It’s every man for himself, as least for more than half of the working population in Singapore.
According to a recent survey by business-oriented social networking service LinkedIn, which surveyed 1000 employees in Singapore, more than half of them (51.6%) would consider sacrificing friendships with a colleague for a promotion.
The survey, called Relationships@Work study also found that 22% of the respondents had an ulterior motive for socialising with their fellow colleagues, thinking it would help them move up the career ladder. When it comes to actual work, 20.4 per cent said having friendships with colleagues made them even more competitive.
Other interesting findings from the global survey:
- Workers in Singapore are the world’s most likely to prefer a manager of the opposite sex (25.1 per cent)
- Singaporean workers topped others in Asia in having food as a workplace conversation topic (80.8 per cent)
- Majority of workers in Singapore reported eating lunch with colleagues on most of their work days (68.3 per cent, higher than the global average of 54.1 per cent)
- 51.5 per cent of professionals surveyed believed that friendships with colleagues make them happier at work.
- More millenials thought friendships at work impacted them in a positive way compared to baby boomers (people aged 55 to 65).
- About 60.9 per cent of those surveyed said they had a colleague who looks out for them. This is much higher than the global average of 48.5 per cent who said the same thing.
- Professionals in Singapore tend to also confide in their colleagues on topics ranging from family issues (32.5 per cent) to relationship advice (29.4 per cent).
Ms Tara Commerford, Head of Communications for LinkedIn for Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia commented, “While (relationships at work) can have a positive influence on us in many respects, it’s important to also consider the professional image you’re projecting for yourself; especially as the lines between personal and professional blur in our increasingly social world.”
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