Singapore Expats

What's wrong with the work mentality here?

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ScoobyDoes
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Re: What's wrong with the work mentality here?

Post by ScoobyDoes » Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:12 am

Girl_Next_Door wrote:Had an grueling day and its hardly even 11am!

1) To start, we need to review a group of customers. My idea of efficiency (which seems like the obviously wrong route), is to get 2 dept pull out the customers list, and give to another group of people (A) to review.

But, it seems like the right route is to get group A, to figure out who they think is their customers, and give to the 2 dept to verify, then back to the original route (Group A) to review.
This depends on the authority and responsibility of the Departments and Groups involved.
Girl_Next_Door wrote: 2) There is a report that I need to submit and there is 1 girl who have access to the system that store all the information. However, she thinks the best route is to send an email to 8 HODs, get them to provide the information, then I use their replies for my reports. That, seems to me a lazy way for her, because she don't have to access the system to pull out the records.
The HODs of departments have responsibility for records kept about employees/projects/department under their charge. Just because somebody else has access to all the records doesn't give him/her the right or authorisation to tell you about about them.

On the face of it I don't find anything wrong in this approach at all, unless you are the owner/MD of the company........but then you wouldn't be needing to submit a report.

As a HOD I would question any information about it being passed to somebody else without my approval, doesn't matter how trivial the request.




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Post by Saint » Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:36 am

littlegreenman wrote:
Singaporeans are a clever bunch if you ask me. The only problem is to make them realise that they have to be individually responsible for certain things and also to be efficient. Also, they like to stick to procedures and so you have to motviate them to make them think out of the box (don't just follow law).
Which is exactly why our project team has a grand total of zero Singaporeans. It's not for the lack of trying but...........

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Post by jpatokal » Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:08 am

Any more stupid KKK shit or insults directed at other users will be deleted on sight. Behave.

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Post by Strong Eagle » Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:34 am

Saint wrote:
littlegreenman wrote:
Singaporeans are a clever bunch if you ask me. The only problem is to make them realise that they have to be individually responsible for certain things and also to be efficient. Also, they like to stick to procedures and so you have to motviate them to make them think out of the box (don't just follow law).
Which is exactly why our project team has a grand total of zero Singaporeans. It's not for the lack of trying but...........
These are really broadbrush and unfair statements. I've worked with quite a number of Singaporeans who are a) highly motivated, b) well organized, c) creative, d) work well in teams, and e) do what it takes to get the project done.

I've also been a project manager over non Singaporeans that did not want responsibility, could not think analytically or critically, and were generally a waste of space... and yes, I've found the same in the US, Japan, Malaysia, India, Thailand, and more.

It says a lot about management skills to be able to come into a Singapore environment, understand the culture, implement new process, without stuffing it down people's throats. It can be done.

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Post by Saint » Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:41 am

Strong Eagle wrote:
Saint wrote:
littlegreenman wrote:
Singaporeans are a clever bunch if you ask me. The only problem is to make them realise that they have to be individually responsible for certain things and also to be efficient. Also, they like to stick to procedures and so you have to motviate them to make them think out of the box (don't just follow law).
Which is exactly why our project team has a grand total of zero Singaporeans. It's not for the lack of trying but...........
These are really broadbrush and unfair statements. I've worked with quite a number of Singaporeans who are a) highly motivated, b) well organized, c) creative, d) work well in teams, and e) do what it takes to get the project done.

I've also been a project manager over non Singaporeans that did not want responsibility, could not think analytically or critically, and were generally a waste of space... and yes, I've found the same in the US, Japan, Malaysia, India, Thailand, and more.

It says a lot about management skills to be able to come into a Singapore environment, understand the culture, implement new process, without stuffing it down people's throats. It can be done.
I might work in Singapore but who said I work within a Singapore environment?

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Post by bigfilsing » Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:09 pm

Racism ...quite a broad sweeping concept in it's own right.

I object to being called a racist.
Dont scream racist everytime i or anybody else for that matter, posts something that rubs you up the wrong way > It's MY post of MY opinion in a direct resposne to a specific question. Not intended in any way to upset people just my take on what i've personally experienced.

