Employers And Workers Must Talk To Each Other: Thai Editorial

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EDITORIAL

Employers and workers must talk to each other

The Nation

Honest dialogue is more important than ever in a changing business world in which two sides often view each other with suspicion

BANGKOK: -- Everyone knows communication is a key factor in the relationship between employers and those they hire. The worthiness of communication was emphasised last week at a round-table discussion hosted by Krungthep Turakij TV. The reason why communication is essential is simple: For two sides that undeniably have plenty of negative things to think about each other, the "gap" can only widen if they don't talk.

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Thai Airways International and Bangkok Bank have to different degrees faced labour uproar over bonuses. It's a basic problem that few business organisations can avoid, no matter how "fair" they think they are toward those working for them. Dizzying technological advancement and the imminent arrival of the Asean Economic Community only complicate the situation. And, in this era, companies are finding it harder to balance how they want the public to regard them and the reality they want their employees to appreciate.

That is where communication comes in, which should lead to something even more important than communication itself - understanding. Companies that are successful in labour relations know how to really communicate and get results that both management and workers consider fair. It's nothing if management unilaterally insists it's doing its best to be fair. On the other hand, the labour side cannot one-sidedly claim injustice without listening to the other's reasons. Both sides have the same responsibility - to give and to take while being fair toward each other.

Labour strife and technological progress are like twins. When there is one, there must be the other. Technology affects workforces all the time, even in cases like Thai Airways and Bangkok Bank, where the main causes of conflict seemed to be something else. That is why communication is crucial. Workers must try to understand the need for them to adapt and upgrade their skills, whereas employers must learn to implement changes without giving absolute importance to the balance sheet.

There have been reported cases of workers sympathetically accepting their employers' inability to meet the Bt300 daily minimum wage enforced by the government. This rare phenomenon might have to do with workers' knowledge that being selfish won't do them any good, but it also underlines the benefits of letting the labour side know the reality of the business concerned. It's too bad that, in general, the wall of distrust remains high and solid. Employers are afraid that making workers privy to all of management's information could lead to an exodus when things are bad, or affect the form's public image. Workers, meanwhile, always want more, come rain or shine. To labour unions, all management takes advantage one way or another. To management, the labour unions always demand unreasonably more and are impossible to satisfy.

This unhealthy environment is common, according to a participant at the TV round-table. Luis Danai Kristhanin of Aon Hewitt Consulting (Thailand) said that around 70 per cent of all labour problems stem from miscommunication. He insisted that employees seldom get crucial information firsthand from management, depending instead on other sources. Problems can intensify at firms with complicated or diversified structures that prevent truthful messages from finding their way from top to bottom, he added.

How can effective communication be achieved? Dr Jiraporn Pruksarnukul, director of Indigo Consulting Group, stressed the importance of corporate transparency. Dr Atchara Juicharern, managing director of AcComm & Image International Co, insisted that, apart from job security and rewards, employees want to be treated with dignity. Luis Danai Kristhanin prefers executives who "walk around" to seek firsthand information on how employees are doing and feeling. Everyone agreed that the labour side must not only listen to its own views, but also understand that improved skills are for mutual benefit.

Those proposals might sum up how hard real communication can be. It could be a tricky thing as well, because one side might think it's communicating when actually it is not. That's because communication is a two-way street, meaning if one side is not really listening, chances are it might not actually be communicating at all.

-- The Nation 2013-02-05

[horsewell]

Isn't there a lot of cultural reasons for communication to be... less than ideal? Even in western nations employers who don't want to pay higher (most probably deserving) wages use emotional blackmail to placate the workers. In Thailand there is graengjai (a sense of owing) to their employers and unwilling to say anything being afraid of losing work.

[Thai at Heart]

I think someone needs to clarify what a guaranteed bonus is.

Somewhat of a contradiction I think.

[h90]

Isn't there a lot of cultural reasons for communication to be... less than ideal? Even in western nations employers who don't want to pay higher (most probably deserving) wages use emotional blackmail to placate the workers. In Thailand there is graengjai (a sense of owing) to their employers and unwilling to say anything being afraid of losing work.

Traditionally workers are paid low and employer act almost like owning them. On the other hand if there are problems the employer take responsibility and pay whatever it costs if the mother/sister etc of the worker get sick (for example), give a credit if the worker buys a new motorbike, gives a gift when his son goes in the temple etc etc etc.

Now the employers don't want to take responsibility anymore but still pay low. While the workers aren't loyal anymore, change job for a 100 Baht more and have still the working attitude like it is a big family....

so conflicts are guaranteed....

[Thaddeus]

I think someone needs to clarify what a guaranteed bonus is.

Ask a Banker, I think they know,

[hellodolly]

I think someone needs to clarify what a guaranteed bonus is.

Somewhat of a contradiction I think.

Yes it is a contradiction.

I can not imagine the communication needed to understand that.

It sounds to me like the same as where I come from unions striving to get any thing they can with no thought to the company.

Honest dialogue between both parties would go a long way but it is never going to happen. Both parties are more interested in getting as much as they can from the other side rather than a fair settlement.

I wonder if I could get a two month bonus from my pension?

[Thai at Heart]

I think someone needs to clarify what a guaranteed bonus is.

Somewhat of a contradiction I think.

Yes it is a contradiction.

I can not imagine the communication needed to understand that.

It sounds to me like the same as where I come from unions striving to get any thing they can with no thought to the company.

Honest dialogue between both parties would go a long way but it is never going to happen. Both parties are more interested in getting as much as they can from the other side rather than a fair settlement.

I wonder if I could get a two month bonus from my pension?

Part of the problem is that Thai Airways is a quasi private company anyway. The employees get some government benefits, and job protection, that are not available to the private sector, but they have reportedly lower wages than other companies in the aviation industry.

[Locationthailand]

The bonus issue is one thing, being dictated to by 'demands' from unions is another. A company who makes substantial profits and is paying above award wages, should not have a problem. Paying the basic wage and earning high profits at the expense of employees is something to address. But in the case of TA they sink funds back into equipment with high capital costs. Bangkok Bank on the other hand has zero excuse. I am sure all will be resolved in the fullness of time.

[Tanaka]

That won't work. Talks would need both sides to be awake. At the same time.

[slapout]

The first thing that has to be agreed on between management and wage personal is that everyone cannot talk at the same time.

Then each side have an individual who presents the concerns of their side with a proposed action to address those concerns.

You throw in generation gap, the Hi so attitude, fear of loosing your job, give a sh te attitude, <deleted>,k you attitude, etc and little real experience as people managers, nor employee who go the extra step, and you have real problems to overcome, upfront.