Posted by Business Line, Mar 14, 2008

For Marcus Wilhelm, COO of Photon Infotech, it’s fun to work at Photon “where colleagues are like my friends.”

But though the best thing about the company is the people, his “big problem is loyalty and getting people to stay. I never understood the word ‘absconding’ till I came to India... that people just don’t show up for work sometimes.”

It disturbs him that “there is not a lot of loyalty here. I come from a culture which is not like Japanese... that everybody works for a lifetime and comes in during the weekends to help the company, but Swedes are very loyal, we don’t change jobs that often, and there you have to give a three, or sometimes even six-month notice.”

He was amazed to find in the US during the dotcom boom people leaving with just a two-week notice period.

A chat with a staff member explained for him how during the economic downturn in the US in the early 1990s, mass firing took place.

“AT&T had laid-off 15,000-20,000 people at a time. So people thought we’ve been honest to these companies and see what happened. So that’s why they don’t have loyalty for companies anymore, it’s a very, very selfish society,” he was told.

But Wilhelm finds job-hopping very disturbing. “I want people to work for a long time. For me this could probably be the last job I’ll ever have, I might stay on till I die… I have that mindset.”

His company has a relatively better attrition rate (9-13 per cent) compared to the industry average “which is excellent but we feel it could be lower. In a way, I think, it has to do with conflict as well. My management philosophy for an employer and employee is to be very honest — if you’re not happy, let me know and it shouldn’t have to get to the point that you have to leave.”

Stressing on the need for keeping communication channels open between employers and employees, he says while not many people leave for more money, “they don’t disclose the real reason either. That’s why I’ve told my staff there is nothing wrong with leaving, but give us a chance before you’ve made your decision. Tell us: ‘You know what, I’m not happy about this’. And let’s try and do something.”

When reminded that trained young Indians have never had it so good in terms of jobs chasing them and not vice versa, Wilhelm says, “I understand that; people think maybe it’ll be a little better there but if you’re happy here why do you want to take a chance… I don’t know.”

He also frowns on “micromanaging” employees; one of his better employees has a very long commute. “Sometimes I tell him, ‘why don’t you go home early today.’ I don’t care if he does, because your performance does everything and I believe in leaving people to figure out themselves rather than micromanage; that you have to do it only this way or else it won’t work.”

Another thing that puzzles him is somebody taking a month off because he’s getting married.

“In Sweden, he’d take off a couple of days and maybe go for honeymoon later when the vacation season is on, but here it’s like one month! And we have to explain this to the clients; it’s a very different cultural thing, but you have to adjust to it.”

The news @ Business Line - http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2008/03/14/stories/2008031450010100.htm