Efficiency the key to keeping one's job

JAKARTA (JP): At a time when companies are laying off workers in droves, being efficient in the workplace could be the difference between keeping or losing one's job, three top women executives believe.

This tip was given in different words by three speakers at a seminar Saturday discussing the role of career women in surviving the economic crisis.

Jointly organized by the Femina group of magazines and Ponds International cosmetics company, the seminar featured Bank Indonesia director Miranda Goeltom, ANteve CEO Nenny Soemawinata- Djachron and Tini R. Sardadi, managing director of clothing company PT. Art Kea Internusa.

In their own way, all three pointed out ways to be efficient and practical so as not to end up in the ever-lengthening unemployment line.

Nenny, who worked in the advertising business for 13 years before shifting to broadcasting, stressed factors like learning about and helping with issues in different departments and working overtime.

Once, when an account supervisor in an advertising company, she was faced with the dilemma of coming up with a solution of a problem that had nothing to do with the sales department.

The company's three advertising teams could not come up with a logo for a project being run by the National Coordinating Board of the Family Planning program (BKKBN).

"I suggested to the BKKBN people that I could get the best people from the company to work with me on the project... and there were only two days to deadline," Nenny said.

"We worked 16 to 18 hours a day... we had several fights, disagreements. We finally came up with the Lingkaran Biru logo," she said.

"Overtime pays off as long as one enjoys one's work."

She said that improving and developing a hobby that could prove useful in the office could open a lot of doors to career opportunities.

"Years ago, a friend of mine learned that the company he was working in was going to open an IT (Information Technology) department. He loved computers and for the heck of it, took a course," Nenny said.

"Once they set up the department in the office, people found out that he was the most capable to lead the team, and so, he was appointed its head.

"He learned another thing as well. If he were to lose his job there, he could get a job in advertising, communications or IT as well."

Nenny said failures should never be a reason for quitting and that relations with "big clients" should be handled as if one were handling porcelain.

"If I were to quit after failures, Sampoerna's (a local cigarette company) cigarette A' Mild would be nowhere in sight today," Nenny said.

"We worked and failed... worked and failed... but finally, A' Mild achieved healthy, strong sales and is still doing so to date."

Director of Learning at Coca Cola Amatil Indonesia Bambang Bhakti added that it was in the nature of most career women to take up burdens and serve their customers to the best of their ability.

"It's probably due to their gender, they have to take up double roles... the woman's at home and the man's at work... I don't think many realize the greatness and potential of this quality," Bambang said.

"I know a lady who gets up at 2:30 a.m. to make a special chili sauce for fried chicken in the morning... and after prayers, goes back to sleep at 5 a.m., before waking up again to work till late at night."

"The lady is my sister, Mbok Berek (of Mbok Berek Fried Chicken fame) and everybody knows what her position is in the local fast-food restaurants ... people may not go to foreign fast-food restaurants so often now but they still turn up at Mbok Berek's."

Miranda Goeltom said that it was in a woman's nature to be multifunctional.

"A woman should optimize her capabilities as a worker ... at the end of the day, not only is she the CEO of the office, but also of her home," she said.

She cited examples of time-efficiency.

"I know that if I were to see glasses on the table, I would pick them up myself and take them in to my business guests instead of getting office boys to do it for me and waste time ... I don't think men would do that," Miranda said.

"A woman should take on more roles in the office and at home to secure her place in both. Secretaries, for instance, should know how to use a word processor, type, take short-hand and file."

Tini stressed on being economical by thinking as a producer rather than a consumer.

She cited an example of her son demanding she buy a chain for Rp 30,000 (US$3.85) to attach his wallet to his pants pocket.

She bought the chain but also came up with another plan.

"I bought shoelaces and beads and showed him how to make chains out of them. He was so impressed, he helped me make a dozen, sold several, sold his Rp 30,000 chain as well, made a profit and paid me my Rp 30,000 back," Tini said.

"Economics should always be used in one's daily life ... this should be something we should ingrain in our children as well," she said.

The seminar, which attracted 500 participants, was held to mark the birthday of Indonesian female freedom fighter R.A. Kartini on April 21, at the Hotel Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza. (ylt)