Letter to CEO

Jan 22, 2009

INDUSTRIAL RELATION - INDONESIA

Such a common basic and fundamental requirements, where most companies seem “over-looked” on this item. Many of them realize the importance of IR only when they start fighting each other for any un-necessary truly avoidable dispute of employment. They thought IR is just a fire fighting tool… a kind of one night installment equipment to save the company, just like a "cctv" in your premises.
 
When they got lost in a deep problem, … again they think it is just a snapping finger away to recover, but it is not. It is truly not as your child erasing a mistake of writing on the paper. More than that … it is about the feeling of being cheated … the feeling of being betrayed by a partner, who supposed ideally support at all times. Will you be easily forget when your partner cheating on you? Will your children be easily calm down when you accidently yell so bad to them?
 
Second citizen … it might be the right word for IR in Indonesia nowadays, I assume.
 
Still … the dream is here. The dream of changing the IR environment … the dream of having many more independent IR Officers / Managers in Indonesia … who can support the company
… without feeling afraid of being an “alien” among what so called “reality” community.
… without feeling afraid of loosing their career path, because they speak up, telling the truth and never stop pushing the boss to comply.
 
No dispute in the premises, … peaceful environment …
The boss would say nothing … its just the way it has to be. It is many times known as their kindness.
When the “children” start fighting back against the “parent” (because they found out their parents cheated on them), who is the black sheep going to be? … its you IR people. The boss would accuse you are not doing your job and useless…
What a funny story, huh?
 
Some people see the “support” only from the financial view of points. Whenever you save expenses by paying your employee below minimum wages; or creating a funny calculation of overtime; or asking your “outsourcing” company to get their management fee directly from the salary instead of placing them on top; or postponing the salary payment to get more value in the P&L; you call it “support” and big help for the company. What a short minded.
 
Imagine … one day when your employee awake and find out all tricks of yours, … the bomb will explode. A time bomb where it should have been able to be avoided by simply compliances. Finally, the real “cost” which you should pay because of these un-necessary mistake, might (and most likely happening in all disputes) be extremely higher than the value you tried to save earlier.
The cost of penalty, … the cost of loosing time, … the cost of all expenses for court processes, … the cost of loosing trust from your customer, … the cost of loosing your credibility, … the cost of loosing wonderful peaceful time, where you and your employee support each other, … the cost of everything in your dream when you built up this business.
 
IR support might not be coming from a direct saving or increase money in your account within one night. Such “support” of IR would come from the clean and safe business operation and minimizing time bombs. It is a long term saving and big support to the sustainability of your business.
You would have a full support from your own people, … because you win their heart, … just like a situation where your children understand when you are in difficult times, because you have been taking a good care of them, … or just like a situation when the bank trust you on the loan re-negotiation because you are clean, have a good will and telling the truth.
 
So,… what is it going to be now, CEO?
Improve your IR and be ready for constructive analysis and ideas? … or save and keep your pride by pretending nothing happened in your area…
Its your call.

DHM