Over my past 20 years working in PRC & HK, there are many ups and downs. I recall that there are only 2 reasons of departing a company – either voluntary departure or forced dismissal. The first one happened in 1992 when I left Gilman and joined Roche in Hong Kong. Because of my poor English and interpersonal skill, my probation was extended which I found it difficult to stay. It was a good lesson to me as an immature youngster. Frankly, I did not reach the level of facing my failure; I chose to flight instead of fight. Another one happened in 2010 which I worked in JOSAO from 2008. The company I would describe it as a fiasco. Though I believed that I knew how to run the factory management, I was treated as a cost accountant but getting director’s package. I was not provided responsibility and the associated authority to lead the change. I decided to leave after almost 2 years of tenure. You know it is not wise to leave a company without staying long to a professional accountant. I submitted my resignation with 3 months notice. To my surprise, I was requested to leave earlier and get the pay which I did not expect. I needed to defend that I did make contribution to the company; otherwise, I could not have got the highest % of bonus in 2011. Anyway, there is no hostility with the separation.
I have been instilled the conception from my management coach – Honwan that there is nothing owed by the company to the employee and vice versa; the employee is paid every month, if he/she outperforms, he is entitled to annual bonus and promotion as well as pay raise. Actually, if the employee does not get what he wants, he would choose to leave and find a better job. It is human nature to carry a ledger psychologically so as to determine what effort he/she should contribute (Theory of Exchange). It is indeed a game. On the other hand, there is no such thing as personal sacrifice. As employees, we get the capability improvement when we are able to overcome barriers. Actually, seniority is nothing and it has been something already protected by the labor law. In other words, I would say there is a clear cut on each year unless the manager/company default on any promise.
Based on this logic, I really do not understand whenever I need to do dismissal of incompetent staff in different companies in PRC, I would encounter counter-claim of packages more than legally required. The pretext is seniority of service which the labor law has set out the calculation already. Usually, there is no happy ending, rather, dispute and then it ends up with hostility.
If one is too indulged in inappropriate expectation, she will lose the peaceful mind and intelligence as well. I felt no regret of leaving JOSAO. I did not insist on anything I was not entitled. My mind is peaceful. Afterwards, I got an opportunity of working in a country-wide supply chain project which I got an unprecedented exposure in this area. I could easily focus on the project. I got more because I know what to give in.
Dick Lam's Blog 