O3 - Better Late Than Never

One of O3's major problems is that they simply love to procrastinate in any matter that will be advantageous to them. The most obvious one is delayed payments on O3's end. The next one involved delayed paychecks to employees. And then we have delayed shipments to customers, etc.

I received a tax form that was, well, late. Not from the government, from O3. The funniest thing to me was that on the tax form that is filled by the employer, it says "fill in and send to employee NO LATER THAN 1 MARCH 2007". Erm, its almost the end of March??? Better yet, O3 always covers its butt by backdating this type of legal documents and the Uberbaus signed the form dated 1 Mar 2007.

Nice move eh?

10 sins of a Bad Manager

I love this article in a recent "recruit" section of the newspaper. For those who have yet to read it, let me highlight the 10 points here and also give the details on my favourite O3 sins (especially point 10!!!)

1. Never sell change when you can demand it
2. Humiliate your staff frequently --> Develop a varied arsenal of "looks" to master the subtle put-down. A well-placed sigh and a "that was dumb" stare can work wonders in silencing your people. ... When they react, just say:"Can't you take a joke with overreacting like most women do?"
3. Tell them how useless they are
4. Get personal --> ...When they miss a deadline, question their ability to handle responsibility.
   
5. Make them feel lucky to still have a job
   
6. Never give strategic direction until you have to
7. When things go wrong, you know who to sacrifice
   
8. Build your own corporate torture chamber --> Know how to schedule hours to produce maximum aggravation.
   
9. Never give recognition --> It sets the stage for complacency. After all they are lucky they have a job.
10. Use fear as a great motivator. --> ...make a scene by threatening their job on-the-spot. If you abuse them privately, there will be no witnesses...
    

You will be butchered at the drinking fountains, but do not let petty gossip get in your way. You will feel lonely, but that goes with creating the illusion of power.

*Article by motivational speaker Terry L Paulson*

I think the above is an excellent match to O3...right? The bosses have no idea how many sins they are committing as bad, no, lousy and downright awful managers.

No money, no talk

Respect. That is what I have for North Korea. I think we should all take a leaf out of their books, they know how to play politics. This is probably applicable to your situation, LJ. We all know this since primary school - "No money, no talk". As we can see from this article from ChannelNewsAsia, its still relevant even in the highest level of society.

All you O3-bers should understand one thing, besides gravitational forces, money also makes the world go round. When people ask you to do work for no pay say "돈 없음 대화 없음" (No money no talk in Korean).

Getting Your "Get Out of Jail Pass"

Remember the advertisment where you see some character drinking Red Bull? What happens after they drink it? They get WINGS! Over at the O3, drinking Red Bull does not give you 'WINGS'. Red Bull is what you give the workers as 'reward' for helping you get things done. To get "WINGS" at the O3 you have to do things like sorting your resume, go 'take MC' to go for interview, ace the interview, get a job offer, sign on the dotted line, and then give the Uberbaus 'The Birdie". Sometimes, some can't take it an longer, they'll give the Uberbaus "The Birdie" first then worry about the rest of the details later.
I just found out that one of our O3-er has just given the Uberbaus 'The Birdie" and day later, got a job offer. Really glad to hear good news like this. Really made my day, at 9.00 am in the morning!
I still remember that day I got my 'WINGS'', or rather, news that I'll be getting my "WINGS". I guess I've been in the O3 for too long, went to countless interviews, and yes, taken countless MCs to go for interviews, when news of the offer hit me, I had to pinch myself numerous times to be sure that it's really happening. I guess it's when you want something so bad, when it finaly comes, you wonder if it's a dream or it has actually happened! It took a while for the news to sink in. When it finally did, I was punching the air like a mad man! When I finally signed on the dotted line, I immediately emailed the Uberbaus "The Birdie" and then followed up with a hard copy in the morning. I guess I'm one of the fortunate ones who was able to 'escape' outta the O3 a week earlier without the Uberbaus breathing down my neck for this and that, and not getting piled up with work the day I gave him "The Birdie". I had to pay my way out for the 'Get Out of Jail Early" pass though. But it's worth it even if we have to pay it outta our own pocket. I'm blessed cos my company paid for the 'Pass'.
Really hope to hear more 'Prison Break' stories from the O3 soon! Shalom!

Talent leak

Singapore is suffering from a serious case of brain drain. I suspect so does India and maybe China. I don't find UK or US having the same problem.

I would like to suggest a possible reason: the grass is greener on the other side, maybe this time it is really true because people are actually staying there! I won't talk about the socio-political aspect, but just work culture.

I work in an multinational company and had the opportunity to work in the same company overseas. Let me tell you, it doesn't feel like the same company. In Singapore, I feel like I am reduced to a machine in a production line.

In Singapore, we 'make babies', 'are forced to retire', and 'get workfare'. In another country, we 'have a child', 'dream of early retirement', and 'receive welfare'. Too bad I am not "talented" enough to "leak".

The Recall

It feels kind of like the Army where they can call you back at any moment's notice....but this is even after you have left.

What I am referring to is the O3 environment of course. I know of many ex-O3bers who left months ago and yet the management is still calling them and asking for their help which can be seen as getting free labour. I did my labour which I thought I was going to get paid for, but it turned out to be "free".

Is this how things are ending up? With so many key-employees having left, senior management is left to continue sticking their fingers and thumbs into the leaky dam that is O3 by continually calling the ex-staff even 3 to 4 months after they have left. Does not that show something is wrong with the way they handle HR and handing-over?

Since they treat us like the living dead when we are employed over there, should not they treat us like the dead dead when we have left? Stop recalling ur ex-zombies. Leave us alone!!!

Singaporean Bonuses

This is a news article from ChannelNewsAsia. I actually saw this on the news and I wonder what the other 1 in 4 Singaporeans are thinking?

Could they be satisfied with their bonuses? Just one look at the photo and you know they are taking the polls at the wrong place, I would probably guess that O3 is not located in Shenton.
A possible conversation between the poll-taker (PT) and a O3-ber (O3B) will be:

PT: Eh, er, 'scuse me ah sir... can ask you question not?
O3B: I don't want to buy, don't want to buy. I got insurance liao.
PT: No, no, ask you about your work can?
O3B: Orr... can can. I got a lot of thing to say about my work. Wa piang, you know ah today this ger hor so suay kana jia lat jia lat from boss leh. Then hor, the rest of us whole day don't dare go toilet...
PT: Yeah... so you happy with your annual bonus not?
O3B: ... bonus? Si mi bonus? Only boss got bonus lah, today I siam ah! Ah seng ah, tio fine ten dollar ah. Now eat peanut porridge crying in the corner there... that's why ah, tell him never listen, hide the money in the underwear! Sad case. Bo qiu.
PT: So you happy is it?
O3B: Yeah man. Today never got scolded happy man!

If the polls were taken in O3, they probably get at least 1 in 2 Singaporeans happy with bonus, wasted.

Turnover

The O3-bers that I new during my stint there are leaving. The die hards who have been there for more than 2 to 3 years are people who I think have a 80% chance of devoting their lives to the company.

I saw a recent statistic of a company of more than 700 employees who could boast a turnover of less than 0.6%! That's like less than 10 persons... If we want to place a turnover statistic on O3...I'd say its closer to 300%? You see, in O3, the person who replaces the person who replaces the person usually leaves or gets fired within 3 months. The estimate is that an average of 3 people change over the job posting before a so-called "stable" individual stays on for 1 year. (For certain jobs, i've seen at least 6 people come and go.)

Sadly, I sure hope that what this O3 company is doing is not considered job creation! Otherwise, the job market will look like there's 300 posts for what is actually only 100 jobs available. I also find it awful that the job opportunities section of the O3 company's website is permanently unchanging in the posts available. How's that for job security...? You've been hired, but the posting is left there...just-in-case.

Keeping the Uberbaus Away

Remember how nutritionists will say that fruits are good for you? That we should have fruits after meals to help us digest food or something like that? This was my practice when I was at the O3. I will always have an apple and perhaps a slice of honeydew or watermelon. It became so routine that one ex-O3-er asked me why I do that. I will always say “An Apple a Day Keep the Uberbaus Away” just like the saying “An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away”. This 'routine' seems kinda effective, at least to me! I told this dude that he should try it too. Of course this did not work for him! This seems to be subject dependent. He is always at the frontlines fighting the battles. And probably only sees the sunset on weekends for all the time he was at the O3. It's been a while since I left the O3 and seems like all the people I worked with are gone. Most importantly, these people are happier where they are now and I'm sure are stronger people after the experience.

Just like bloody mio

Anybody seen the latest Singtel mio ad? The one where the boy with that ergonomically inclined table irresponsibly knocked piggy toward imminent danger? I HATE that ad. It reminds me of work.

For those blessed few, here's how it goes: A boy in excitement knocks the inclined table on which Piggy was perched precariously upon. I am sure that the fact that Piggy holds the boy's fortune in his fragile body has absoultely nothing to do with Piggy's predicament.

While Piggy is walking the green mile, Mio goes about organising a rescue. Calling upon each and every member in the team (except herself of course). The telephone flung its phone cord to try to pull Piggy to safety. The mobile cell set even tried to stop Piggy from falling by putting himself in front of Piggy to push him, risking certain death from impact. In the end, it was the laptop which caught Piggy. All these occurs under the incessant instructions of Mio, which did nothing watsoever to Piggy's aid.

The whole ad ended with everybody praising Mio for the rescue and her trying to brush it off as a teamwork. Damn! It exactly the same thing in the company, everybody in the background, losing sleep, risking their jobs to get something done. And when finally the project is a success, only the manager gets praised and the rewards. The rest of us praising him for his greatness of doing nothing. This is propagenda for a warped corporate reward system, join me in switching off your TVs when the ad is airing (I just know that it will win viewer's choice or something).

A possible Meltdown

I think most staff in O3 have had a meltdown one time or another. I had one and it wasn't pleasant. My meltdown was encompassed by the high-pitched screaming of a certain curry-favouring employee and it just blew my mind. Almost literally.

Lately I heard that Uberbaus' wife was having trouble. Was is due to the fact that production at the factory is unable to keep up with the orders that the O3 sales team keeps pushing through? Or that the equipment at the factory is cheap, lousy and constantly breaksdown making things all the more worse? Or that important staff are leaving causing payments to be late and slow, frustrating everyone including the suppliers? Or that Uberbaus himself is beginning to travel alot lately leaving his wife behind to fight the problems? Or that............

Whatever it is, I am always amused that O3 is alive and kicking. The mechanics of it all is amazing, don't you think?

Sensitivity in O3

In light of the plight of current O3-bers, it is important that we all remember the trauma that some of our fellow colleagues had to go through.

The bosses show little to no sympathy and understanding to many of the employees' lives and problems. They like to brush illnesses aside and look caring by offering vitamins and painkillers so that the ill employee will stay in the office and continue to work. In the event that the employee really has to take sick leave to rest, Uberbaus will likely frown upon it and may even send nasty sms-es or make snide remarks. More often than not, he will state how he and his family suffers through sickness for the company's sake. It never fails to amaze me that he forgets the company belongs to them and is run by them. 99% of the employees have ZERO stake in its success.

I think some of the people i've met in O3 are very sensitive to others because of the environment...and others, well, they (a small number of people) seem to slowly morph into the insensitive senior management way of work. I wish the latter bunch good luck in LIFE...not work. And i know the former group will be kind and affect those around them positively.

Speedy Exit

Every O3-ber who wants to leave hopes the affair is an uneventful one. Otherwise, they simply hope to leave asap.

Some of the staff in the finance department, who've been working late nights and weekends, are getting tired of it all. Being highly unappreciated and working for no extra pay and working with unreasonable bosses who scream profanities, is more than any normal human being can stand. There are some special people out there who I call SUPERWORKERS! They withstand the hailstorm everyday just to help out their friends. Its quite amazing really.

But I have utmost respect for one small lady who left O3 recently. She suffered enough and being small hasn't stopped her from standing up to the bosses. Wonderful! She had been battered with painful remarks and unrelenting insults. I'm so glad she has left. She was asked to stay for a while but becuase she was not confirmed by this company, she took the opportunity to make her life better and left the day she resigned.

