Expats need to learn Indonesian customs<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Never give or take with your left hand. Never
\npat someone on the head even if it is well intended. And never
\npoint with your foot.<\/p>\n
These are some of the don'ts which foreign managers should
\nknow when working in an Indonesian environment.<\/p>\n
They may sound simple and some Indonesians may take it for
\ngranted that expatriates already know about these things.<\/p>\n
They couldn't be more wrong.<\/p>\n
According to a senior official of the Ministry of Manpower,
\nviolations of simple things like giving with the left hand or
\npointing with a foot could become a source of industrial conflict
\nas far as relations go between workers and their foreign
\nmanagers.<\/p>\n
A general depiction of Indonesia's customs and cultural values
\nis absolutely necessary for foreign companies employing
\nIndonesian workers in order to avoid conflicts between managers
\nand workers, Director General for Industrial Relations Suwarto.<\/p>\n
Speaking after opening a one-day workshop his office organized
\nwith South Korean expatriates in Indonesia on Thursday, Suwarto
\nsaid some of the simple violations of norms and cultures have
\nresulted in conflicts, including strikes, at industrial plants.<\/p>\n
The seminar was attended by some 70 South Korean managerial-
\nlevel employers assembled in the Korean Employers' Federation
\n(KEF). It was sponsored by Association of Indonesian Employers
\n(APINDO).<\/p>\n
"We feel that foreigners need to have a better understanding
\nof our system ... that way good relationships between employers
\nand workers can develop," Suwarto said.<\/p>\n
He said similar workshops had been held in the past with
\nJapanese and American expatriates.<\/p>\n
South Korean investors are now making major inroads into
\nIndonesia as they are relocating many of their industries chiefly
\nto take advantage of cheap labor.<\/p>\n
South Korean embassy officials said that Indonesia is the
\nsecond most favorite destination for Korean investors. There are
\nnow 296 South Korean investment projects in Indonesia with a
\ncombined value of more than $3.6 billion. This represents about
\n70 percent of all South Korean private investment in ASEAN
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Industrial relations in some of these Korean companies
\nhowever have not been smooth. Some South Korean joint ventures in
\nTangerang and other industrial centers have seen many labor
\nconflicts which were chiefly attributed to poor labor relations.<\/p>\n
Last year, a woman worker at a South Korean company in
\nTangerang was made to stand under the scorching sun for hours
\nfollowing an argument with the Korean manager. The incident
\nsparked criticisms over the way Korean expatriates behave.<\/p>\n
Cultural shock<\/p>\n
KEF Deputy Chairman Jung Hyun- whang admitted that many Korean
\nemployers suffered cultural shock when they arrive in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
An understanding of local cultural values is urgently needed
\nto avoid conflicts, he said. "I see this seminar as a good way to
\nprevent conflicts and to promote relations between the people of
\nthe two countries," he said.<\/p>\n
Secretary General of the All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI)
\nBomer Pasaribu who attended the seminar confessed however that in
\ngeneral, foreign companies operating in Indonesia are more
\naccepting of labor laws than Indonesian companies.<\/p>\n
"However, among foreign firms, Korean companies demonstrate
\nthe poorest conduct in dealing with their Indonesian workers ...
\nThat is why this seminar is necessary for them," Bomer said.<\/p>\n
Some Korean employers however have been complaining about the
\npoor discipline of Indonesian workers, a far cry from the army of
\nhighly industrious and disciplined work force they are accustomed
\nto at home.<\/p>\n
Suwarto acknowledged that the relatively low level of
\neducation of Indonesian workers tends to increase their level of
\nemotion and pessimism, but also leads to greater solidarity among
\nthem.<\/p>\n
He stressed that employers have an obligation to abide by the
\nlabor regulations and respect workers' rights. (pwn)<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/expats-need-to-learn-indonesian-customs-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }