beej Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 So far over the past six years we've had a few staff... out of about the ten we've had, only one has been ok... and yeah ok. The'' ok ''was good at her job and was pretty normal but she liked a drink towards the end of the day, and started to rob our rum and whiskey. The others have all been caught stealing, borrowed money with no intention to ever pay it back, not turned up, tried to **** clients, and just generally been as **** as they possibly can. This isn't totally shocking, but we pay really well, almost too well, considering the hours worked..... in my world, when you're onto a good thing you try to keep it... but not in their world. Your stories please..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeMarc Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 In all my experience with hiring and firing Thai staff I'd say 9 out of 10 are useless or unreliable or unmotivated or all of these things. The few who are really good are busy, have great jobs and very hard to get (no wonder). Finding great staff is the biggest reason I find it hard to grow my business here. There's lots of work around, but its very hard to find great people to help me do it. Paying good money as incentive doesn't work in my experience. Give a finger and they will eventually take an arm. Also, why pay so much when Thailand already has an insane amount of public holidays and the average staff work only about 4 hours a day? Having said all that, good people do exist here. I have 2 who've been with me a couple of years. I do have to put up with some silly issues now and again, but overall they're loyal and smart. This gives me some hope I will find more, over time. For me, it's the greatest frustration (by far) of living and running business here. Stories? I have loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English_Bob Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 This is about the best staff Charley Brown's has ever had. They've all been here a long time, know the menu well and can speak English. There's one who is a bit dumb, but she is leaving soon - (anyone know any good staff who wants a job?) I don't stress about time keeping too much, as long as all the work gets done. I don't lend them money, I don't give advances, I don't hold grudges - if I give someone a bollocking, it's done in 5 minutes or less. But I'm very fair - I pay OT. The service charge and tips get split fairly. People who work get rewarded, people who slack off get penalised. Overall I'm very happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crustyjuggler Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 This is about the best staff Charley Brown's has ever had.They've all been here a long time, know the menu well and can speak English. There's one who is a bit dumb, but she is leaving soon - (anyone know any good staff who wants a job?) I don't stress about time keeping too much, as long as all the work gets done. I don't lend them money, I don't give advances, I don't hold grudges - if I give someone a bollocking, it's done in 5 minutes or less. But I'm very fair - I pay OT. The service charge and tips get split fairly. People who work get rewarded, people who slack off get penalised. Overall I'm very happy. You're pretty advanced in the Thai language, what percentage do you think language skills helped your success in running Thai staff? You're also quite big and mean looking, does that help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chatty Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 Do you ever think, good staff / workers go to big companies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJack Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 we give advances to some full time staff who have been here a while, mostly because it keeps them loyal and away from loan sharks. its worse when they owe money to loan sharks, believe me. as a manager the issue of building a core team (accountant, sales, operations, secretary or assistant or office manager) has been a challenge. my ops guy is great and my accountant is outstanding and with room to grow. she is not chinese or even from great schools. she is just loyal as hell, smarter than most, and sees the opportunity to make money as part of a team. i love that girl. its sad to say it but I have to agree that most Thai staff do not take work seriously or respect their job or company unless it is Unilever or Microsoft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chatty Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 You're pretty advanced in the Thai language, what percentage do you think language skills helped your success in running Thai staff? You're also quite big and mean looking, does that help? I'm not Dave but I wanna answer as a Thai staff... Does language skills help? yes, it does. I know an international school principle, he didn't learn Thai before but after he got that job position, he learnt Thai just to talk to the security guards. Cuz they will get friendly feelings. My ex CEO, he was American, looked really generous and he is a generous guy...He could speak / listen Thai fluently but he never show that he did... He was the best boss that I have ever work with. Staff here loved him so very much the last day that he worked here, and staff who worked with him since his first step here have company loyalty, worked hard til the business grow... many staff came to see him off with tears. It might answer your second question, no need to look mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigKus Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 Do you ever think, good staff / workers go to big companies? and work for my company.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJack Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 You're pretty advanced in the Thai language, what percentage do you think language skills helped your success in running Thai staff? You're also quite big and mean looking, does that help? I'm not Dave but I wanna answer as a Thai staff... Does language skills help? yes, it does. I know an international school principle, he didn't learn Thai before but after he got that job position, he learnt Thai just to talk to the security guards. Cuz they will get friendly feelings. My ex CEO, he was American, looked really generous and he is a generous guy...He could speak / listen Thai fluently but he never show that he did... He was the best boss that I have ever work with. Staff here loved him so very much the last day that he worked here, and staff who worked with him since his first step here have company loyalty, worked hard til the business grow... many staff came to see him off with tears. It might answer your second question, no need to look mean. was it Reuben? