The awkward end to my last job..

It’s my story from this side of the eastern globe.

As a South East Asian living in the peninsular of the Malayan state, I had an early heads-up when a viral flu attacked my workplace back in November 2019. I just started a new job after months of losing my last one.

The first 2 weeks just went into a hurricane of schedules scavenging my calendar. A viral wildfire spread from one end of the floor to the other. No one bothered to know why. They were just told it’s the influenza season. I talked to a manager and he has been making regular trips to China and Indonesia, breaking down every 2 weeks, living off antibiotics, isolating himself from his family at home, yet exposing himself without a mask in the office. Another female executive got hospitalised, resigned upon her return after a two-week hiatus. A newbie resigned just 2-weeks in; gave his notice stating serious illness. I was told my entire department was rotating on medical absence for many weeks.

True enough, my turn came just barely into the third week of my commencement. Breathless episodes, fever, intense dry cough followed by two respiratory attacks and my boss could not find me another seat to move to nor could I work from home. I gave my notice that weekend out of a desperate need to stay away. My boss met me upon my return to the office. Just a 5-minute exchange with me and he was knocked out for almost a week. By the end of my fourth week, he abruptly told me I could leave without notice.

This isn’t a story about Covid-19. It’s a story about how much companies care not about their employees. It has to take a nationwide lockdown to make them appreciate remote working, healthy distancing, sanitised office, sealed trash bins, supply of masks, replacement of fingerprint door access, air filters, and regular office maintenance. Only when there are deaths that people start to notice the wrong they have done. Why wait till tragedy hits?

It was my shortest work stint but it left a scar that could not be undone. Biggest regret was taking the job. I wish I could’ve hankered on but it just did not feel right to risk my life over it.