The Romanian politician’s profile vs. the corporation employee profile

It is impossible not to be concerned with what is happening in Romania these days. Why? Because the public discourse labels the employees who work for multinational companies and not only. We are talking about that employee who always has work and its result in mind. To the most of us, last week meant the disregard and disrespect towards the values which guide us through our lives. No matter if we internalized/identified with them in our families, schools, friends ‘circles, churches, in the companies we work for, they are the ones who give us a path and a point of reference in our day to day decisions.

Our behavior is an expression of the values we have as employees, entrepreneurs, managers. It is an important moment when we are aware of them, when we have them well-defined in our minds and their put into practice is natural.

In this whole chaos of events, among other shocking aspects, one seemed to me to be completely void of any sense, labeling the employees of multinational companies. The employees’ profile is of people who work and learn every day. I would like to underline “and learn” because we are acting on a moving market which brings new products, services and requirements from clients.

We have the eternal problem: the lack of an educational structural reform to bring us closer to the market’s requirements makes the employer take this responsibility. In other words, the employer has the task of forming a series of skills and of raising the level of the knowledge in employees. To that we are already used to, and the effort is not only the employer’s effort, but also the employee’s.

In 15 years I have seen candidates for different positions coming from national or multinational companies with Romanian or international capital, belonging to businesses open in Romania or in Europe, so I would say I could draw a picture of what the profile of these labeled employees means. It remains that you make a comparison with the Romanian politician’s profile who easily stigmatizes, no matter his party.

They are used to starting things by defining a vision and clear objectives to help them reach that vision.

They are clearly defining what the evolution of the company will be and they do not do it for a few months or a year. We are talking about 4 years, underlining the big actions, with an impact, even if the effort is bigger, not the unique approaches with immediate results, but with a small long-term impact. It is today’s employee in a multinational company.

They define the reality in which they currently live by using as many objective data, numbers and facts as possible.

From such reality they start defining development plans. Sometimes a negative script, such as an economic increase by 3.7% (source: BNR), is preferable to one by 5.2% (the government). It is today’s employee in a multinational company.

He/she appreciates transparency and discussions using clear arguments.

Debate and dialogue can be passionate, especially if they believe in their solutions, but they do not cross ethical boundaries, you do not see pushes and lack of common sense. It is today’s employee in a multinational company.

They are used to monitoring the results they get from their work

So, terms as KPI, streamlining, continuous improvement, KAIZEN, Lean Management, cost optimization etc. are part of their everyday language and of their way of thinking. It is today’s employee in a multinational company.

They are used to volunteering.

A part of their work impacts the community they belong to. They are used to volunteering because helping when you can become a way of life, rewarded by an ill child’s smile, by a handshake of a grandfather forgotten by his family, by the sun which caresses the trees just planted in a reforestation action, by a dog who fawns upon your feet as a sign of gratitude that you pet it and show it some love. It is today’s employee in a multinational company.

They prefer the alignment between what they say and what they do.

Their values guide their behavior, so when there is a difference between what they think and the surrounding reality, they will search for another place. They are aware that any cognitive dissonance affects their daily existence. It is today’s employee in a multinational company.

They strive to find life-work harmony.

They do that because they are caught between their job and their personal life. The balance between them is a desire many have not accomplished yet, feeling the frustration no matter the direction in which the balance hangs. It is today’s employee in a multinational company.

They stay in their circle of people who share the same values.

When they do not feel represented by the political class, they ignore it and stay in their circle of people who share the same values. I have seen that this was not a solution. A vote is the most elegant way through which we can control things, even if only once in every 4 years. On the other hand, they are present in regard to sanctioning the slippery slope and the breaking of values which are at our core as a society. It is today’s employee in a multinational company.

It is late when I finish this article. Before I close my laptop, I look once again on news websites and I see: the sudden push of a deputy in parliament, the hysteria of a lady with a criminal record, the obscene gestures of a member of the parliament, no matter the party… I turn off my laptop, this is not my Romania…

This is my Romania! And I am proud of it!

Best regards,

Claudia