Workplace reviews and discussion: 財團法人台北基督教女青年會

At the beginning of my employment, the work atmosphere was harmonious, and supervisors would also provide assistance regarding situations encountered at work. While working with clients, I came to understand the value of social work and learned many professional techniques and skills through the job.

1. Management tends to evaluate work performance subjectively, which can affect annual performance reviews. If you end up on a supervisor’s blacklist, your evaluations will mostly start at grade B and go downward. In addition, supervisors often attribute problems employees encounter to the employees themselves rather than considering adjustments to workloads or reflecting on internal organizational issues. For example, when employees report excessive workloads, supervisors offer verbal encouragement and indicate that if employees cannot finish their work or meet requirements, it is because they are not working hard enough.

2. Senior employees (compared with other members of the team; this may mean one year or more than two years of experience) are expected to train newcomers, assist with administrative matters (such as helping assign cases and checking junior employees’ records), and take on more challenging programs (such as leading groups, organizing network consensus camps, and participating in the writing of conference papers). Their workload gradually increases, but supervisors almost never adjust work assignments based on delays in employees’ progress or their physical and mental condition.

3. The approval standards for overtime are inflexible. Only activities such as telephone sessions with clients, face-to-face visits, and company-related activities can be reported as overtime. Writing records and handling administrative matters cannot be claimed as overtime. Supervisors also require employees to clock out at the end of their regular working hours first; if they stay to work overtime, it is considered their own choice. Reported overtime can only be compensated with time off in lieu. If employees wish to receive overtime pay instead, both supervisors and HR will subject them to various forms of questioning and concern.

4. There are often religion-related activities. Basically, there is one almost every month, and employees are required to attend and assist with or participate in them. In the past, for example, employees were asked to sing hymns on stage and participate in communal prayers.

5. Over the past two years, due to the issues mentioned above and organizational expansion, job transfers have been frequent. On average, one or two people may resign or transfer each month. As a result, the team is constantly changing, and supervisors also keep changing (although they basically follow the same way of thinking). When all vacancies have not been filled, one person usually has to take on multiple roles, and the workload can double.

6. The organization is relatively conservative on gender-related issues and may express objections to the content or titles of certain lectures.