How to Keep Your Job? Develop a Global Work Ethic!
By Marion Marking

Marion Marking is editor in chief at China Business – Philippines, a monthly magazine available at National Bookstore, Powerbooks, Fully Booked, Bibliarch, leading newsstands nationwide, online via http://ChinaBusinessPhilippines.com, and to clients of leading coffee houses and hotels in the metro. She can be reached at marion.marking@gmail.com.

I recently had this friendly argument with a US-based pal regarding the American work ethic versus the Asian one. Apparently, my pal's company was dealing with the US financial crisis by cutting mandatory vacation days to five, and employees were complaining.

I told her, “Hey, I only have five! Americans are spoiled.” But I had to admit that government mandated holidays here bring the actual number of leaves to a whopping 20 days, almost a whole month's worth of leaves! (10 regular holidays + approximately 5 special holidays + 5 company mandated = 20!)

She said the American work ethic is intense, unlike the Filipino one (She was nice enough to say that I was an exception to the rule.); so five days is inhuman.

I have to agree that, to some extent, Filipinos are more laid back—and tend to step it up only when they work overseas. But I refuse to agree that I am one of the few exceptions to the rule.

I know of many managers here in the Philippines who work very intensely and care more about a job well done than how many hours their company is paying for. And, as if their job weren't enough of an outlet for all their energy, a number of them have a small business alongside their regular corporate gig. Others have already left well paying corporate posts to set up their own business.

I guess a good compromise between the views of my friend and mine is not to distinguish between an American and Asian work ethic, but to simply call it a global work ethic.

In the coming days, the only people who will do well (or keep their jobs!), I reckon, are those who have a global work ethic. Are you one of them? If your answer to the following is “yes,” then you are likely to survive hard times.

1. Are you always energetic on the job and know how to inspire and push yourself regardless of what goes on around you?

2. Are you independent enough to go about your day without handholding from your superior or imposing on your colleagues for simple tasks?

3. Can you work with a team and make a substantial contribution by volunteering and not just waiting for someone to assign you something?

4. Do you have a spirit of entrepreneurship that makes you look after the benefit of the company you work for, not constantly going around with a chip on your shoulder about how your company owes you?

5. Do you enjoy your work and get positive feedback from your superiors on a regular basis?

6. Are you self-motivated to seek improvements on the way you do things, not being content with the status quo?

7. Are you honest with your time?

I hope you honestly answered “yes” to all the above questions.

Happy People Power day! May we all prove that the Filipino is indeed worth dying for!