When you've got a good boss
A neighbour of ours had been planning to leave her job with the SCG Group, the construction-materials manufacturer, after many enjoyable years, and focus on taking care of her family. But the flood crisis changed her mind - and specifically the boss, Kan
Kan told his staff at the outset of the flooding how much he valued them, so it was his top priority to keep them safe. He let those with jobs in Ayutthaya’s Rojana Industrial Park work from home, with digital access to the company computer system and via the social networks. Operations never faltered.
Kan had materials dispersed among the staff to keep flood water out of their homes – including at least 80 sandbags each. Those who were inundated got boats and relief supplies, and younger employees formed a rescue squad.
The group provides financial support if employees need to rent an apartment, and booked 500 rooms at Ambassador City Jomtien in Pattaya.
“We’re all very impressed by the measures the company’s taken,” our neighbour says. “This will pay big dividends in terms of loyalty.”
Other firms might point out that SCG earned Bt300 billion last year, so it can well afford such measures, but their own staff will no doubt be just as impressed with even a bit of extra money to get them through.
Safe with CP
Meanwhile the Charoen Pokphand Group, the country’s biggest agribusiness conglomerate, is giving employees whose homes were swamped Bt5,000-Bt10,000. If they have to rent elsewhere or stay in a hotel, they’re reimbursed the full cost.
Its affiliates including TrueMove and CP All, which runs the 7-Eleven stores, have comfortable shelters right on the premises.
Group chairman Dhanin Chearavanont made it clear that every effort would be made to keep staff safe, dry and leading lives as normal as possible.
Everyone got 30 sandbags and access to a 24-hour emergency hotline. Boats and food are on standby. And the annual bonus, usually paid on Christmas Day, came out in late October instead.
