One of the most potentially rewarding parts of living in Bali is working with the Balinese. They can be the best workers and become an integral part of your life...but its not easy, especially if you are new to Bali/Indonesia/Asia and/or new to having staff. Over the years, we have made lots of mistakes and learned a few things also. This list, which is in no particular order, are things that work for me and my own set of rules for trying to have a great relationship with my staff ... Recruitment 1. Try to get local staff. Ask in the local warung, banjar office, neighbours, put up a sign. Local staff, if they like you, will stay forever... 2. Give people a trial. If they are keen and you like them, give them the job. If they dont seem very keen, keep looking. 3. Get your staff to recommend other staff. If your staff have friends at work, they work better, come more often, help each other and will be less likely to let you down. 4. Give existing staff a chance to comment on new ones...and listen between the lines. Comments like not quite as good as Made means the new trialist is hopeless... 5. Having Javanese workers can also work better. They may have better English, will take different holidays Lebaran vs. Galungan Compensation 1. Pay fairly. Pay more for more english speaking, experience, skills and seniority. Dont expect them to keep their salary a secret. Be prepared to explain what you have done and why. 2. Give a bonus of one month per year. As Galungan comes every 7 months I pay 7/12s of a months salary. Javanese staff get a full month at Lebaran. 3. For attendance I pay another bonus...just a small amount for all staff that come every day in a month. 4. Lend your staff money. Otherwise they will be borrowing off the moneylender at crazy rates of interest. I dont charge interest but do keep the ownership document if they are borrowing for a motor bike. While this is not risk free, I havent had a problem in 7 years and think I have been repaid in loyalty. 5. Buy them lunch. They will not work well if they are hungry. 6. Pay for, or contribute to, their medical bills. Help out with family members e.g. interest free loans. 7. Dont expect them to work as fast as you do, or the way you do. The Bali style is steady, they are used to working out in the sun. If you can adjust your expectations and focus on quality of the work done, you may have an easier time. Communication. 1. Learn as much Indonesian as you can. Keep learning. Learn relevant words like - bersih - clean, cuci - wash, menyapu - sweep, rapi - tidy, jemur - dry, penting - important, dulu - do first, tidak apa apa - not a problem, your staff will really appreciate it and pay you back with better work. 2. Try to tolerate them not telling you the full truth. If they break a plate or ruin your shirt, dont expect them to come to you and confess. Its just not their way. 3. Be gentle when telling them off. Rather than say what they have done wrong, suggest how they could have done it differently. offer to do a job with them. Shouting at them is one of the best ways to get them to quit or have a grandfather die the next morning. 4. Praise them when the work is good. Sempurna - perfect, always gets me a smile. 5. Makes jokes, keep the atmosphere light. If a staff member looks miserable, ask them what is wrong. Dont expect to get told, but if you have built a good relationship over time and based on trust, you may get something. If you need to fire someone, take care. Dont do it when youre angry. Get another staff as a witness. Explain your reasons. Pay compensation, be fair, at least a months salary. Angry ex-staff can cause a lot of problems, especially if they are local. There will be another hundred things that I have missed, or different ways of achieving the same, or better results. Feel free to add you comments about what works for you....
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 06:47:57 +0000
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