The Brits are reknowned as arrogant aggressive drunken idiots in certain contexts . Do you think i'm proud of that. We are who we are and part of that ( for most) is your nation of birth. Embarrasing thou it may be on occaision i'm still proud to be a brit.
The same goes for Americans. Often labeled as gun toting, undereducated loud mouths i bet you they are man for man proud to be Americans.
Should Brits play the racism card everytime somebody calls them arrogant. Of course not.

So please dont scream racisim everytime read something you dont agree with regarding Asians or Singaporeans. Please think a bit more about it.

A true racist ( expat) wouldn't be living here at all now would he/she!

Cheers
Last edited by bigfilsing on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by smashme1984 » Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:24 pm

Well, I agree with the difference with efficiency of work versus visibility / image at work culture differences between the asians and western environment, but I disagree with it having anything to do with your incident. Calm down, before you start a slinging war with the majority you're surrounded with.. Asians!!!

Now I've seen western expats in higher positions manage their work worse than the asians here too! And from what I read about the girl you asked to do something, she might either be following protocol, covering her ass in case some action is not done with approval, or that was her way of working.
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Post by Vaucluse » Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:55 pm

jpatokal wrote:Any more stupid KKK shit or insults directed at other users will be deleted on sight. Behave.

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You're right of course . . . let's just slag off Asians instead. It's important to get our priorities right. Nice one! :)
......................................................

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Post by Pripps » Thu, 18 Jun 2009 9:51 pm

I've worked and lived in SG for about six years, both as manager and normal peon. There are quite a few differences here from my home country in Europe some good, some bad. I have worked previously for one MNC here and now I am at another here in SG.

Here are some of my observations :

information; people here seem only to give information on a need-to-know basis, this is very frustrating and counter-productive. It seems that the general idea is the more I know the better I can hold on to my job. So if you go and ask a colleague about A you only get answer to A, back home you A + background plus B&C as well.

responsibility; people tend to do only what they are told to do and own initiative is not expected nor required.

face; people are so afraid of admitting they don't know something or heaven forbid have done a mistake.

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Post by morenangpinay » Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:16 pm

What i notice in my office is that they like to take credit for something they didnt do. Most of the time I get the bulk of the job coz i know how to do it.. its stressful so i sometimes just tell them I dont know how to do that. ..so they wont give it alll to me.

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Post by 'essa » Sun, 11 Oct 2009 1:29 am

:evil:
Last edited by 'essa on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by blue_thunder » Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:26 am

I had worked with locals as well as expats . Most of the locals lack in efficient handling of work & multi tasking. Dont say that quality will be compromised by doing multi tasking . For god sake take less time for lunch , 90 mins for lunch is TOOOOO MUCH !!

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Post by XsenseX » Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:12 am

Sgporean here ...

I actually agree that the work attitude here is really crappy. Too many lines to report ... The "seen after 7pm" bullshit and honestly, 70% of workers work because they need to do so, not because they enjoy it. Which leds to hyper slacking + boss dodging situations. Not an excuse by the way.

But, every culture got its 'weird' practices. I've work with a UK dude and simply saying, there is abit too much 'I like to give you freedom to be creative' BUT 'I don't think you can be creative so I'll control you'.

Total clash of ideas for him. Of course does not represent the UK population.
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Post by dazzlebabe » Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:40 am

I must be in a fairy tale company then. We work till 6pm on BAD days and are in the pub by 4.30pm on good days.

as long as what needs to be done is done, we can leave. If it's not urgent.... complete it tomorrow! If you don't have enough hours in a day to complete your job then (1) you are being taken advantage off and need to voice out (2) you are just damn bad at time management and only have yourself to blame.
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Re: What's wrong with the work mentality here?

Post by SGBoyxxx » Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:31 pm

Girl_Next_Door wrote:Had an grueling day and its hardly even 11am!

1) To start, we need to review a group of customers. My idea of efficiency (which seems like the obviously wrong route), is to get 2 dept pull out the customers list, and give to another group of people (A) to review.

But, it seems like the right route is to get group A, to figure out who they think is their customers, and give to the 2 dept to verify, then back to the original route (Group A) to review.

2) There is a report that I need to submit and there is 1 girl who have access to the system that store all the information. However, she thinks the best route is to send an email to 8 HODs, get them to provide the information, then I use their replies for my reports. That, seems to me a lazy way for her, because she don't have to access the system to pull out the records.

And I would think that going through 1 person, is easier and faster... than going through 8 people!

How wrong am I...

:lol: :? same prastice from our government style of doing works?

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