Offer To The CEO

Tuesday, continued …

Looking around at the somewhat stunned faces in front of him, Hou Yi continued "The reason that you are being given this chance is that you have earnt our trust over the time that you have been with the company. Do not disappoint us over the next four months. Prove to us why you deserve this promotion, sell yourself to us, but respect the company and the ethos that we have developed."

"Most importantly, the clearest thing that I do not want to see is that you are working all god forsaken hours as you believe that this is the only way that you can show your dedication to the company. That is the easiest way to hurt yourself, people around you and the company. You achieve nothing without a work-life balance, family, friends and activities are as important as the work you do here."

"Part of the challenge that the next four months will give you is demonstrating that, as you have to show leadership as well as determination to succeed. You have the skills and the qualifications as well as having already demonstrated that you are capable. Now is the time to show those extra skills as they are as important to our success as everything else."

"What do you mean COE Hou?"

"Think about it. Yes, I work hard, as does Vice-CEO Ji and the Deputy Vice-CEO's. We achieve the business goals, work the hours where needed, but in the end we all walk out the door and go to something. Some of us have families, some of us have friends we spend time with, and we have things we do."

"As my father and grandfather always say, that business in the end will take care of itself, but if we do not care for ourselves it will fail. Why do you think we have programs encouraging staff to dedicate time to charities, schools and the like, and they do not sacrifice their wages, why do we not loose staff all the time, why are staff generally happy."

"For normal staff we make sure the policies are there, worldwide to achieve the balance for staff. As surveys in Europe show time and time again, our employees there are some of the happiest employees of large corporations. In the United States we have over two hundred applications for each entry level opening in a location, over ten thousand for each graduate position we have, and a similar amount for executive positions."

"People know we treat the staff right. That is something that you have all forgotten, in your climb to your position. Now is about setting that back in place for each of you, as if you cannot, you cannot lead large areas of the company where we intend that to happen. You need to demonstrate that ability to think about what is important."

Pausing Hou Yi took another look at the reaction of the executives in front of him. They were shocked with what he was saying. Had they not kept in mind the company policies for staff to do this. None of them expected this when he called them to this meeting.

Realising that he had gotten through to there, Hou Yi continued "Now, is there any other questions, as this is the one and only opportunity for you to ask questions about this. Vice-CEO Ji and the Deputy Vice-CEO's or the heads of the other area's divisions have instructions not to answer any questions on this. It is sink or swim for you all"

The senior executives looked at each other before Miss Lang spoke "CEO Hou, that is a lot for us to take in. Could we have until the end of the day to email you any questions we might think of before you leave?"

"Only if the emails are sent to everyone else and I will send a bulk email response. No emails will be responded to after 4pm. Now …"

"Before you have us leave CEO Hou, could you please give us a minute," said Miss Lang, and with that two of the executives went to the door, and returned carrying a large box. "We had gotten you for you and Madam Hou, thinking it would be a laugh, but it seems appropriate, as we suspect that it will get much use in the office in the next year of so."

Opening the box Hou Yi could see they decided to have some fun with him. All there was in the box was two envelopes, which he withdrew. The first envelope contained a letter from a well-known designer that they would come and set up a nursery at any time in the small apartment off his office. The second envelope contained a booklet, and when he started to read the information in the booklet, all Hou Yi could do is laugh.

Once he stopped laughing, Hou Yi said "I think that you have an idea about part of the challenge that you have been set for the next four months, otherwise why would you have made the promises in this booklet. My wife will be touched with your thoughtful and appropriate gifts for us, even though I think you though it as a gag gift. Now get out of here and back to your work."

Having got the message, the senior executives all left his office, and remembering his promise to Yao Tan, Hou Yi called the Human Resources department approving the additional leave for Amanda as he had promised.