askST Jobs: I’m doing more work for the same pay. What should I do?

In this series, business journalist 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 

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Q: My workload has increased but my pay has not. What should I do?

A: If your responsibilities have clearly expanded in scope, complexity or decision-making impact, it is reasonable to discuss workload sustainability, support resources or a review of your role with your supervisor.

Budgets may be tight, but in such cases, you can consider negotiating for non-monetary options, such as flexible hours, professional development funding, or even a title change, said Ms Melinda Ng, founder of career consultancy Wake Up Now with Melinda.

“All of these can add long-term career value while acknowledging your expanded contribution,” she said.

Employees, she noted, should list the additional responsibilities they have taken on and how these are beyond the original job scope.

More importantly, they should consider the value and impact of these tasks, which helps shift the focus from “frustration to facts”.

They can then arrange a constructive conversation with their manager, but instead of just discussing salary concerns, employees should also seek clarity on whether their role has evolved, what the current priorities are, and how success is now measured.

“This approach demonstrates professionalism and a collaborative mindset. In many organisations, salary adjustments tend to follow demonstrated value and business outcomes rather than task volume alone,” said Ms Ng.

Mr Sam Neo, founder of storytelling and mentorship platform Stories of Asia, said employees should develop an “entrepreneurial” mindset. “It does not mean you start your own company tomorrow, rather it’s a mindset where you see yourself as someone who solves problems and creates value, rather than someone who just fulfils a fixed job description.”

In a workplace where job scopes are blurring and AI is taking over routine tasks, employees who stand out are often those who can spot problems before they escalate, connect insights across teams, markets and technologies, and design simple solutions that make life easier for customers or colleagues.

“Instead of getting stuck on whether something falls within your job description, ask what the real problem is and how you can help solve it in a smart way,” said Mr Neo.

Adopting this mindset helps employees build a track record of impact that is difficult to ignore and replace.

There is also a “triple win”, said Mr Neo.

From a skills perspective, employees will learn to navigate ambiguity, influence others, design solutions and work with new tools – all highly transferable even if they move jobs or industries.

Solving cross-functional problems can also expand one’s professional network by creating opportunities to work with colleagues beyond the immediate team.

“Over time, this visibility can strengthen an employee’s market value as someone known for driving outcomes rather than simply following instructions,” said Mr Neo.