promoted and salary increased... I resign!

[jaded]

I have my wife and a 2yo son living with me here in Singapore, and I am getting 4.7k a month. I made a big mistake of getting a PR status, thus I'm only taking home 4k a month. Just enough for us to live day by day, without savings or buffer for anything. I think we only spend around 20 for entertainment (kite, bubble balloon refill, etc). I'm not complaining, but there's an option to make life much better.

Recently I got a promotion + pay increase. I'll be getting around 5600, which would translate around +600 for my budget after cpf and tax adjustment. I was also given a variable bonus of 7k.

I have a couple of companies looking to pay me +1k more if I move over to them. They want me to start working for them ASAP, after I get my bonus.

Would it be unethical if I jump ship as soon as I get the bonus? If I stay with my current employer, I feel like I am denying my family of more comfortable living when I have the option to make so.

[Old Mike]

Your bonus is paid as a reward for efforts made in the previous year. There is nothing unethical about leaving after it is paid out.

[fareastjunebug]

Unless you have a contractual obligation, there is no obligation. That said, manage the relationship on your exit. You never know when you'll cross paths with them again.

Local staff will leave for a couple of hundred $/month bump in salary, so there should be no surprise. 

[Agree with]

The two PP

Bonus is for previous year and your obligation is greater to your family than your company.

Time to move on but as PP says try to do it with dignity and with goodwill.

[Common SG Practice]

It's hard to hire staff in SG around Nov / Dec / Jan because everyone is waiting to collect that AWS (13th month salary) and variable bonus.

However, after the bonus is paid, people routinely quit.  I had a Singaporeans guy present me his resignation letter the very next day after it was deposited in his account.  Fair enough, the bonus was for last year and I would have paid it anyway.  Note that local companies will not, if you resign before payment.  So make sure it's IN YOUR ACCOUNT first.

[BartSimpson]

Agree with all the PP above, no worries of resigning after bonus, that's how it works in Singapore...
One question though, are you not considering discussing with your current employer before you go ? Assuming you are not bad at what you do (promotion), they may very well give you the 1K you want, even more ?
Is money the only issue with your employer ? If yes, then you should try to work it out...
Well, that's my view, although yearly job-hopping is the national sport in Singapore, I don't think it's the best way to build a career and develop, just quick buck...

[Common SG Practice]

Yes, I should have mentioned that.  Instead of paying people what they are worth, a lot of companies wait for them to resign and then counter-offer to retain them.  Yours may do that when you tell them the other offer.

[jaded]

Bart, I totally agree with you. Actually, this is my first company in Singapore and I've been with them for 3 years. However having 2 promotions and only 1k increase during that duration doesn't cut it for me. I like my company and I like what I do but as the PP mentioned, I think this company has a reputation of not paying people what they are worth and are losing their best talent in the process.

I may be able to negotiate for a higher increase, but I have tried that before and failed. Manager wants to give me the $$$ I'm asking but HR doesn't. It doesn't make any sense, even my manager was baffled.

[HR are useless]

Bart, I totally agree with you. Actually, this is my first company in Singapore and I've been with them for 3 years. However having 2 promotions and only 1k increase during that duration doesn't cut it for me. I like my company and I like what I do but as the PP mentioned, I think this company has a reputation of not paying people what they are worth and are losing their best talent in the process.

I may be able to negotiate for a higher increase, but I have tried that before and failed. Manager wants to give me the $$$ I'm asking but HR doesn't. It doesn't make any sense, even my manager was baffled.

HR are useless inefficient nobodies in most companies but in Singapore they make an art of it - its the kiasu factor and they hate to see someone get anything.

Outsource the lot of them as they add no value whatsoever and are just jumped up admin staff anyway.

Outside of HR I do not know anyone who thinks they are an value and are held in total disdain up and down any company from top to bottom - when did you last see a good MBA go into HR or anyone from HR make CEO?

[Worth]

Yes, I should have mentioned that.  Instead of paying people what they are worth, a lot of companies wait for them to resign and then counter-offer to retain them.  Yours may do that when you tell them the other offer.

Good idea. And if they tell you to keep walking instead of keep talking, you will know what you are worth.

Mate, you either resign or don't resign. You do not do anyone any favours with a counter offer strategy.

[don't take counter]

Even if they counter, don't take it.

Stats show something like 70% leave within a year afterwards and the trust is already gone.

As others said though, leave on good terms.  Small place, no reason to burn bridges or get a bad name.  Moving on however is perfectly normal as long as you do it properly.

[go and don't look back]

They've already demonstrated that they do not think you are worth more. I would collect my bonus and hand in my resignation the following day. I would also not feel even slightly bad about it - they have made it clear how they feel.

As someone else said, your loyalty is to your family first. You are doing nothing wrong by looking for better options for yourself. I have done a similar thing in the past, and I mentioned in my interview that I did not want the new employer to call my current boss just yet as they would have withheld my bonus if they knew I was leaving (not sure of your industry or employer, but if they are likely to call the HR for any reason, that might be something to bear in mind...) I also do not believe in burning bridges, so make sure when you go that your exit is graceful.

Other than that, all the best for your new job!

[Integritybear]

They might view you as someone with integrity issues , jumping ship with every salary increase .

If you however, choose to re-join the company (out of desperation) they might not take you again.

[titan]

Even if they counter, don't take it.

Stats show something like 70% leave within a year afterwards and the trust is already gone.

As others said though, leave on good terms.  Small place, no reason to burn bridges or get a bad name.  Moving on however is perfectly normal as long as you do it properly.

I agree with this.