because of stress, depression and other factors.

More than half (55%) also identified stress as the biggest contributor to their mental fatigue, followed by a lack of exercise (38%), and poor diet and chronic illness (7%).

However, despite the high level of mental exhaustion, 70% of respondents said they will not take a sick day if they are feeling unwell but are physically fit for work.

In fact, most employees only take between one and 10 days of sick leave a year - lower than the allocated 14 days - despite 80% of companies offering no reward for a lower number of sick days taken.

Companies that do offer a reward for low rate of sick days often do so in the form of cash – usually between $150 and $300, days off or gift vouchers.

A separate survey by JobStreet.com earlier this year also found 60% of companies provide wellness programmes for staff, including free or subsidised health screenings, on-site fitness programmes and subsidised gym memberships.

Unfortunately, the survey also revealed only a third of employees utilise the offered programmes, citing lack of time and, ironically, an overwhelming workload as reasons for not being able to do so.