A Corporate Culture Paradigm Shift ... The Asian Awakening

18th Oct. 2007 : Loyalty was once a upon a time a much emphasised trait of any professional worth their salt to the company. Loyalty forms bonds and begets trust and provide employees a sense of security and belonging.

But recent high handed coersion employed by some 'cow-boy' management has turned the very much passive non-verbal Asian workers to stand up for their due rewards. But not thru eloquent arguments or persuasive retort like their western counterparts. Asians generally do not argue nor speak up against authority, more often than not, Asians rather execute their deep feelings than talk about it.

Just not too long ago, the word wfm (aka retrenchment) was a stigma to be associated with, employees worry how it will look in their resume and how they are going to explain to their potential employers. But the 'awakened' Asian worker has wised up after years of being sidelined, exploited as cheap labour, passed over for promotion and plain discounted as just a statistic by their 'cow-boy' management. Timid non-assuming looking obedient Asian workers are now volunteering themselves for work force management.

Just recently, a Snr executive whose company was going thru wfm, commented that 'this is a unique situation...so many people asking for the package.' Gone are the days where employees are saddened if they are retrenched, now it is something to be proud of. And why not? afterall, Asian workers have been underpaid and overlooked, so why wait for the annual review and get puny increment? The fastest track to a fat bank account is to get retrenched and get the just rewards that the company has witheld from them.

To the 'cowboy' management of such companies, perhaps it is something to take note that the paradigm shift is an indication that loyalty is out of the window and they deceived themselves if they think they are creating a great place to work by their gunho management style. And for those whom they choose to keep for now to execute their superfluos agenda, it is just a matter of time before they raise thier hands for the next round of wfm for the knife cuts both ways.



Reporting from The CoffeeShop with 2 Halfboiled Eggs