Sunday 4 December 2011

All work and no play

All work and no play


According to a global survey that polled some 12,000 business people in 85 countries, Malaysians are not only clocking more hours at work but bringing their office load back home as well.


About 47% of Malaysian workers take tasks home to finish more than three times a week, compared to 43% globally; 15% regularly work more than 11 hours a day, compared with 10% globally.

Me and SO were laughing at how exactly true this is.
They even bring along that attitude here. For good or bad of it.
And you know -- the 'I got more work, so I'm important...you go home early, you must have held some unimportant position.'
Oh come on....I was once an employee too before set sailing in business world.

I want to share this. Many years back, there was this guy who were introduced by a friend, whom had taken a  bold step out of working life into business world.
The thing that came to our bemusement was his working attitude.
He will be staying back in the office until late to do some work.
When we asked him, the need of him to stay after 5pm when his staff already went back, he just said that he can't do work when there's people around!...Isn't that funny?
According to him when there's people around, he will be disturbed by this and that, can't focus et cetera.

Now, I'm not saying that Malaysian are all like that.
But, if everyone is given the same amount of working time in a day, why do you need to stay back after office hours?
Unless you are the sort of employee who'd walk around with your coffee mug talking about whatnots (the men) and gossiping and complaining about kids (the women), taking more than twice ciggie break although you got all the time you need during lunch break, surfing the net, and the ultimate thing would be YOU are unable and failed to manage your time precisely.

If you got loads of work to do -- you can opt to skip lunch, come in early...and stop entertaining drop-bys by unwanted people who just want to talk non-related issues.

But, in Malaysia, I'm guessing it's again the show-offs thing, especially in Chinese 'conquered' offices (no offense you chinos), and about having a D-head as a boss -- he or she(worst still) doesn't care whether you do your work or just heating up the chairs, the boss just want to see you there after 5 or 5.30pm....it's gonna be worst if you gonna have spinsters as the boss.

Okay, on a serious note.
Let's admit it.
Malaysian household.
75% maybe 80% are taking home double income. Mom and dad goes to work.
Maid at home becoming temp mom for the kiddos-- so, do you really think they'd give a compulsory must do to themselves to make it home right after office hour? That is probably one of the reason they don't mind sitting back in the office and chit chatting or make use of the office equipments such as xerox-ing their school kids works or pamphlets for their direct selling part time work.

Not saying those who stayed back are a slacker during official office hours.
There are people who really got things to finish up due to certain tight dateline. But it wont happen every day ain't it?

So, the best first thing to do is Prioritise.
Stop talking rots or gossiping when boss not watching. Let go of the desperate need to talk to someone. You can keep your 'kedai kopi' talk after office hours or during lunch break.
Make use of every hour precisely.

Do it for a week and see.

To those who got a D-head as a boss, talk to them nicely and explain why you shouldn't be staying back and what amount of electricity would be put to waste if you stayed back.

Bosses are human (unless they're not)...talk to them and they'll love you more if you become transparent with them.

Try it today.

1 comment:

Ieda Ies said...

Your article should be published in the national news paper. Last few years when i decided to come back to Malaysia i struggled to understand this ridiculous mentality of Malaysians and even daring enough to debate and challenged senior members regarding finishing work on time. If you are required to be at work on time i think you deserves out of the office on time without the stupid guilt they tried to put on employees. The reality is most managers i have worked with are not efficient and to be honest not that good at their work and amazingly took double the time to do simple things and they get pissed off if they have to stay back and you get to go home. Bunch of idiots and a silly culture. And they wonder why Malaysians are a stressful bunch and drive like a maniac?