Singapore is considered to be one of the best places in the world to work. Expatriates from all over the globe are flocking to this international city-state today to work. This tiny region is one of the world’s freest economies. Singapore is also highly ranked when it comes to business competitiveness and economic growth, ranking well above countries like the United States. It also beats many western countries in areas like city infrastructure, technology, lifestyle, education, health care, safety, etc., due to which people around the planet want to work and settle there.
All countries have a different business culture. The history, traditions, past, geography, climate, society, economy and lifestyle affect and form a particular business culture. That is why, the way a business is managed differs so much from nation to nation and continent to continent. Singapore is believed to have a very efficient working population and no wonder they have some of the best companies like Singapore Airlines and Temasek. Let us see how different factors influence the work culture in Singapore.
Singapore gained a historical importance in trade and business because it is a massive port and we all know that cities that were ports have always been major centers for development, be it Dubai, Mumbai, Boston, Rio de Janeiro, Southampton, Hong Kong, Sydney and many more. Singapore is the busiest port in the world, considering the total shipping tonnage. The micro state was formerly occupied by the Japanese, Malay, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and the British. So now we know how many cultures have influenced the culture of Singapore. After its independence from the British, Singapore attracted foreign direct investment on a large-scale and over the years it grew as a trading and financial hub that it is now. It is also the fourth largest forex trading center after London, New York and Tokyo. Furthermore, one needs to be well trained in the area of intercultural communication and cross-cultural management to be able to work in a different country.
Work Culture in Singapore – Facts
Diversity
Since a lot of Chinese, Indians (mainly from the southern peninsula), Malaysians and British have been settling in Singapore since a long time, the country has 4 official languages – Mandarin, Tamil, Malay and English. You will see a lovely blend of all these cultures in Singapore. Working in the Singaporean way is also the same! If you end up in a medium to large-scale organization or probably in a huge multinational, you might have a British or Chinese CEO, a Swiss or Dutch manager, a Korean or an Indian colleague and a Japanese business partner. This is just an example given by my Malaysian friend working at a multinational bank in Singapore, but this is just how mixed your work place could be. Intriguing or great enough? Well, I think it is simply awesome to work at a place like this. By and large, the work culture in Singapore is a mix of Asian and Western influences. The government of Singapore allows various cultures to grow and foster together harmoniously. The large multinationals and companies have a very western culture of operating whereas their smaller local counterparts and government organizations have a more traditional Asian style of operating. Singaporeans are very disciplined and strict when it comes to work and life in general. About 75 percent of the Singaporeans are of Chinese descent and so the Chinese work culture and values predominantly exist in the place.
Hierarchy and Collectivism
Work culture in Singapore is of a high power distance, which means there are clear authority structures and social status is defined by your position in the society and workplace. People at lower levels respect higher authorities. Respecting elders and seniors comes from Confucianism that still exists in the Chinese culture and Asian cultures. In such a hierarchical society or workplace, juniors do not openly question or argue with superiors. Using of surnames or titles while addressing is also important like in any other Asian country. Collectivism prevails versus individualism, as in, people always work as a part of a group and this sense of group affiliation to a company or school or family is quite important than a person’s individual status, unlike in a western country. In western societies, there is an emphasis on personal achievements, personal progress, self-determination and independence. People strive for excellence by themselves and the one who shows such a capability is highly rewarded. But, in many Asian cultures, like in traditional Singaporean culture, group harmony and collective decision-making is a part of the work culture. The collectivist culture is one where in people work together and share their rewards instead of striving for individual recognition. Nevertheless, we can expect a western style competition and individualism at multinationals operating in Singapore. But a lot of business owners from western countries who visit Singapore for business deals and have meetings with owners of local and small Singaporean businesses, come across a huge difference and clearly see how collectivism still prevails in a modern society.
Rules and Regulations
Singapore is famous for its strict rules. There are many signs that tell you what is not allowed and it’s hard to miss these signs. It can be very weird but you have to prepared for these rules.The work culture in Singapore is somewhat similar to that of China, Japan and Korea in some aspects. In many local and government organizations, there is an established way of working which is followed by all employees. There are a set of rules for every situation and arguing is not common also dont forget to visit up places to visit in singapore when you had time. In such organizations, bosses do not want you to show over enthusiasm and too many new ideas at work. But they would encourage you to work creatively in the set restrictions and boundaries as Singapore is trying to get more innovators than followers to improve itself in the current competitive market. Your family background and income is important. Along with your skills and performance, your credentials have value and it matters which university you graduated from and what degrees you have. People normally talk less, do not speak loudly and rudely to each other, irrespective of their position. Communication is indirect, subtle and implicit and you would normally not see people losing temper. In local firms, there may also be more restrictions related to office behavior, work timings and other work related issues. In organizations that follow a western culture, all the above may not be true and there will be more openness and individuality.
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