Want a job? Come to China

It seems that every year, after every Chinese New Year, many workers do not return to their employers. Why is this? Since many employers pay their bonuses and award merit increases right before the New Year, many employees, if not satisfied will simply quit. This places a huge burden on many manufacturing companies who are all competing for the same talent.

On my rides to our factory each morning, it’s amazing to see though hundreds of applicants outside the gates of one of the largest and well-known manufacturers in China (I will not release the name) waiting for the opportunity to fill out an application and hopefully become employed.

A recent article pointed out the seriousness of the situation which has stopped production lines, vendors unable to supply their goods, and all because there’s not enough talent. In a land of over 1 Billion people it’s not that there isn’t enough workers, the mindset is changing.

Many Chinese workers know they have choices and rather than staying at one employer for very long, they know they can move if the working conditions are better and the wages a bit higher elsewhere. Job markets which are abundant in China, are overwhelmed with people looking for their next opportunity so there are people out there…they are just selective. This puts the pressure on employers to offer better conditions, more social and recreational opportunities, and better pay to keep the talent they have and even then there’s no guarantee.

So, if you want a job, you may want to head to China!

Chinese New Year – Year of the Tiger

As I prep for my upcoming trip to China in time for the mass return of workers from the Chinese New Year (CNY), I was inquiring with a colleague as to appropriate recognition for the people who have helped me throughout the year. I was advised that it is customary to give money in a red envelope. Red signifies good luck. Generally a gift of 100RMB the equivalent of $14USD is acceptable. The higher you are in level, the more money.

Another interesting note is that married managers are expected to give a gift while unmarried managers generally do not have to. Why I asked? The answer: married managers are viewed as successful in family and career. 

As I sit hand making my red envelopes with my daughter’s help and enclosing personalized notes, I look forward to my upcoming trip and being able to thank those that have helped me tremendously this year.

Happy Year of the Tiger to all!

My nomination for the first Lufthansa A380

Lufthansa periodically has some great contests on their site. The current contest is looking for a name for their new A380.

Vote for mine here:) The A380 the new Lufthansa flagship, a special experience, the Lufthansa A380. Find out more about the fascination of a new era in air travel. Take part, Raffles, Downloads, Photos, Video, Gallery, First Flight in 2010.

via My nomination for the first Lufthansa A380.

Taking to the air…

for the first time (heck any time for that matter) is the best feeling in the world.  

For aviation buffs imagine the excitement this week when Boeing’s new generation of aircraft – the 787 Dreamliner – took to the skies on a typical rainy day in Washington state. 

Composites is what makes this plane unique; light and fuel efficient.  When compared to the 777 or 747, the Dreamliner is smaller in proportion with one exception…its wingspan.

Watching the video of its December 15th takeoff roll and climb, the 170 ft. wingspan seems pronounced due to the 787’s fuselage length of 186 feet. This represents a 91% ratio.  Compare that to the 777-300’s wingspan of 199 feet and and 242 ft. length (82%)and the 747’s wingspan of 195 feet and 231 ft. fuselage length (84%).

The 787 Dreamliner…no matter the dimensions, will measure up and earn its place in the long lineage of Boeing family commercial aircraft.

To view more info on the 787 including recasts of its inaugural flight, visit www.Boeing.com.

Forget Facebook and twitter…how about face-to-face

In this age of social networking sites, while it’s great to keep abreast of new technology to enhance the speed of communication, etc.  nothing beats the face-to-face meetings. 

We worry about our children becoming desensitized, but what about employers? It becomes too easy to hide behind an email or “tweet” and allows individuals who may already be socially challenged an easy venue not to deal with issues head-on. In HR a balance needs to exist. 

Having spent most of this week on the road visiting our offices in Savannah, Miami, and Mexico City, meeting the people, spending the time to sit and discuss issues openly is invaluable as well as personally and professionally rewarding. It becomes even better when people feel comfortable with you and open up allowing the opportunity to build strong working relationships that will carry forward.  This is something an email or networking sites will never be able to do.

How do you build trust online? You can’t  in my opinion. That only comes from open dialogue in a face-to-face setting.  When you throw cultural attitudes and differences into the mix, it becomes even more difficult.

So when you send that next tweet or email think about pressing the flesh, the results will make it all worthwhile.

Labor Day is here…

hard to imagine that the unofficial end of summer is upon us. Like the trees that have started to shed their leaves,  so to are companies continuing to shed jobs.

In August the dismal news that The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 9.7 percent in August, the highest rate in 26 years, though the number of new job cuts was lower than some experts had feared -they had forecasted a loss of 225,000 jobs and actual figures showed the economy she a net total of 216,000.

So where’s the good news in this?  While the figures do seem high, August’s figures represented the fewest monthly losses in a year. Yes something to be happy about (sarcasm).

So where is the turnaround? The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recently came out with their LINE (Leading Indicators of National Employment) Report for September. In it the numbers show increased hiring in Manufacturing and Service sectors with the hiring rate surpassing the layoff rate. For employers, recruiting difficulty continues to drop due in part to the available labor. As you can imagine, while good for employers, candidates are facing lower wages. 

I’m keeping my fingers crossed, personally I do see a turnaround and more optimism. How fast it comes will be another thing. Certainly things can’t get much worse. So as I sit here watching my backyard fill with falling leaves, I am keenly aware of those unemployed and desperately seeking employment not just to maintain their lifestyles, but also to provide the most basic needs to their families. I’m also hoping Labor Day continues to be a day of recognition for the tremendous growth this country has seen and is not overshadowed by the recent events of the past year and a half. Can you imagine this day becoming Unemployment Day? Neither do I.

To view the full LINE report go to http://www.shrm.org/Research/MonthlyEmploymentIndices/line/Documents/LINE%20September%202009.pdf

The economy

is  on everyone’s mind and optimism that things are finally turning around seems to be in the air.

While people are definitely worried,  jobs have been lost, and insecurity grips those that are fortunate enough to be working, from what I have witnessed during my summer travels and talking with people, people are continuing to live.  Every flight I have been on has been packed, airports jammed with families, no vacancy signs scattered across lakeside towns in New York.  People are still taking their coveted summer vacations. 

I grabbed a coffee last nite at a local coffee shop up here in Lake George and got to talking to the person making my capuccino and inquired how the season has been for them. Expecting to hear “business is down” or “it’s slow,” I wasn’t very surprised when I heard “it’s been busier than last year.” 

One side benefit to all this is the discounts one can take advantage of on everything from restaurants, to activites, and more. Why has the summer vacation continued to do well? When thinking of the reason, I can’t help but remember an old saying I saw in a shop window, or was it a t-shirt, can’t recall at this early hour, that best stated a possible explanation…. “Memories are the best souvenirs.”

747 vs 777

July has been a hectic month traveling to Europe and Asia but it had a side benefit, it answered for me a question that has been on my mind… 747 vs. 777 which was better?

After traveling on Lufthansa’s 747 to Europe and a day later taking Cathay Pacific’s 777-300ER, I can say without hesitation that my favorite plane is…….the 777.

With a cabin that is as spacious and wide as a 747’s, this aircraft displays the trademarks of a Boeing; a remarkably smooth yet powerful airplane. After hitting pretty hard turbulence over Canada,  the 777 made it through with great agility.

Besides flying a great aircraft on this 15.5 hour non-stop polar route from JFK – Hong Kong and back, Cathay’s amazing cabin and service makes the time just fly by leaving you actually wishing you had a few more hours.  Lufthansa’s Business Class product while still outstanding as compared to the American carriers, is a bit tired and worn when compared to this flagship Asian carrier.  One thing worth noting is that Cathay’s herringbone configured Business Class is done smartly and while its pods give you complete privacy (not good if you are traveling with someone) they can be a bit claustrophobic.

I’ll be boarding my Cathay flight for the journey home in about 12 hours from now, and besides looking forward to getting home, I’m also looking forward to experiencing the great service on this 777-300ER.

Business Relationships in China

Flowery words is what you’ll hear when trying to do business in China.

Unlike our Western brashness and straightforwardness (or maybe it’s just a New York thing), the Chinese are not direct.  In conversations you will often feel they are circling the issue with compliments and the like. The trick is to read the facial expressions and body language to interpret what is truly being said.  However once you have established yourself as a confidante I have found that you will get more directness, but if you expect that ‘in your face’ feedback sorry you won’t get that.

After spending 1.5 weeks interviewing several candidates from VP, Operations to trying to find my right hand person in China, the quality of candidates I met was really quite good.  Chinese candidates, especially with good experience in multinational companies know they can demand more despite the economic crisis that has hit China equally hard. Motivated by money and how their resume reads (upward mobility, greater responsibilities) are very important aspects to candidates.

While it was an exhausting and non-stop 1.5 weeks of interviewing combined with a Global HR presentation to 400 of our managers and staff and new graduate training sessions, I leave with a great sense of personal and professional accomplishment.

The vastness of this land can be overwhelming, candidates traveling up to 3 hours to meet me, but the people put you at ease.  I leave China with a greater appreciation of the endless possibilities and potential but overwhelmed with my feelings of homesickness.

Monday in Rome…

and although many of the cab drivers and tour guides have told me that tourism in the city is down by 50-60%, the city is buzzing.

We started our day early with a visit to the Vatican. Since it opens at 8AM it’s the best time to beat both the crowds and the heat that descend upon this spiritual center of Rome and the world.  Grabbing a taxi (which are white in Rome) beside the Pantheon, we made the quick 10 minute journey to St. Peter’s. After visiting the interior, one thing I wanted to do this trip was to head to the Cupola.  Rather than navigate the 320 steps to the top with my half-sleeping niece, I decided to splurge an extra € 2 to take the elevator to the top and back (€7 with elevator, €5 by foot).

From the Cupola you are able to achieve a great vantage point of the interior of St. Peter’s and externally, a great view of Rome and the statues lining the top of the Basilica.  Having visited the crypts of the popes, including Pope John Paul II’s, on my last visit here 3 years ago with my daughter, we opted out this go around.

While my niece sleeps, I ventured out briefly up the block to a local hardware store to purchase an adapter (€1,50) I take a seat in a small bar (Il Tiempo) directly across from the entrance of our hotel, I watch the hustle and bustle of Romans getting to work – well dressed suits, helmets donned, on their bikes and scooters weaving in between cars, buses, and the like.

It all seems criminal (no not the driving), at the fact that one actually has to go to work in Rome. It kills the stereotypical ‘La Dolce Vita’ mindset that many of us have of this wonderfully ancient city.  Another criminality is charging 5 Euro for a cappuccino,  granted it comes with a view of the Pantheon.  Oh well you only live once.

Tomorrow we return to the U.S. and I’m looking forward to seeing my family if only for 12 hours before I’m off again on business to China for 1.5 weeks.

Arriverderci Roma!