NO

The industry is extremely closed off, making it relatively difficult to change jobs or switch careers in the future. The business department is treated like a jack-of-all-trades support team. Although they claim to serve European and American clients, in reality they mostly just act like messengers forwarding messages, so you learn virtually nothing substantive. The various departments operate under the mentality that there will always be fresh graduates to trick. Staff turnover is high, but the boss never reflects on why, and the managers’ positions remain firmly secure. Professional expertise is treated with extreme disrespect; everything is based on what senior company executives say (executive directors, vice presidents, and above). If you challenge them, they will tear into you relentlessly. What they need are managers who execute the executives’ wishes—but when something goes wrong, you are expected to take responsibility yourself. As the article above says, if you have no ideas about your work and can tolerate being scolded, overworked, and verbally abused, then go for it. It is an extremely personality-driven organizational culture. Many senior managers may have high IQs but absolutely no EQ, especially certain female executives. The way these female executives flatter and fawn over the boss, acting one way in public and another behind people’s backs, is striking. They appear to care about department employees, but in reality they do not. Their eyes are basically above their heads, and they have an air of self-importance and superiority, believing their positions place them high above others. This environment has ultimately produced a group of employees who do not dare to speak the truth or express their genuine opinions. Perhaps those who are accustomed to it will stay there for the rest of their lives, unable to leave, continually slacking off without dignity or waiting for new hires to be berated. For people with ideas, being able to stay until reaching a short-term goal and then leave is already considered good; many leave before completing six months.

In addition, new hires have to write a daily journal every day. If you can accept that and do not find it too traditional, then you can go. Senior colleagues are very fond of pulling rank, and often use forced standing or harsh scolding to half-humiliate people and assert dominance. The company as a whole does not have an organizational culture that welcomes outside ideas. Fresh graduates who are too opinionated, or people with work experience who are too eager to make changes, are not a good fit.

When September and October arrive, new hires are divided into groups, and every new hire has to perform at the year-end banquet. The only exceptions are pregnancy or an injured hand or foot; otherwise, you will be assigned a coach. On average, you have to stay two evenings a week to practice. Sorry, that time is considered your own. Employees are expected to work on typhoon days. You will be notified that morning whether you need to come in, but if you live far away, sorry—you are expected to leave home early yourself. There is no business-trip allowance. It used to be 300, but according to senior colleagues, it has now been cut. For transportation, they tell you to take an intercity bus because the allowance is only a little over a hundred dollars. If it rains heavily and you need to take a taxi, sorry—you have to pay out of pocket. You have to stay an extra 15 minutes to eat dinner, which I consider fairly normal. However, providing soy milk, coffee, and cereal is already standard at many other companies in Taiwan. Many traditional manufacturing and technology companies even provide afternoon tea, cakes, and snacks, while foreign companies may have gyms. If you do not believe this, try interviewing at more places. There are plenty of companies in Taiwan with good benefits, and as times have changed, these are basic provisions rather than benefits.

For most departments, working hours end around 8 p.m., occasionally 9 p.m., depending on the department. The business department works until 8 or 9 p.m.; I have heard the engineering department is similar, and the IT department reportedly works even later. In addition, the company computers are highly restricted and cannot access external information, which is extremely inconvenient.

There are occasional employee-purchase events, but you have to compete to get anything. In fact, the items are unwanted display products put up for sale at a discount, but they are still priced above cost—around 30%–40% of the market price. When you have a child, you can choose from two products, but it depends on whether they are in stock.