Malaysian Fresh Grad Shares the Joys of Being a Blue-collar Worker in New Zealand

A Malaysian fresh graduate who just came back from a working holiday in New Zealand discovered that he was much happier being a blue-collar worker there, than taking up a 9-to-5 desk job here.

Source: facebook

And he decided to share it on Facebook. Here’s what he said:

“Knowing that working in New Zealand is just a short-term plan, you’d show more appreciation towards your job. You’d live in the moment and cherish your time with your colleagues because you know it will all come to an end soon.”

Source: facebook

“But if you’re working full-time for a company in Malaysia, the daily routine can get pretty monotonous, and the only thing you’re looking forward to is payday.” 

Besides, he also noticed how friendly and approachable his colleagues were back in New Zealand.

“To be honest, every one of us who worked there knew that we’d only be seeing each other for a short time, as we wouldn’t be there permanently. Despite that, everyone was very passionate in getting to know each other. But back here, people are just too busy minding their own business in the office.”

Source: facebook

Source: facebook

Another aspect he really enjoyed about working in New Zealand was that work stopped at the workplace.

“Once you’re off from work, you don’t have to worry about work-related stuff. There’s no emails to reply nor paperwork for you to bring home.”

Source: facebook

Moreover, he also preferred the salary system there as labourers were paid hourly, instead of having a fixed salary.

“Since your pay is determined by the number of hours you clock in, you get exactly what you put in. Back here, a lot of companies demand their workers to work overtime with no overtime pay.”

“As such, people who leave work on time feel guilty and are deemed lazy, while the ones who stay (back) are considered hardworking and productive. This is a really unhealthy culture.”

“Perhaps the most saddening part is that the minimum wage I received in New Zealand was actually higher than the basic pay of a fresh graduate in Malaysia.”

Nevertheless, he did acknowledge that a blue-collar worker has very limited career advancement as opposed to a white-collar worker. Well, there’s pros and cons to everything. 

Regardless of being white- or blue-collar worker, the most important thing is that we enjoy our jobs, right guys?

Also read: Seasoned Air Asia Flight Attendant Reveals Why the Job is NOT for Everyone