Latest news with #supervisors
Independent Singapore
2 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Man who worked overseas for 5 years says SG job left him sick and exhausted: ‘I spend my weekends in bed'
SINGAPORE: After spending five years building his career abroad, a man returned to Singapore only to find himself burnt out and overwhelmed by the local work culture. Posting anonymously on the NUSWhispers Facebook page on Sunday (Jun 29), the man shared that his current role was not really aligned with the work he had done abroad, which included venture capital fundraising, product management, and research and development. However, he said he accepted the job because it was hard to find something else and because the hiring department assured him that the company would train him. Unfortunately, they did not follow through on this promise. The man said there was little to no formal onboarding, and he was mainly asked to go through technical documents on his own. As someone without a strong tech background, he found it difficult to piece everything together and keep up. Beyond the steep learning curve, the work culture also took a toll on him. 'The gaslighting and pressure to OT (overtime) is fairly common. I did question myself leaving office at 6 p.m. and would get stares,' he said. 'I've been trying very hard but keep falling sick and developed issues sleeping, chest pains, etc, but still try my best.' He eventually raised these concerns to his supervisors but was told that this was simply how things worked in the company. 'They told me pretty much it's the culture, and the hiring/resignation rate here is tolerated. They don't have time to care about this as priority is on projects and revenue recognition,' he said. 'I've given this about 10 months of trying, and I recognise I'm struggling and admit my aptitude for this technical role isn't there. What should I do? I did ask for an internal transfer, but unfortunately, due to division politics, that is not feasible.' 'On one hand, I feel like I'm shortchanging myself if I call it quits; on the other hand, I know it's not healthy — I spend an entire weekend staying in bed.' 'If you really feel that it's not suitable, maybe you can find a job first before leaving.' In the comments, one netizen said their ex-colleague had a similar experience. After working in Australia for a few years, he came back to Singapore and couldn't handle the stress. While the rest of the team didn't think the job was too stressful, the ex-colleague felt overwhelmed and kept saying the work environment was too much. In the end, he moved back to Australia. The commenter suggested that maybe the man should also consider returning to where he used to work if the culture here didn't suit him. Another person said that staying on the job for 10 months already showed he had given it a fair try. They also urged the man to prioritise his mental health, adding, 'Your mental well-being and health are important. If you really feel that it's not suitable, maybe you can find a job first before leaving.' Meanwhile, a third netizen advised him to see a doctor if his health was being affected, writing, 'Do consult a doctor to check and address your conditions. Don't feel bad that you have to do so, and if necessary, go on MC (medical certificate).' 'If you have evaluated and think that you can't make it at this job in the long run, start looking out for other jobs externally, even overseas, if your situation allows relocation. It's always easier to job hunt while employed.' In other news, a concerned employer has taken to social media to ask if certain behaviours by his new domestic helper might be considered 'red flags.' In a recent post on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit, the man shared that his helper, who is from Indonesia and has been with the family for about four months, had gone against a household instruction that had been clearly stated from the beginning. According to him, she mixed her own laundry with the family's clothes in the washing machine, despite being told from day one to keep them separate. Read more: Employer says maid mixed her laundry with family's and suspects her cooking caused stomachaches — asks if she's 'a red flag' Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
SBS Australia
5 days ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
'It's about power': How sexual harassment affects those on the margins
Warning: this story contains elements that may distress some people. For many people, reporting sexual harassment at work is not as easy as simply making a complaint. While laws are in place to prevent and eliminate sexual harassment at work, experts and victim survivors say there are still significant gaps between policy and practice. Now, the Australian Human Rights Commission says more needs to be done to support those most vulnerable to harassment at work. Dr Anna Cody is Australia's Sex Discrimination Commissioner. She tells SBS that for real change to occur, leaders have to take action. "What we need to see is leaders stepping up. So that's CEOs, directors of boards, managers, supervisors, but everyone within a workplace to make sure that people are safe and respected at work. And how we can then create a culture where it's not okay to not be respectful within a workplace. We need to ensure that our workplaces are diverse, that there is cultural diversity, people with disability at all levels within an organisation." The Commission's new report, called Speaking From Experience, aims to address gaps in understanding about what workers from diverse backgrounds think needs to change to make workplaces safer. Sexual harassment at work is a complex matter and extends beyond gender discrimination, occurring most often to those who experience various forms of overlapping disadvantage or discrimination. "Harassers definitely do choose who they are harassing though they'll choose the person who's on a temporary visa or who really needs this job and who can't afford to let it go. So they use that vulnerability as a way of protecting themselves. So workplaces and bosses and supervisors need to be conscious of that, particularly where there are systems in place or locations within a workplace. You can create safety within a workplace through systems as well as through the way in which you deal with the person who's experienced workplace sexual harassment." The Australian Human Rights Commission says one in three Australians report being sexually harassed at work. This figure was far higher for some, with almost half [[48%]] of people with a disability experiencing harassment at work and 56 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Those in insecure employment, LGBTIQ+ people, culturally or