Expats need to learn Indonesian customs
Expats need to learn Indonesian customs
JAKARTA (JP): Never give or take with your left hand. Never
pat someone on the head even if it is well intended. And never
point with your foot.
These are some of the don'ts which foreign managers should
know when working in an Indonesian environment.
They may sound simple and some Indonesians may take it for
granted that expatriates already know about these things.
They couldn't be more wrong.
According to a senior official of the Ministry of Manpower,
violations of simple things like giving with the left hand or
pointing with a foot could become a source of industrial conflict
as far as relations go between workers and their foreign
managers.
A general depiction of Indonesia's customs and cultural values
is absolutely necessary for foreign companies employing
Indonesian workers in order to avoid conflicts between managers
and workers, Director General for Industrial Relations Suwarto.
Speaking after opening a one-day workshop his office organized
with South Korean expatriates in Indonesia on Thursday, Suwarto
said some of the simple violations of norms and cultures have
resulted in conflicts, including strikes, at industrial plants.
The seminar was attended by some 70 South Korean managerial-
level employers assembled in the Korean Employers' Federation
(KEF). It was sponsored by Association of Indonesian Employers
(APINDO).
"We feel that foreigners need to have a better understanding
of our system ... that way good relationships between employers
and workers can develop," Suwarto said.
He said similar workshops had been held in the past with
Japanese and American expatriates.
South Korean investors are now making major inroads into
Indonesia as they are relocating many of their industries chiefly
to take advantage of cheap labor.
South Korean embassy officials said that Indonesia is the
second most favorite destination for Korean investors. There are
now 296 South Korean investment projects in Indonesia with a
combined value of more than $3.6 billion. This represents about
70 percent of all South Korean private investment in ASEAN
countries.
Industrial relations in some of these Korean companies
however have not been smooth. Some South Korean joint ventures in
Tangerang and other industrial centers have seen many labor
conflicts which were chiefly attributed to poor labor relations.
Last year, a woman worker at a South Korean company in
Tangerang was made to stand under the scorching sun for hours
following an argument with the Korean manager. The incident
sparked criticisms over the way Korean expatriates behave.
Cultural shock
KEF Deputy Chairman Jung Hyun- whang admitted that many Korean
employers suffered cultural shock when they arrive in Indonesia.
An understanding of local cultural values is urgently needed
to avoid conflicts, he said. "I see this seminar as a good way to
prevent conflicts and to promote relations between the people of
the two countries," he said.
Secretary General of the All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI)
Bomer Pasaribu who attended the seminar confessed however that in
general, foreign companies operating in Indonesia are more
accepting of labor laws than Indonesian companies.
"However, among foreign firms, Korean companies demonstrate
the poorest conduct in dealing with their Indonesian workers ...
That is why this seminar is necessary for them," Bomer said.
Some Korean employers however have been complaining about the
poor discipline of Indonesian workers, a far cry from the army of
highly industrious and disciplined work force they are accustomed
to at home.
Suwarto acknowledged that the relatively low level of
education of Indonesian workers tends to increase their level of
emotion and pessimism, but also leads to greater solidarity among
them.
He stressed that employers have an obligation to abide by the
labor regulations and respect workers' rights. (pwn)
Editorial -- Page 4