Brilliant stuff. I do not believe in letting other step all over us. We must be wise in whom we keep company...and the O3 environment is the worst company to be in.

Lost Goodwill

I've lost whatever goodwill the Uberbaus had with me and I have a feeling the other 2 will soon follow suit.

I recently messaged the Uberbaus a greeting following the festival season we have in this country. The reply I got was "Sorry, I do not have your number in my phone. Who are you?" (or something to that effect). When I received that reply I knew that Uberbaus probably deleted my cell number from his phone and that meant zero goodwill from him. I replied anyway that it was me and that I just wanted to send greetings. (I honestly just wanted to be respectful as this festival was a time to show respect to elders, whether you like them or no.)

I learnt from a collegue that Uberbaus condescendingly told him about my message and he said he thinks that I wanted my old job back. WHAT?!?!?!?! Sorry Uberbaus, I would NEVER work in your O3 environment ever again. (Unless you pay me like $20K per month? haha....)

Well, doesn't matter to me what Uberbaus thinks anymore. The bosses are so full of themselves and their egos are incredibly large. Not surprising just annoying.

Old Faces, New Places, New Lives!

I was just at a meeting just on Friday and somehow, at the corner of my eye, I saw one of out ex-O3 colleague. It's kinda weird, but it kinda proves something. It proves that the O3 environment is not the only place that ppl can work in. No matter how much the Ubernaus would want it to be, the O3 is not the only place that will 'take in' these ppl.

It's been over 6 months since I left the O3 and since then, many things have happened. And as usual, many ppl have left, at least 10. And some of these are ppl whom I think are too 'valuable' for the Uberbaus let go' off. To me, these are really important ppl. But then again, the Uberbaus said before, I quote, “No one is irreplaceable, even me!” To think that he will even think of this is unimaginable, let alone for him to actually say it! Of course, what I think he really meant was that mini-boss (a exact replica of him, almost) will eventually take over the O3. However, come to think of it, I'm not sure how much of the O3 will be left with the kind of Vitamin M the mini-boss is spending. Most, if not all, of the ppl who left the O3 before or after me have gone to a much better place got a better pay and is truly appreciated for the work they put in. I would say that everywhere else is better than the O3. If anyone can stay at the O3 for at least 6 months, they will survive anywhere, everywhere else is heaven! But I have to say that the O3 is a fantastic 'training ground'!

Indeed, any organization no staff should be irreplaceable, if not they may end up getting 'ransomed' for more pay and benefits. But then again, if it allows all this talent to just walk out the door, it's basically digging it own grave. The amount of time and money spent on rehiring and retraining is never worth more than the knowledge and information that any staff gains from working in the organization I have to admit that the Uberbaus has the “talent” to find really good ppl to work for him. He is also able to squeeze the last bit of juice out from each individual one! The analogy I have is like extracting the juice out from sugar cane. You put it through larger roller with some grooves on it first to crack it, then u put it through narrower rollers to get the juice out, fold it into half or stack a few on top of the other and put them through again. The machine might rattle a little but it'll still squeeze them through. When all the juice is extracted, that is not the end of the cycle. The pulp then gets thrown into the furnace to cook or whatever. This is the best way to get the most out of sugar cane.

Of course, the O3-ers are the sugar cane, and the rollers are the UberBaus, the UberBitch and of coure the UberMiniBaus, in whatever order you want it. You could also take any of the above as the furnace. It's your choice. You know what I mean right?

The Secret Gathering

It's interesting to note the strange bond that occurs in O3 type environments. A certain type of unity develops amongst the oppressed and those who sympathize or empathize with them.

You could sort of parallel it to POWs bonding. Of course we weren't starving but the emotional turmoil is apparantly enough in this O3 environment that our being slowly melts into one against the evil ones.

We are so much happier away from the evil ones. The physical office space is a prison camp. When the guards (sneaky rats and all) are away, POWs breathe easier. Better yet, when the Lords of O3 are away, that's when the POWs dare to smile and eat snacks out in the open instead of secretly. Happiness is away from O3. And so we gather ourselves to celebrate our strange kinship to be happy without the rats, guards and Lords.