linguistically diverse people, and people with a disability, are not only more likely to experience sexual harassment, but less likely to feel safe enough to report it. Prabha Nandagopal is an award-winning human rights lawyer and founder of Elevate Consulting Partners, a firm that works with businesses to create safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces. She says leaders must be able to address their own blind spots and centre the voices of those affected. " We know that sexual harassment isn't just about gender, it's about power. And people who do sit at that intersection of racism, sexism, ableism, for example, are often more exposed and less protected. And as a woman of colour, I've seen how these layers of discrimination compound when it comes to leaders, it starts with really listening even when it's uncomfortable. So I'm briefing board directors and leaders and middle management almost every day in my day job, and it's very easy for me to talk about workplace sexual harassment. But the moment you start talking about racism in the workplace, that's when there's a bit of discomfort." While acknowledging changes to the national approach over the past decade and the greater responsibility placed on employers, experts say policy and practice gaps still exist. Drawing from the experience of over 300 victim-survivors of workplace sexual harassment, the report emphasises the need for people to feel safe enough to report. In 2022, a legal obligation called Positive Duty was added to the Sex Discrimination Act. Under the obligation, employers have a duty to eliminate and prevent, as far as possible, unlawful acts of sexual harassment at work. Prabha Nandagopal says she supports recommendations to impose civil penalties for companies failing to comply. "The positive duty regime under the Federal Sex Discrimination Act doesn't have civil penalties attached to it. So if someone doesn't comply with the commission's compliance notice that organization can be taken to the federal court. Where the federal court can make any order it sees fit. But unlike say your work health and safety regime, the commission's enforcement powers are quite limited." Workplace sexual harassment also extends beyond the physical workplace: it's not only harmful psychologically but can isolate individuals. Dr Shih Joo Tan is a professor of criminology at the University of Melbourne and has co-authored a series of reports on the experiences of migrant and refugee women with workplace harassment. She says aside from uncertainty around their rights, people from diverse cultural backgrounds are often dismissed as misunderstanding Australian culture. "For example, some migrant and refugee women might be on an employer-sponsored visa, which would sit very hard for them to even report or think about reporting because they would then have to consider the consequences that it could have on their visa status or which also links to their right to remain in a country. So there's that. And also the other issue that was also mentioned in the report was that a lot of times when they do try to say that this is what happened to me, or this person had said this really horrible thing to me, often the response that they could get is that this is just a joke or this is part of the Australian culture, learn how to, you just need to learn Australian culture in that way. So it was seen as a problem on their part that there was a lack of understanding." Another issue raised in the report was the lack of knowledge around different forms of harassment. Often mistaken as only the most blatant forms of harassment, sexual harassment in the workplace can be covert and is often dismissed as something more lighthearted. Dr Anna Cody says without proper understanding of what sexual harassment is, employers can't properly address it. "There have been significant changes over the last decade coming out of the Me Too movement and a greater understanding of workplace sexual harassment. But we still need to build our understanding of what constitutes workplace sexual harassment. So while many people understand touching, unwanted sexual touching, to be workplace sexual harassment, we need to think about messaging of sexual content or of leering or staring at someone in a sexual way or suggesting sexual acts with that person. All of those things also constitute workplace sexual harassment." The report offers policymakers and organisations eleven key recommendations. All of the recommendations centre around reducing barriers - barriers to information, to safety, to being heard, to accessing support, and to justice and accountability. Dr Tan says while many people never make a formal complaint, there were certain things people say made it easier when they did. "In the very first instance, most of them felt comfortable and secure with their direct supervisors. So there was immediate support from management level. The other thing was also assurance that this would not impact on their visa status or their financial security, or that they would not have to face small talk in the office, which was another thing that women had talked about as impacting on their mental wellbeing and things that they would consider as impacting on their positions. They felt like they were punished on a social level for speaking up or for complaining."]] Ms Nandagopal says employers need to take the time to understand the problems specific to their workplace. "So firstly, it's about really understanding the nature and prevalence of sexual harassment in their workplace by speaking to their workers and consulting, particularly those from marginalised groups, not only about what they're experiencing, but asking what they need to feel safe. Then investing in real quality education and training for leaders and workers. And then ensuring their policies and reporting processes are trauma informed and culturally safe. So going beyond that tick-a-box approach to really investing in quality effective measures to prevent and respond to sexual harassment." Commissioner Anna Cody says the landmark report is a crucial final step in the Commission's Respect at Work agenda. And while there is still a long way to go as the recommendations are considered, she says it's important to appreciate the work of victim survivors in telling their stories. "The people that we heard from, how strong and determined they were in trying to make our workplaces fairer and safer for everyone, that they wanted to share their stories so that we could act on them and ensure that other people didn't have to go through what they had gone through." If you or someone you know wants to talk about sexual harassment, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit . In an emergency, call 000.
