Workplace reviews and discussion: 敦謙國際旅店管理顧問有限公司

It’s been a few months since I joined the company at the beginning of the year, and personally, I don’t think things are as bad as some of the other reviews make them sound! Perhaps it’s a matter of personal experience, ability, or being in a different department, or perhaps the company is improving—so I’ll just share my own thoughts.

I’ve worked for more than 10 years, at both a listed international conglomerate and a small company with fewer than 10 employees, in industries ranging from traditional manufacturing to technology. My longest job lasted nearly 10 years and my shortest only a few months, so I believe I have a reasonable amount of experience.

Here are my thoughts after these few months. Before the interview, I also did my research and treated both positive and negative reviews as references to get a preliminary understanding of the company. If it wasn’t a good fit, there would be no point wasting each other’s time. The hospitality industry has generally been affected by the pandemic, but I found that Dinnsen has changed significantly over the past two years and has grown against the trend. That is also why I was willing to take on the challenge of joining Dinnsen—I’m quite optimistic about its future development. However, I also noticed some issues: Dinnsen’s business expanded rapidly in a short period of time, so its staffing and systems have fallen somewhat behind. This adjustment period is unavoidable, and things should gradually improve.

The bosses are very young, around the same age as everyone else, and they often dress casually. If you didn’t know them, you might think they were colleagues from another department. Because they are young, communication and sharing ideas are actually much more relaxed. If you have worked at a large company or for a boss like Terry Gou, you would know how stressful it can be to constantly walk on eggshells.

When I first joined the company, it was in an old office building. There were many people, so it was somewhat crowded, and eating was inconvenient. Recently, however, we moved to a new building, and the environment has been upgraded dramatically. On the 24th floor, there is an unobstructed view with no building directly in front, overlooking the beautiful CMP Greenway. The seating area is spacious, and there are snacks and treats available as well.

As long as you finish your work during working hours, you can generally leave and arrive on time. I also haven’t encountered anyone giving me attitude. Some people say that lunch is only one hour and that you have to eat while working. But the company doesn’t impose such a restriction—when it’s break time, you can simply take a break and eat. There’s no need to put on a show for others; as long as you can justify your salary to yourself, that’s enough. In many companies, people in business development are simply willing to spend extra time developing one or two more clients, and that depends entirely on the individual. I previously encountered a really unpleasant manager at another job, and I left because I couldn’t tolerate it. At Dinnsen, everyone is young, and colleagues get along quite harmoniously and happily. Unlike at my previous company, there aren’t older employees playing political games or throwing their seniority around.

As for whether you can handle the work, that depends on your individual abilities. After working at so many companies, I still haven’t encountered a job where you can just coast. You simply do your best to fulfill your responsibilities, earn a little more money, and gain some sense of accomplishment.

Looking down from the 24th floor through the windows can make you feel a little wobbly.