How do family values in China extend into the workplace?
For the Chinese employee, family values naturally extend into the workplace. The employees take on their parents’ views and decisions. It’s just amazing. There have been times when we’re trying to recruit someone and you’re basically recruiting not just the employee, you’re really recruiting them, their spouse and their parents into the organization. They bring their families great pride in their accomplishments, and they’re going to associate the employer as an extended part of the family. It’s sort of this “take care of, compensate, develop and promote me” sort of mentality. That’s one of the biggest differences for a lot of expatriates who come from the West. The Chinese employees and the organization are one and the same family. You’re going to attend evening activities, you’re going to go to weddings — and, as a matter of fact, when you go to a wedding, you’re going to be the one who stands up and speaks at the wedding. You’re going to really demonstrate personal commitment to he
