Info R&D Malaysia is established on November 1st, 1996 as a wholly owned subsidiary of InfoTech IT Group Japan. Info R&D is a key player in the high-tech world. The charter of Info R&D is to profitably develop, integrate and install application solutions that increase the productivity and efficiency of our customer's engineering design and manufacturing operations. Info R&D is committed to excellence in service, as a provider of total solutions to meet the exact needs of all of our customers. This IT Company in Malaysia has developed as an organization concentrating on Understanding our customer's design and manufacturing environment, customer training and support and Basic research is into the position of leadership in system technology.

The President of the company is a well-known entrepreneur in Malaysia and contributed to and mentored many IT Research and development firms in Malaysia. He is very particular about the leadership and the work culture that he ensured in the organization. He always directs his employees to follow a culture of proactiveness, openness, experimentation and risk-taking within the organization. The work culture was flexible and the staff members in research and Development enjoyed this organizational culture.

One day, he decided to see how the staff members are working in their respective departments by making a surprise visit. He reached at the office in the late night hours. What he observed in the Research and development labs was quite surprising and he couldn’t believe in his eyes. It’s half past 10 in the office but the lights are still on and the PCs still running, coffee machines still buzzing, but very fewer members on their seats. But he could hear the voice of male and female staff from somewhere nearby. On the way, he could identify few staff members who are working in the company for long years.

Once again he peeped into their rooms and tries to explore the situation to get to know who’s at work and what’s happening over there? He found that the staff members were sitting on a round circle with their coffee and biscuits and just passing their time. Almost all of them are bachelors. He asked himself, why are they sitting late? Working hard? Is it for any discussion of Research and development issues and developing new projects and designs for clients?

He just moved out of the office and went back to his room. He immediately called the Senior Security officer and asks him to connect to Lab 17 camera. The security officer did it to the President immediately. He just pays attention to the voices of his staff members. Some asked to another ‘why you selected this company to work for? What was your criterion for selection?’ The other replied, because ‘What’s there to do after going home and here we get to surf, AC, phone, food, coffee that is why I am working late…Importantly no.

After having a culture shock, the President tried to find out answers to many questions. Is this the work culture of most Research and Development IT companies and software companies and other off-shore offices in Malaysia? Do these staff members just pass their time during late hours in the office? Do the seniors of the company allow such practice in their respective departments during late-night shifts? Are there any give-and-take benefits to the staff members and the seniors of the department? How did ‘Working’ late hours soon become a part of company culture? Do the seniors in the Research and Development Lab help their juniors to develop a culture of proactiveness, openness, experimentation, and risk-taking at the shop floor level rather than passing time and encouraging passive habits? Do the senior and juniors in this organization don’t understand the difference between ‘sitting’ late and ‘working’ late!!!

Why these bachelors are taking the company infrastructure and the facilities when they don’t deserve to? Why the staff members cannot finish the work in time, go back to their home, and engage in all their extracurricular activities like learning music….. learning a foreign language…try a sport… TT, cricket………..etc. Why these bachelors are taking advantage of company facilities for personal purposes? The company is paying better salaries to all employees in the organization. What these bachelors are going to save from these little welfare facilities of the company? He thought that ‘the company didn’t tell anyone to sit back and contribute more’. The company expects those to come in time do their work precisely what is expected from them to do in the stipulated time frame. And there are no extra benefits the staff members are getting if they are engaged in late working hours.

Sitting relaxed on the chair, not knowing what to do, he thinks “ the bachelors pat their own backs and carry on ‘working’ not realizing that they are spoiling the work culture at their own place and never realize that they would have to regret at one point in time. At one point in time, he made a self-comment, “PEOPLE WHO REGULARLY SIT LATE IN THE OFFICE DON’T KNOW TO MANAGE THEIR OWN TIME. SIMPLE!”

Question:

1. Senior has a bigger role to induce the work culture of the organization to their juniors. Discuss.
2. Do you believe that working late is hard work?
3. What makes the difference between hard work and smart work?
4. What’s the role of a mentor and leader in ensuring the right work culture?
5. Who are the culprits? The leaders, followers, or the work culture.

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

The detailed answer for the above question is provided below Answer 1 Senior has a bigger role to induce the work culture of the organization to their juniors Discuss i Yes seniors do play a bigger ro... View the full answer