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English_Bob Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 You're pretty advanced in the Thai language, what percentage do you think language skills helped your success in running Thai staff? You're also quite big and mean looking, does that help? No and No. I am happy with my staff at this place, but I've been disappointed elsewhere - and I spoke the same Thai and looked the same as I do now. I speak only English with my front-of-house staff, and only Thai with my back-of-house staff. "Big and mean looking"? Lol no... a thousand times NO. They're with me six days a week. They've seen me sick, drunk, upset, happy, stressed and exhausted. They are quite willing to take the piss out of me in front of customers or my family. One thing that does help is that when we do something like a kitchen breakdown (completely strip out the kitchen and steam clean everything), I am first to arrive and last to leave. I get as filthy and sweaty as they do. I fix electrics, take photos, paint walls, serve dishes, take orders and clear tables. Having said all that, if I left tomorrow, I doubt they'd be coming out in floods of tears to say goodbye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chatty Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 You're pretty advanced in the Thai language, what percentage do you think language skills helped your success in running Thai staff? You're also quite big and mean looking, does that help? I'm not Dave but I wanna answer as a Thai staff... Does language skills help? yes, it does. I know an international school principle, he didn't learn Thai before but after he got that job position, he learnt Thai just to talk to the security guards. Cuz they will get friendly feelings. My ex CEO, he was American, looked really generous and he is a generous guy...He could speak / listen Thai fluently but he never show that he did... He was the best boss that I have ever work with. Staff here loved him so very much the last day that he worked here, and staff who worked with him since his first step here have company loyalty, worked hard til the business grow... many staff came to see him off with tears. It might answer your second question, no need to look mean. was it Reuben? NOPE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crustyjuggler Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 Do you ever think, good staff / workers go to big companies? I agree with this, most of the really decent hard working Thais that i personally know are fairly intelligent people working in middle management positions or higher and more often than not in larger corporations. But i think like you said in the other post it really depends on your attitude. To get to the level of being loved and admired by your Thai staff is a real achievement for a foreign boss. I also know someone like that but he is a real ball-buster with absolutely fluent Thai as well as provincial dialects under his belt. Ohh, also mean looking and hairy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treborz Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 FAO All business owners I'm available for hire if you can get me a work permit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admin Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 A lot of it is going to be based on personal motivation. Some people want to do a good job and are motivated to go above and beyond to do so. Others see work as a means of getting money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drlovelife8 Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 Do you ever think, good staff / workers go to big companies? I worked at KPMG for a time and it was full of muppets as well as great workers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beej Posted October 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 Do you ever think, good staff / workers go to big companies? I'm mostly talking about uneducated staff doing mundane labouring jobs. As for working for bigger companies, I think I pay better, offer more benefits, and am a lot more flexible. Rule number 1. in my book of rules... I never advance or loan money ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crustyjuggler Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 Rule number 1. in my book of rules... I never advance or loan money ever. Number 2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stramash Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 Do those who employ Thai staff notice a gender difference? It always seemed to me that I saw Thai women work twice as hard as Thai guys. :? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiaranM Posted October 6, 2010 Report Share Posted October 6, 2010 Do those who employ Thai staff notice a gender difference? It always seemed to me that I saw Thai women work twice as hard as Thai guys. :? that's a sweeping generalisation and a sexist comment also !!! but it's also very true !!!! :roll: :roll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chatty Posted October 6, 2010 Report Share Posted October 6, 2010 Do you ever think, good staff / workers go to big companies? I'm mostly talking about uneducated staff doing mundane labouring jobs. As for working for bigger companies, I think I pay better, offer more benefits, and am a lot more flexible. Rule number 1. in my book of rules... I never advance or loan money ever. More benefits such as? Sometimes money and benefits you gave isn't the key. From what I know, smaller company like to give more money... but big company make the employee feel safe. Do you know what I mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chatty Posted October 6, 2010 Report Share Posted October 6, 2010 Do you ever think, good staff / workers go to big companies? I worked at KPMG for a time and it was full of muppets as well as great workers Well, everywhere has those kind of ppl... but more or less... you can see by the growth of company. I said just because I have seen peeMarc post. In all my experience with hiring and firing Thai staff I'd say 9 out of 10 are useless or unreliable or unmotivated or all of these things. The few who are really good are busy, have great jobs and very hard to get (no wonder). 9 out of 10 from his experience...? wow...I wanna see his recruiter, seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJack Posted October 6, 2010 Report Share Posted October 6, 2010 Do those who employ Thai staff notice a gender difference? It always seemed to me that I saw Thai women work twice as hard as Thai guys. :? that's a sweeping generalisation and a sexist comment also !!! but it's also very true !!!! :roll: :roll: true. except when you get to the level of senior management and people with post graduate degrees, then less so. It tends to even out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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