Like Tree52Likes

Office politics in HK vs elsewhere

Closed Thread
Page 2 of 7 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 ... LastLast
  1. #11

    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    5,110
    Quote Originally Posted by gilleshk:
    I can also see how it can be demotivating to a local employee to see a company bringing in a white face for twice the pay, doing half the work and needing all kinds of support to interact with locals. That is certainly not always the reality but there can be undertones of that feeling in some organizations.
    Yeah I've heard similar stories, although my local wife said such cases were more common during the colonial days. Especially in the civil service, when British expats would just parachute down from London and get to earn a much bigger paycheck and other rewards for doing the same (sometimes less) work as their local colleagues. Such cases diminished as the 97 handover approached when localization to top posts were implemented. Nowadays, many (but certainly not all) expats I think do come to HK out of a real need for their expertise rather than gwailo-worship like in the pre-97 days.

  2. #12

    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    7,441

    I am not sure a comparison is really needed. Only if you need to understand the differences so you can combat a particular problem or understand how to play the game.


  3. #13

    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    5,110
    Quote Originally Posted by virago:
    I am not sure a comparison is really needed. Only if you need to understand the differences so you can combat a particular problem or understand how to play the game.
    Of course a comparison is necessary, you want to make sure you win in office warfare (i.e. promotion, getting rid of your enemy) . As the only alternative is to accept loss (i.e. getting fired, pushed out). Hehehe, let the games begin .
    Last edited by Watercooler; 04-03-2013 at 09:00 PM.

  4. #14

    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    77

    I've heard from friends groaning about the "hardworking locals" as they complain that there's no way complimenting them being hardworking, the locals they just killing time and trying every effort to do less. Luckily I didn't meet those ppl, maybe because I just joined my new firm for less than a month, I didn't see any particular good or bad aspects. Ppl behave normally. In my last job well all the colleagues are expats and there're almost no politics.

    I'm also observing the cases in my office, I'll tell u when I find any uncomfortable politics lol.

    dear giant likes this.

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    1,687

    The main things I noticed a lot in my workplace here are:

    1. A huge amount more gossip about who is dating who.

    2. A lot more flirting. In my fiancé's office some of it borders on sexual harassment. Oddly her office seems to have a lot of cases of married men chasing single women in the office as well.

    3. No one will take ownership of anything for fear of something going wrong and hampering their ascension through the ranks.

    4. Managers forcing staff under them to stay back late until they go home, whether the staff have work to do or not.

    dear giant and elle like this.

  6. #16

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    15,557
    Quote Originally Posted by methosb:
    The main things I noticed a lot in my workplace here are:

    1. A huge amount more gossip about who is dating who.

    2. A lot more flirting. In my fiancé's office some of it borders on sexual harassment. Oddly her office seems to have a lot of cases of married men chasing single women in the office as well.

    3. No one will take ownership of anything for fear of something going wrong and hampering their ascension through the ranks.

    4. Managers forcing staff under them to stay back late until they go home, whether the staff have work to do or not.
    1 & 2 happen a lot less in my office in HK (esp 2) compared to when I used to work in the UK.

    So surprise surprise, every office environment is different even in HK and in the UK and in the USA. Same same, but different.
    dear giant likes this.

  7. #17

    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    7,441
    Quote Originally Posted by Watercooler:
    Of course a comparison is necessary, you want to make sure you win in office warfare (i.e. promotion, getting rid of your enemy) . As the only alternative is to accept loss (i.e. getting fired, pushed out). Hehehe, let the games begin .
    Well, maybe you just read the Art of Warfare by Sun Tzu to get some pointers on defeating the enemy.

  8. #18

    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    HK
    Posts
    14,624
    Quote Originally Posted by methosb:
    The main things I noticed a lot in my workplace here are:

    1. A huge amount more gossip about who is dating who.

    2. A lot more flirting. In my fiancé's office some of it borders on sexual harassment. Oddly her office seems to have a lot of cases of married men chasing single women in the office as well.

    3. No one will take ownership of anything for fear of something going wrong and hampering their ascension through the ranks.

    4. Managers forcing staff under them to stay back late until they go home, whether the staff have work to do or not.
    1. we dont have much of this
    2. we dont have much and way way less than back home.
    3. Not any different than back home.
    4. clearly not where i work.

    Conclusion...things differ from one office to another.

    Sent from my GT-I9210 using GeoClicks Mobile

  9. #19

    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    7,441
    Quote Originally Posted by methosb:
    The main things I noticed a lot in my workplace here are:

    1. A huge amount more gossip about who is dating who.

    2. A lot more flirting. In my fiancé's office some of it borders on sexual harassment. Oddly her office seems to have a lot of cases of married men chasing single women in the office as well.

    3. No one will take ownership of anything for fear of something going wrong and hampering their ascension through the ranks.

    4. Managers forcing staff under them to stay back late until they go home, whether the staff have work to do or not.
    1. It's encouraged to create a closer working relationship with colleges.
    2. Again, encouraged, see point 1.
    3. If Points 1 & 2 followed then you are only responsible for your close working college whom is your bed buddy.
    4. There might be an important spam email to delete or a funny cat video that needs to be seen and sent to others so you have to stay back.

  10. #20

    Fiercely competitive at getting to the front of the lunch queue!
    Will not make a decision in case of having to take responsibility.
    Any form of management appears to inflate ego's and increase reluctance at decision making.
    Delicate to deal with as, apposed to stating fact, there is a constant mindset of face saving.

    dear giant likes this.

Closed Thread
Page 2 of 7 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 ... LastLast