Zawya
24-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa: Inefficiencies have an outsized impact on mining operations
Reportedly, only 40% of an average mineworker's 12-hour shift is spent productively, suggesting that five hours out of every shift moves the needle on blasting, drilling, hauling and loading. The rest is swallowed up by delays, inefficiencies and missed opportunities. While some inefficiencies are unavoidable – travel time, safety declarations and equipment checks – many are not. And they tend to show up in the same places: delayed startup meetings, poor handovers, unplanned maintenance or simply teams waiting on instruction. These seemingly small breakdowns have an outsized impact. They create a ripple effect that slows down every stage of the mining cycle. This is why every shift needs to count. Not just because margins are under pressure, but because inconsistent production leads to compounding setbacks. The solution isn't about working harder. It's about working smarter, with supervisors leading the charge. The mining cycle The mining cycle runs from the moment a shift begins until it ends. Within that cycle are blocks of time dedicated to preparation, safety, travel, blasting, maintenance and production. It's a rhythm that requires structure, and that structure depends on the supervisor. Supervisors shape how the day unfolds, from timekeeping and decision-making to managing people and pressure. When the start of the day runs late or plans fall through, it's often because supervisors haven't been equipped to manage time, people and pressure effectively. But when are they? The results speak for themselves. We've seen operations increase productive time from 40% to over 60%, simply by tightening up planning, execution and accountability. Coaching supervisors Too often, supervisors operate in firefighting mode, reacting to issues rather than preventing them. Coaching helps shift this mindset. Instead of putting out fires, supervisors learn to anticipate issues, plan contingencies and engage their teams to solve problems together. This improves not only productivity but also builds a culture of trust and strong team morale. Through this kind of real-time coaching, we've seen dramatic shifts in outcomes: better machine availability, reduced lost time, higher-quality blasts and more consistent performance. Because when you reduce variability, you increase predictability – and, in mining, predictability is gold. A successful shift isn't just about hitting targets; it's about doing so safely, efficiently and with consistency. And that consistency is what keeps operations steady, production flowing and planning on track. While every shift runs on the same number of hours, the difference lies in how well those hours are managed. When supervisors approach each time block with the same focus they bring to production goals, everything starts to move in sync: meetings stay on schedule, equipment is ready when needed and teams are in position without delay. Often, it's not the big setbacks that throw a day off course, but the small, unnoticed delays that quietly pile up and take the shift with them. Especially in a commodity downturn, the pressure is on to do more with less. But too often, cost-cutting targets frontline resources: reducing people and machinery while expecting higher output. That's a recipe for burnout, not better results. If a supervisor couldn't meet targets with full capacity, asking them to deliver more with less won't fix the problem. Instead, invest in making supervisors more capable, because they're the ones driving performance. They're the ones managing the cycle. And they're the ones who can turn a shift from average to exceptional.
Reuters
23-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Fed to no longer police 'reputational risk' in banks
WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve announced on Monday it was directing its supervisors to no longer consider so-called "reputational risk" when examining banks, scrapping a metric that had been a focus of industry complaints. The Fed said in a statement it was removing references to that risk in its supervisory manuals and other documents, and directing examiners to focus on specific financial risks. The Fed had defined reputational risk as the potential for negative publicity to hurt a bank's business or lead to costly litigation.
CBC
16-06-2025
- CBC
Winnipeg Transit workers injured during assault on bus
Two Winnipeg Transit employees were assaulted over the weekend while checking on the well-being of a man who was sleeping on a city bus. Early Saturday evening, two transit supervisors boarded a bus near the corner of Fort Street and Graham Avenue in downtown Winnipeg to check on the well-being of a man who was sleeping, according to a Monday news release from Winnipeg police. Police said when the man was woken up he became agitated and assaulted both supervisors. They both sustained minor injuries but did not require medical treatment. Police arrived and found the suspect still struggling with the supervisors, and he was taken into custody. A 23-year old man was charged with two counts of assaulting a peace officer.
