New Job, New Country, Better Life

[fran29]

Hi, My husband & I are looking to relocate from the UK to Sin. We are both in Banking; he is in Derivatives & I'm an accountant. Our jobs are very demanding & we are finding that we spend very little time with our young daughter & far too much in the office. Typical working week is 50-60hrs. We are not work shy but hope that a move to Sin will provide us with a better standard of living for all, work life balance, etc. Not sure how realistic that is!

My question is for anyone working in the banking sector with children. What are your typical hours of work? How do you find juggling work and young children? How much is childcare? We currently spend GBP£700 per month (S$2,100 approx.) to send my little girl to nursery.

Before we commit to moving to Sin, we want to ensure that it is going to be for the better.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Bremen]

Hi, My husband & I are looking to relocate from the UK to Sin. We are both in Banking; he is in Derivatives & I'm an accountant. Our jobs are very demanding & we are finding that we spend very little time with our young daughter & far too much in the office. Typical working week is 50-60hrs. We are not work shy but hope that a move to Sin will provide us with a better standard of living for all, work life balance, etc. Not sure how realistic that is!

My question is for anyone working in the banking sector with children. What are your typical hours of work? How do you find juggling work and young children? How much is childcare? We currently spend GBP£700 per month (S$2,100 approx.) to send my little girl to nursery.

Before we commit to moving to Sin, we want to ensure that it is going to be for the better.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

My flatmate's in banking...

Ok, first off... If you want good childcare, in a large group of kids at an english-speaking school, it'll cost you a good chunk of change too. You might even pay close to what you pay in the UK. A cheaper alternative is a nanny.

Work/life balance in Singapore is among the worst in the world, especially in banking. My flatmate is in investments, and he leaves home at 8am and is usually only home midnight-1am. Your fields may be better though.

If you still feel like you want to risk it, by all means, give it a try!

[fran29]

Gosh, 8am til 1am?! That makes a big difference. If that is the case, what attracts so many people to living & working in Sin? It can't surely be the low tax rate!

We may have to reconsider.

Thanks for the advice.

[ksl]

I believe it's quite normal in Singapore to work 6 days a week, hrs depend very much on what you do, my wife works a 72hr week. I work when i feel like it.

To be honest UK is much better, in my opinion for families.


Expats are normally well paid and put up, with the hrs until they decide enough is enough.

For better quality of life, you should be looking at the statistics of best Countries to live.

I think you will find all Scandinavian Countries in the top 10, UK is in 47th position.

The statistics are based on financial, social, education and other pointers, Denmark is a wonderful place I lived there 23 years and working hrs are 37.5 Unions are strong and minimum wage is around 9 pound pr hour.

Basically what you need to do, is not move Countries unless the UK is your main problem, alternative employment prospects need to be looked at, if it's family life you are wanting. Escaping is no help, it's a little like jumping out of the firepan into the fire.

[fran29]

We have become disheartened with the UK. We need a change and want to experience another country. We have family in Sin; that's why we are considering it.

We obviously need to give it some real thought.

Thanks for your comments.

[Strong Eagle]

I think Bremen may be stating an extreme case otherwise Boat Quay wouldn't be packed with people every night at 5:30 PM.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I think Bremen may be stating an extreme case otherwise Boat Quay wouldn't be packed with people every night at 5:30 PM.

And here I though they were all real estate brokers and Insurance peddlers! Especially with the bluetooth earphones and notebook PCs.

[bunty]

We have become disheartened with the UK. We need a change and want to experience another country. We have family in Sin; that's why we are considering it.

We obviously need to give it some real thought.

Thanks for your comments.

Fran
Singapore is the financial services hub like UK and therefore banking hours can be long. the only thing similar to UK is the weekend off.....
other than that , the work hours are preety long. I would guess the work hours in UK were much easier. friday-finish at 4 pm and the weekend begins!!!!

cheers

[fran29]

A 4pm finish on Friday would be nice but 7-8pm is more like the norm. So not much difference then between the UK & Sin, except blue skies, low crime, clean streets, friendly people, great food.......................... Have I missed anything?

I think its worth having a few interviews in any case.

Thanks for all the advice; its definitely opened my eyes a bit more.

[woodsdevil]

Hi,
My family and I was in a similar situation like you. My husband is in investment banking and work long hours. He was getting disillusioned about living in London.
He was offered a posting to Singapore and he even travelled out there to visit the businesses as he will be traveling to Hk, Tokyo and Singapore alot. He's french and he really loves Singapore but there are various reasons why we didn't go out there.
If you want to ask more questions, please feel to to pm me and we can discuss in further details. I can give you a better perspective as I am Singaporean who has lived here in the UK for 8 years now and can see the clear difference between life in the UK and Singapore.

Hope that helps. It is a big decision and you have to be careful.

[fran29]

Hi, Would love to get together and discuss in greater detail. This website won't allow me to PM u, as it says i hven't enough reposnses to my posting.

Any ideas?

[woodsdevil]

i am having problems too with not enough messages.
Will try to post a few more before pm you..

[jymmichimpo]

Hi

I work in Singapore in finance too. Listed derivatives middle office. I relocated here 1m ago after 8yrs in london (3 spent in the city, same area,top bank). I would disagree with the previous messages.

Although the hrs in the office are not 9-5, usually people get in the office later than in London. Then from 12 to 2 everybody goes out for lunch (front office too). Unheard of in the City.

Then there is a peak between 2:30-17:30 and then it all cools down. After that, Europeans usually leave the office at round 7ish, Singaporeans tend to stay longer but I think this is part of the office culture here to stay even if work is done. Not sure about M&A or investment banking.

I don't miss at all my 15minutes lunch break eating a cheap sandwich at my desk in London. And also I don't miss at all the stress and grief that usually come with a career in the city.

Also I don't miss the long, dark and rainy winters in London.

As for the children, Singapore is very safe and clean and I think is more family-friendly than London.

Although I love London, I left because it has become very expensive,dirty,not safe and most of all to have a life beyond the City.

I think you should give it ago.

Good luck....

[sundaymorningstaple]

Woodsdevil & fran29, you both have 5 posts now. Your PM function should be working now.

sms

[gdaisies]

To Woodsdevil...

I am currently staying in Singapore and working in investment banking. I`m getting a bit 'sick' of the country now, how is it working in england? I am thinking of moving to uk next year but i`m not sure whether it`s the right choice....as everyone seems to be doing the other way round. Your advice is much appreciated! thanks.