Unbounded Way has sat down with Ms. Minh Ngoc Phan Thi, HR Business Partner, who has been based in SCGP headquarters for five years already. Her interview reflects how she has worked happily despite cultural differences and living far away from her hometown.
“My role is to support SCGP employees in Vietnam. At work, I need to balance things between employees and executives or the company’s direction. My job is quite tough, challenging, and sensitive. I have always been looking for the best solutions for all at each time. When I contact others, I also have to ensure that my communications suit the needs of each person,”Ms. Ngoc reveals.
“Importantly, I keep exploring, learning, and experimenting with people I work with. I don’t focus on whether a task is difficult. I focus on how to achieve it.
“When I first came to Thailand, I didn’t understand many things. During the first three months here, I was not so sure that I could stay on. Back then, I was not experienced enough to be familiar with the work and the people. Yet, I knew deep down that my job would be useful to me.
“‘My supervisor taught me that I will get to know better through observations and that I should show my sincerity. Other staff had not worked with a foreigner like me before. Over time, I’ve realized that not only this job suits but also the working environment.
“My determined mindset is that I have never said ‘No’ to opportunities. I know they will create value for me. Thanks to my job here, I’ve grown a lot personally and professionally. I am now able to take care of, assist, and even inspire others with benefits to employees involved and the firm as a whole.
“Cultural difference is not a challenge. Different places and different behaviors are not obstacles. It’s just that they may seem unfamiliar and hard to cope with at first.
“When our job is about mindset and behavior, we should set examples and do it with consistency. When Work-from-Home started, I was quite clueless as to how to motivate employees in Vietnam and ensure they could work efficiently. So, I focused on holding daily meetings. At first, many didn’t know how meetings would help. They turned up late or even skipped meetings. But as meetings have been held regularly, their benefits become clear. Employees then keenly join in to share their views and update one another. It’s useful to our work.
“Professional HR officers must lead and initiate. If you believe a certain thing has value, do it. Don’t give up easily. With perseverance and consistency, you will achieve success and deliver value for sure.”