PaxOcean

Pros: I've found the normal 40-hour weeks are respected for a good part of the year in the Singapore office. You can usually leave on time unless there's an urgent deadline. It's not a 'live at work' culture for Naval Architect roles.
Cons: When a major shipbuilding project ramps up, expect longer hours, sometimes including weekends. It's tough to plan personal life then. The pressure from project managers can be intense, making true work-life balance hard to maintain.
Advice to Management: Try to better manage project timelines and resource allocation to prevent last-minute crunch periods. More consistent support for work-life balance would really help retain talent in engineering roles.

Pros: Some team leads in marine engineering are really supportive. You get decent autonomy for shipbuilding projects if your direct manager trusts you. It's okay for learning specific technical skills if you're proactive.
Cons: Senior leadership can be pretty disconnected. There's often a lack of clear vision for new offshore construction initiatives, which slows things down. Decision-making is slow, and it affects morale in the Singapore office.
Advice to Management: Focus on clearer communication from the top. Improve project planning and empower middle management more to speed up decisions. Show employees a clearer path forward in their careers and company direction.

Pros: You get to work on some really big projects in shipbuilding and offshore. The onsite team in Singapore is generally supportive, especially among fellow engineers. There's a decent salary for experienced Marine Engineers.
Cons: The company culture feels pretty old-school and hierarchical. Decision-making is slow, and there's not much room for new ideas from us as Marine Engineers. Work-life balance for onsite staff isn't always great, especially when project deadlines hit.
Advice to Management: Try to foster a more open and collaborative environment. Listen to the ideas from your Marine Engineers on the ground. Modernize some of those internal processes.

Pros: As a Marine Engineer in the Singapore office, I've found that for standard operations, the work-life balance is pretty decent. You're mostly looking at 40-45 hour weeks, and weekends are usually free, which is good for personal time. It's not a crazy grind all the time.
Cons: However, when you're deep into major shipbuilding projects or nearing a delivery deadline, things get tough. Expect longer hours and weekend work during those crucial phases. It's just the nature of the marine engineering industry, but it can impact your personal life for a few weeks.
Advice to Management: Try to better manage project timelines to reduce the need for last-minute crunch periods. More consistent workload planning would really help with employee well-being.

Pros: The base salary for a Marine Engineer was decent enough for new grads. You do get a basic health package, which is standard for the maritime industry in Singapore. There's some job security in this large company.
Cons: Don't expect big bonuses or rapid pay raises here. The overall compensation package isn't very competitive, especially for experienced professionals in offshore construction. The benefits beyond basic health are pretty minimal, no real perks.
Advice to Management: Review the compensation structure for Marine Engineer roles and enhance the benefits package to attract and retain top talent in Singapore's competitive maritime industry.

Pros: There's some understanding from direct managers for minor schedule tweaks, especially for office-based tasks. If you're not directly involved in onsite construction, there's a bit more breathing room in the Singapore office.
Cons: However, for roles like Marine Engineer directly involved in shipbuilding projects, flexibility is almost non-existent. You're expected to be onsite and available, often working long hours to meet deadlines. Don't count on much WFH or schedule freedom when things get busy.
Advice to Management: Try to find more ways to offer some flexibility, even minor ones, especially during non-critical project phases. It would boost morale for the hardworking Marine Engineer teams.