In this series, business correspondent Timothy Goh offers practical answers to candid questions on navigating workplace challenges and getting ahead in your career. Get more tips by signing up to The Straits Times’ Headstart newsletter.
Is it worth giving up higher pay and career progression for better work-life balance?
For many employees, a promotion is supposed to be an automatic “yes”.
It brings higher pay, greater responsibility and a sense that their career is moving forward, which can make turning one down feel like a sign that they are not ambitious enough.
But accepting every promotion is not necessarily a sign of ambition. Sometimes, the more strategic career decision is to say “not now”, said Don Leow, human resources director at the National Institute of Education.
“For someone earlier in their career, taking on a bigger role may make sense because of the exposure, learning and opportunities that come with it. At another stage of life, family, caregiving or personal commitments may matter more,” he said.
“That does not mean the person lacks ambition… Careers are long, and not everyone moves up at the same pace throughout their career.”
Leow added he would also look at what the promotion actually entails for the individual.
“A bigger role does not necessarily translate into longer hours. Sometimes it means more accountability, more complex decisions and getting work done through others,” he said.
“But if it just means more work, more people issues and more pressure without the authority, resources or support to do the job properly, then the trade-off may not be worth it.”
Before deciding, employees should understand what would actually change with the new role, Leow said.
This includes what they would be responsible for, what support they would receive, how much flexibility they would have and whether the workload would be realistic.
A higher pay is attractive, particularly for someone with family commitments, a mortgage or longer-term financial goals. Turning down a promotion may also affect future earnings and opportunities.
“But there is a cost to taking on a role that is not sustainable… If it consistently affects someone’s health, relationships or ability to perform well, the higher salary may not be worth it,” said Leow.
Employees should consider discussing workload, resources, travel, flexibility and even the timing of the promotion with their employer.
“A good employer is prepared to have these conversations,” said Leow.
“Promoting capable people into roles that eventually burn them out is not good talent management policy and there is an organisational price to it.
“A promotion should expand your career, not consume the rest of your life… Sometimes accepting it is the right move, and sometimes asking for different terms, or deciding that the timing is wrong, is the wiser one,” he said.
Carol Poh, HR director at The Edge Partnership, noted that a promotion does not necessarily mean a heavier workload or longer working hours.
Depending on the role, it could instead involve greater responsibility, more complex stakeholder management, broader decision-making or increased strategic influence, without requiring a significant increase in time commitment.
“It is therefore important to consider not only the immediate demands of a promotion, but also how the role contributes to one’s longer-term career progression and opportunities within the organisation,” said Poh.
Employers are increasingly recognising the importance of work-life integration and offering greater flexibility through initiatives such as flexible working hours, hybrid work arrangements and greater autonomy in managing work commitments.
“These options give employees more choice in balancing their career aspirations with personal and family priorities, while still allowing them to pursue meaningful career growth when the right opportunities arise,” Poh said.
