There are many tools out there to help you employ talent in China and around the world. Employing a remote team in China shortens project delivery times, unroots problems in the supply chain, and saves time and money travelling to China to fix things.
However, employee relations in this context are often overlooked — and the absence of a dedicated strategy can significantly contribute to employee-related issues. Once you have the talent and tools for compliant hiring, keeping them engaged is crucial to ensure job delivery and make this long-distance relationship beneficial. But how can you maintain employee relations in a cross-cultural, geographical, and linguistic setting?
Here are a few tips that we have used on the ground in China:
Regular Communication
This goes without saying for any remote-based team, but it’s particularly important for teams in China. From our experience managing teams at Kinyu, we’ve found that consistent engagement is necessary to ensure your team is engaged with the company’s direction.
We understand that employees in China want to see their company grow and feel stable in their roles. Therefore, it’s a good idea to regularly share more information about company goals, achievements, and new projects.
Showing the bigger picture, or in Chinese, 画大饼 (painting a big pie), is key to keeping your team on track with their work. However, ensure your company aspirations are realistic; many companies in China overpromise and underdeliver in terms of company development.
Appreciation of What Life is Like in China
Engaging with your team members about life in China can be challenging if you’ve never lived there. However, taking an interest can make a significant difference. Learn from one of your more senior colleagues in China about housing, the job market, food, local holidays, and various social media trends, and then discuss these topics with the wider team.
Benjamin King, CEO of Kinyu SCM, has gained a deeper understanding of Chinese society by following various trends. He notes, “There are many stories that emerge on social media which spark rigorous public debate and reveal where Chinese society has come from and, in some areas, where it needs to go. Ninety-nine percent of these stories never make headlines in Western media, which is a loss to those who need to engage with teams in China.”
Your remote team in China will appreciate your efforts to understand their culture and society more than whether you remember which year of the Chinese zodiac it is.
Feedback and Recognition
It’s important to be direct with remote colleagues in China, whether acknowledging their achievements or communicating areas that need improvement. Public appreciation and private feedback for improvement are essential to ensure your points are understood while allowing your employees to save face.
When addressing concerns, one-on-one conversations to understand your colleagues’ perspectives are best. You must ensure you ask the right questions. From our experience, Chinese employees may not open up initially; you might have to probe more deeply until your colleague shares their thoughts on a matter.
Training and Development:
Offer training and development opportunities to remote employees to help them enhance their skills and advance their careers. As Richard Branson famously said, “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
In our experience, employees on The China Desk value the opportunity to develop; some examples are:
- An Account Manager in Guangzhou taking PMP courses for upskilling in project management.
- A Supply Chain Manager in Tianjin taking English classes to further improve communication with different company departments.
- A Technical Project Manager in Tianjin travelling to the U.K. to join company workshops on improving product delivery across many geographies.
Sometimes, employees may not know what training to undertake or might be too busy to consider it themselves, so you may need to take the initiative in order to deliver the training.
Bonus Tip: On-the-Ground Employee Relations with The China Desk
From our experience, a remote team in China may not feel very secure when employed by a faceless HR firm in China. Having a function on the ground where they can engage with their actual employer of record (EOR) can provide a sense of stability and recognition.
At Kinyu, we refer to this as the General Manager function, in which we hold weekly meetings with all teams on The China Desk, understand their work challenges, and provide suggestions for improvement. Employee relations represent the softer side of HR management, which employer-of-record firms do not usually offer.
Since The China Desk specializes solely in the supply chain, product, and manufacturing sectors, we are uniquely positioned to understand the responsibilities of your employees and provide this meaningful on-the-ground engagement.
This approach can increase employee retention and improve project delivery times. If you’re interested in learning how Kinyu SCM can simplify your operations in China, we’re offering a free review of your China office infrastructure to see if you can save money and time by using The China Desk!
