Work ethic

DawnHRD · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 8:51 am Post subject: Work ethic

Yesterday, I had to sack one of my workers in the dog center. She has only been working for us for a month. She took over from the lady who just never came back to work, after a month where I had to fill in.

In the 3+ years I've managed the dog center, we've had drunks, people who seem to think it's a perk of the job to steal from us, workers who lie to my face, people who mistreat the dogs, and this girl who seems to think she only needs to turn up when she feels like it (she has been "sick" 3 separate days & the motorbike didn't come for her, yesterday) & can down tools & go home anytime she wants. Some of these people overlap (ie they are/have been guilty of more than one of the above). The full-time boy we have is OK; he can sometimes lack common sense, but he's not guilty of anything else.

We've also had people who have come for a recce & walked out & one guy who lasted half a morning.

Let me explain, the work is not physically hard. It is hot (at the moment) and it is dirty, especially if the dogs like you (they jump up). I do it & don't ask anyone to do what I wouldn't or haven't. The wages are OK for part time work (about 3 hrs a day in the morning) Of course, the workers need to be comfortable around dogs, but I'm sure that anyone who wasn't wouldn't apply.

I don't know what the problem is. Is it that nobody wants to work, or is it that this job is "below" them? Do any other employers have a problem recruiting or keeping staff? Is the problem me/the job, or is this typical?

As it is, I've given up trying to find a second worker. I'm giving the full-time boy more money & helping out as much as I can myself. Sad

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prcscct · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 7:57 pm Post subject:

Just me thinking out loud Dawn.

You seem to know your Thai Vet very well and maybe a person you can talk to openly. Maybe ask him/her if there are any children's detention centers or orphanages in the area where Thai teenagers are present?

Out of all the bad apples you may be able to find a few good ones who would jump at a chance to go on a work/release assignment, who love animals, and who want to get their life either back on track or, get away from the orphanage for some hours each day. You wouldn't have to do the initial selection process, the adults who run the places I'm sure have an "A" list of good kids you could select from. Pete Cheers

DawnHRD · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 9:01 pm Post subject:

Good idea, Pete. I'd never thought of that. I'll give it a go. Thanks Cheers

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"The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But, can they suffer?" - Jeremy Bentham, philosopher, 1748-1832

Make a dog's life better, today!

Winkie · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 10:05 pm Post subject:

Dawn, if it helps, finding a keeping staff is a perpetual problem for all employers in Thailand.

Training and trustworthyness are next on the list.

I've had a girl in my office for nearly 4 years. She'sdoen her duties well, and suddenly changed the way she did certain things, obviously for the worse. Why? Because shehad forgotten (beteween friday and Monday) how to do it!!!!

As a rule of thumb, when giving instruction to a Thai employee, ask them the same question, not once or twice, but 100 times. If the answer is the same for 99 times, and different fo the last time, they still haven't got it. Start again!

Training never stops, Thai people do not learn things well, and always look to reduce their workload. So, the rule is always tell them what to do, even if they've done it for years. if you stop telling them, they will eventually stop doing it, or do it in a differnet (incorrect) way.

Winkie
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Only the crumbliest, flakiest Winkie....

prcscct · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 10:39 pm Post subject:

Winkie · Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:07 am Post subject:

Pete

Its intersting, what you have said, but don't think that the Chinese influence has much to do with it. Yes, in Thailand the Chinese are tose that control the wealth. But in China, the situation is of course differnent.

Whislt Thais are slow to react to any situation, the China Chinese (in general) are far too quick to react. That means they do something, but without analising or understanding why they are doing something.

The result, more oftne thatn not, is negative.

Look at their quality control, its lousy and will remain so for years to come.

Thais are more difficult to generalise.

For sure you cannot say that it is due to lack of education. Absolutely everyone has a dgree in Thailand. Even my maid has one!

However, common sense is partly to do with it. Not some many have a degree in this this!

Initiative is too strong a word. You don't need initiative to follow routine daily instructions. you don't need initiaive to work on a check out in a store.

But, and I don't want to be insulting. These guys can screw it up. Mostly with a BA in something, and after doing it for 6 months or 6 years.

Its tough here, good employees are very hard to find, and even harder to keep.

If you are lucky enough to keep them, its difficukt to kep them focused and on the ball

Winkie
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Only the crumbliest, flakiest Winkie....

SuperTonic · Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 2:50 am Post subject:

Sultry · Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 8:43 am Post subject:

Ugh, that must be really frustrating to deal with.

I sorta feel your pain. I'm a teacher at a local university and the amount of students that simply don't care is astounding. No matter how fun or interesting you make your classes, they just don't seem to care. They don't realize that this is their future we're dealing with. Even when you try to tell that in order for them to get a good job, they NEED to speak English properly, they still have this attitude of 'Meh, don't care'.

It drives me and my other foreign colleagues up the wall sometimes. But then there are always those handful of good students that do do their best, that do care. They're the ones that make my job worth it all.
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nevets · Professional Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 376

The Thai people have never been taught how to think for themselves , in school it is a system of rote learning and as such, thinking does not come in to it . They are not encouraged to think or ask questions which makes for a person that cannot work in the same way as the west. If they dont understand because of losing face they will not say tell me again wot you want me to do. And if you say do you understand they will say yes because that's wot you want to here. So as the other poster said start the day by telling wot you want every day , that's if they turn up of course.

redzonerocker · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:23 pm Post subject: work ethic

i agree with supertonic. it is a problem in the uk too & probably worldwide.
the world is so small now & technically advanced that the majority of young people are not interested in manual, hands on work anymore.
the skills & trade shortage of the 80's & 90's is getting ever wider.
i am a little surprised that you have problems getting a willing reliable worker though.

buksida · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:44 pm Post subject: