Motivating Thai Staff

[MaiPenLai]

If you like to read there is a book, I think the title is " Working with the Thais" by Henry Holmes. I found it to be very useful but I must say many TV members have given you the real situation already.

Edited October 15, 2008 by MaiPenLai

[GungaDin]

Thanks for the information. I have sort of made a rod for my own back by giving higher salaries in the (mistakenly Western) hope that it would create loyalty, and it has with the gardeners. I can't reduce salaries but I will be very mindful of this in the future.

All the staff work in pairs so its not being alone that is the problem.

Since starting the thread I have seen the worker who disapeared today (came back for her wages). It seems that the last leaver (before her) went to set up a jewellery business and now she is doing jewellery too. So some of you posters have got it bang on.

People have said be hard and I think I do need to do this, so from now on anyone who doesn't turn up without phoning us or a very good reason is deemed to have left.

I will now take a chill pill and not try to figure it out. This is the way it is and I will just keep replacing them.

This has been an interesting and informative thread. Thanks

You sound like a good employer.

I wish you every success.

[jdinasia]

Thanks for the information. I have sort of made a rod for my own back by giving higher salaries in the (mistakenly Western) hope that it would create loyalty, and it has with the gardeners. I can't reduce salaries but I will be very mindful of this in the future.

All the staff work in pairs so its not being alone that is the problem.

Since starting the thread I have seen the worker who disapeared today (came back for her wages). It seems that the last leaver (before her) went to set up a jewellery business and now she is doing jewellery too. So some of you posters have got it bang on.

People have said be hard and I think I do need to do this, so from now on anyone who doesn't turn up without phoning us or a very good reason is deemed to have left.

I will now take a chill pill and not try to figure it out. This is the way it is and I will just keep replacing them.

This has been an interesting and informative thread. Thanks

In the long run if your treatment of your employees is in-line with the salary, you will build loyalty. No lightning-rod to worry about.

It just takes time to find folks that will stick around. I do suggest a finder's fee (small bonus) for employees that help you fill vacant staff positions. (They tend to bring reliable people and lose a bit of face if they don't work out)

I would suggest 1000 upon hiring and 1000 after 3 months.

(The company my BF works for pays 5k baht in a puean chuan puean -- friend invite friend program through the HR department)

Edited October 15, 2008 by jdinasia

[p_brownstone]

Try to involve them in the decision makings, and ask them for their input.

Lots of luck with THAT!

If you're frustrated now, you'll be a candidate for a padded cell after a day or so trying to get Thai Staff to give you their "input" on anything.

Patrick

[jumbo]

Profitsharing when sales are higher than budgetted

Usually there is As everywhere) one bad apple, find it, discuss the attitude and loose that person

Be strict and fair and run a very tight ship

Thai are not very different from others, they just tend to be more sloppy more quick

[unforgiven]

2) Pay them triple the going rate

Perhaps the work is boring to them?, but certainly wouldn't offer any more money than the job is worth as they'd then think they're above their station and wouldn't be motivated to do the job in hand, as queer as that sounds.

How about having the starting wage for newbies the going rate and increasing it incrementally.

performance incentives, bonuses , staff parties and time off.Make them feel like family.........that's a lot of success full thai businesses model

[Smithson]

Sgunn65,

I don't think your business has been open all that long has it? If not then don't sweat it. Takes time to develop a loyal staff that sticks around.

I would suggest a few things that might help staff retention though ....

1) Do not leave all of the interactions with Thai staff to your any one person. (It is not just the 'wife' factor .. it is job satisfaction. Strangely some local staff find it easier to approach a farang (if the farang can understand them) when dealing with issues of job satisfaction. Not wanting to impose upon higher class Thais can be an issue (and not solely GrengJai ...)

4)Personally interact with your staff on a social basis as much as possible without interfering

The other suggestions on this list were very good, however these two I'd like to comment on (no offense).

Thais are better at handling Thais, than farang, while interacting with staff can be good, it's easy to make mistakes due to the different (work) cultures.

It's important to be respected by your employees, not liked. As the OP has indicated he needs to be a bit harder, then socializing with them may work against this. We have dinners, annual trip away etc., my wife goes but I don't. She also eats with them most days, which I think is important.

In the end I'm sure things will work out. Staff who have been with us long term tend to stay, it's the new ones that leave.

[yasx]

One of my best friends has remarkable 'success' with Thai GFs. When I asked him what was his secret he said 'treat them rough, never give them anything, never be the weaker half of the partnership'.

Women the world over

I would definatly agree on that point. Women the world over RESPECT men who stand up for themselves and are not a complete doormat. Not too sure about the 'treat em mean, keep em keen' theory though because in the end anyone who's got a bit of sense in them will walk out or at least speak out.

In my experiance - the same applies to working in Thailand. Make sure that the staff respect you. Respect isn't achevied by overpaying staff or giving them everything they want (or you think they want).

[jdinasia]

Sgunn65,

I don't think your business has been open all that long has it? If not then don't sweat it. Takes time to develop a loyal staff that sticks around.

I would suggest a few things that might help staff retention though ....

1) Do not leave all of the interactions with Thai staff to your any one person. (It is not just the 'wife' factor .. it is job satisfaction. Strangely some local staff find it easier to approach a farang (if the farang can understand them) when dealing with issues of job satisfaction. Not wanting to impose upon higher class Thais can be an issue (and not solely GrengJai ...)

4)Personally interact with your staff on a social basis as much as possible without interfering

The other suggestions on this list were very good, however these two I'd like to comment on (no offense).

Thais are better at handling Thais, than farang, while interacting with staff can be good, it's easy to make mistakes due to the different (work) cultures.

It's important to be respected by your employees, not liked. As the OP has indicated he needs to be a bit harder, then socializing with them may work against this. We have dinners, annual trip away etc., my wife goes but I don't. She also eats with them most days, which I think is important.

In the end I'm sure things will work out. Staff who have been with us long term tend to stay, it's the new ones that leave.

I beg to differ ... professionally trained Thais with HR experience may be better at handling thais as a rule ... however, after that it is anyone's guess. If the problem people are incurring regarding staffing is because of the supervisor etc ... it helps to be involved enough to be approachable by the staff.

You don't have to be their 'friends' but interaction on a social basis is important.

Your wife may be exceptional with staff .. his may be awful or vice versa

your final point was my initial point .. it takes time to develop a loyal lasting staff

[Slogger]

I don't think you can do anything - just keep hiring more staff. But a previous poster querying your wife's managerial methods may be a key, having observed Thai workers especially in large farang-owned supermarkets, it is plain that they will do what they think is fit, not what is the international 'norm'. Staff in Thailand do not seem to consider 'the customer is always right' or are even slightly critical of their own performance. Their job is to suit them, not their responsibilities. I doubt more pay, better conditions etc would make any difference to most. If their job is not fun, then it is not worth doing.

[Smithson]

Sgunn65,

I don't think your business has been open all that long has it? If not then don't sweat it. Takes time to develop a loyal staff that sticks around.

I would suggest a few things that might help staff retention though ....

1) Do not leave all of the interactions with Thai staff to your any one person. (It is not just the 'wife' factor .. it is job satisfaction. Strangely some local staff find it easier to approach a farang (if the farang can understand them) when dealing with issues of job satisfaction. Not wanting to impose upon higher class Thais can be an issue (and not solely GrengJai ...)

4)Personally interact with your staff on a social basis as much as possible without interfering

The other suggestions on this list were very good, however these two I'd like to comment on (no offense).

Thais are better at handling Thais, than farang, while interacting with staff can be good, it's easy to make mistakes due to the different (work) cultures.

It's important to be respected by your employees, not liked. As the OP has indicated he needs to be a bit harder, then socializing with them may work against this. We have dinners, annual trip away etc., my wife goes but I don't. She also eats with them most days, which I think is important.

In the end I'm sure things will work out. Staff who have been with us long term tend to stay, it's the new ones that leave.

I beg to differ ... professionally trained Thais with HR experience may be better at handling thais as a rule ... however, after that it is anyone's guess. If the problem people are incurring regarding staffing is because of the supervisor etc ... it helps to be involved enough to be approachable by the staff.

You don't have to be their 'friends' but interaction on a social basis is important.

Your wife may be exceptional with staff .. his may be awful or vice versa

your final point was my initial point .. it takes time to develop a loyal lasting staff

If you're suggesting that I'm terrible with staff, but my wife is good and it's got nothing to with nationality, I'd have to agree. I make mistakes with handling staff, so I try not to do too much, although everything is discussed and decided between us. I made the same mistakes giving incentives and it's very hard to back away from them. The other mistake I've made (several teams) is hiring staff who are very confident. They always turn out to be over confident which causes waves.

[jdinasia]

No, I was suggesting that dealing with staff takes a 'knack', not that anyone in particular was good or bad.

[MidoriApple]

Do not overpay or spoil your Thai staff. It is totally counterproductive in the long run.

Sure, once in in a while one or two staff will be motivated by the extra cash and consideration, however, by and large most Thai staff will never care about your business and the job is a means to an end. If you over pay and let them slack off too much, they will, in general, just become lazy and develop attitudes like "I'm to good to sweep the floor", or, "My pay rate is above having to put up with foreign customers who can't speak Thai propery, so I'll just give them what I think they need!".

Once you start to get a reputation for spoiling your staff, it will take a long time to reverse the trend as all new staff will be expecting the same "easy money" while thumbing their noses at the incompetant boss.

Sure, reward good work, punish poor performance, carrot & stick, however, keep it all in perspective when you step back and look at what the particular job is really worth to your business. There is nothing worse than throwing money at an employee you think may have potential for bigger and better things when you may have over-looked the fact that he may not want to change at all. Thai's are some of the most stubborn, and set in their ways type, people on the face of this planet. Do not be fooled by their sometimes flippant attitude. Trying to get a Thai to do something he doesn't want to do is nigh impossible.

Another thing to bear in my mind, is that many Thai's consider themselves small business entities, rather than employees, within a larger framework. // Soundman.

This thread interest me quite much and I agree with Soundman.... Is my all the time trouble in my work as well...

No matter how big amount you have offerred for the salary or any other benefits....If they (staff) feel like to resign, they just take the air.

I have got many reasons for their resignation, some just very much soap opera...like ...been broken-hearted with the colleague, so too suffering to go on working here

....the mother want me to go home staying with her in up-country....my granny is dead... my daddy is sick.... bla ..bla

Is enough!! I am so tired with this, and get used to it. It is the best that I can do.

No more trying to motivate my staff, just set up all my work system to be the most efficiency, to get least trouble if staff needs to leave.

The most annoying is staff has often lefted without giving any notice.

So I have kept B.500 from staff's salary in every month since they first work with me.

This just like their saving money and they will have it all back only when they give me notice one month prior to leaving.

I have no any tip to deal with all my staffs, just treat them by individual, by their characteristics.

Put right tasks to the right one. Challenge and alternate tasks to the motivative one, accurate tasks to the routine-like one.

Also I always do the interviewing for every applicants, carefully consider their background in education, where do they work before, how long and how to work...this can tell many of their habits.

My granny once said we should treat our staffs like they are our kins, they come help us, not to work with us.

Without them we will not have money to happily spend like this.... He had done the well said.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

I think employing Thai staff is like having a Thai GF/wife. If you spoil them and are perceived to be 'weak', then they will walk all over you!

One of my best friends has remarkable 'success' with Thai GFs. When I asked him what was his secret he said 'treat them rough, never give them anything, never be the weaker half of the partnership'.

Now, I'm not suggesting that you use a cattle-prod on your Thai staff! But paying more than the going rate and 'trying' to be a nice employer often doesn't seem to be the successful route to a good employer-employee relationship in Thailand.

Be strong, be assertive, encourage where neccessary. But make sure that your staff realise that they will be out of a job in 2 minutes if they are lazy. Weird as it sounds, when I started applying that rule in my hotel business, (as opposed to being Mr Nice guy), I suddenly found that I had, (for the most part) loyal and hard-working staff.

Simon

You're so right! Both for the girlfriends and for the staff!

Army style command is really what works the best here.

[tracer5050]

Motvavate come now