China Staff articles from March 2003

China Staff archives from March 2003

Can foreign investors influence Chinese workplaces? With overseas investors increasingly concerned about the conditions of factories in China, the pressure to improve workplace practices is rising. However, implementing change from the outside is a complex business. (Special Feature).
March 1, 2003... When activists attacked Nike a decade ago over conditions in offshore factories, they forced the world's most famous sports shoe company to consider their obligations in workplaces they did not own, but which supplied goods to them. Like the...

HR and the bottom line: where do the opportunities for Hong Kong lie? The links between an organization's HR practices and its financial position have often tended to be sketchy at best. Even when the links can be established, organizations in the region are often slow to react. China STAFF looks at the Human Capital Index and the lessons it can teach Hong Kong. (Hong Kong Focus).
March 1, 2003... Not many HR professionals in the region would dispute the line that superior HR practices can drive better financial performance. Many CEOs have also started viewing HR as a strategic function of the business, rather than an administrative cost...

Putting the stress on corporate values at Nokia: a commitment to living the corporate values is one way in which Nokia has become an employer of choice in China. China STAFF finds out that it is also one of the key methods for maintaining a work/life balance and reducing executive stress. (Case Study).
March 1, 2003... When China STAFF recently approached Shahrukh Marfatia, Director of Human Resources for Nokia (China), to talk about Nokia's approach to workplace stress, the conversation quickly turned to the subject of corporate values. Nokia's approach...

Search and assessment: complimentary services or conflict of interest? Executive search firms are increasingly offering a wider range of services to their clients than simple headhunting. Some of these, such as executive assessment, have raised the eyebrows of HR commentators for perceived conflicts of interest. (Recruitment).
March 1, 2003... Times are tough all across Asia. And when companies in the region are doing it tough, they tend to hire fewer people. It should therefore come as no surprise that the executive search industry, especially in Hong Kong, has taken a hit in recent...

New insurance procedures for non-local employees in Shanghai. (Legal Briefing).
March 1, 2003... The Shanghai Municipality, Non-local Employees Comprehensive Insurance Tentative Procedures became effective late last year. The Procedures apply to organizations and enterprises (including non-local construction enterprises) operating...

Vicarious liability in Hong Kong--where are we now? (Legal Briefing).
March 1, 2003... As employers may be aware, there is a well-established legal principle that an employer is liable for the wrongful acts of employees in the course of employment. This is known as "vicarious liability". The employer need not be personally at...

Prevalence of company cars versus cash transportation allowance in multinational firms in the PRC. (Data Page).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Prevalence of company cars versus cash transportation allowance in multinational firms in the PRC Provision of Company Car American European Asian PRC Expatriates Expatriates...

Dramatic change in policy sees PRC nationals gain easier access to HK employers. (Hong Kong News).
March 1, 2003... Despite being part of China for nearly six years, Hong Kong had previously placed strict immigration controls that meant PRC nationals were not allowed to apply for Hong Kong employment visas except in very limited circumstances. This is set to...

Recruitment expectations low-key amongst Hong Kong employers. (Hong Kong News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Employers in Hong Kong are taking a cautious approach to hiring new staff, according to the latest Job Index Survey, produced by recruitment firm TMP Worldwide. The survey shows the majority of respondents (67.5%) surveyed in Hong Kong...

Jobs perks still high on the agenda in the race for expatriate talent. (Hong Kong News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Many multinational companies are still offering generous benefits to entice foreigners to senior positions, worth seven times as much as their local counterparts, a recent survey has found. The survey by Hong Kong-based HR Business...

New employee compensation scheme to take effect in April. (Hong Kong News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and the newly formed Employees Compensation Insurer Insolvency Bureau (ECIIB) have recently entered into an agreement on the establishment of the Employees Compensation Insurer Insolvency Scheme. ...

Civil servants agree cut pay to 1997 levels. (Hong Kong News).
March 1, 2003... Salaries for Hong Kong's civil servants will be cut back to 1997 levels, according to a recent announcement by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Joseph Wong. The reduction will be implemented over the next two financial years, with the...

Salaries in southern China on the increase. (China News).
March 1, 2003... A recent Guangzhou Labour and Management Association survey found that average salary increases of 6.1% year-on-year were paid to senior staff in Guangzhou-based foreign firms in the 2002-2003 fiscal year, which represents a jump of 0.3...

Job fair organizers in Shanghai forced to clean up their act. (China News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Prompted by unscrupulous behaviour by some jobs fair organizers, the city of Shanghai has formulated regulations to provide a legal framework for these agencies. Unfair practices from the agencies usually include falsely advertising the...

Private sector eclipses foreign-funded companies as biggest employers in Shanghai. (China News).
March 1, 2003... According to a recent report from Shanghai's Labour and Social Security Department, private enterprises have replaced foreign-funded companies as the biggest employer in Shanghai. The report, which featured in the Shanghai Daily, shows the...

Outdated personnel file system causing problems. (China News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Shanghai Daily has reported that China's personnel filing system is under increasing strain, as people refuse to pay fees and resent the administrative shadow following their careers. The traditional system of personnel files, long a...

More labour unrest in China's northeast. (China News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The labour unrest that has dogged China's northeastern provinces has escalated, with workers of a textile factory recently marching on the streets to pressure the Chinese government to pay their unemployment insurance and back pay. This latest...

Partnerships to boost IT expertise in China. (China News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... As demand for senior software professionals increases, China will place more emphasis on collaboration with multinational information technology (IT) organizations in software training. The China International Talent Exchange Foundation has...