Overall, it’s fairly relaxed. Since all the factories have been moved elsewhere, there honestly isn’t that much to do here. The atmosphere is harmonious with most colleagues, although getting along with a few people really depends on whether your personalities click. Compared with other companies in the same industry, they are genuinely more generous with pay.
The person calling the shots for one department is across the Strait. Some people here will latch onto the slightest connection to authority and use it as a pretext to become the underground commander. Whether things go well depends entirely on their mood that day. There are currently no openings in that department, but that may change after the Lunar New Year. Cliques also exist; don’t casually step into some of them—the waters run deep, and you could drown.
This company is a subsidiary of Pou Chen Corporation, and its systems and policies generally follow those of Pou Chen. It mainly processes cowhide and sells it to shoe factories, 3C product manufacturers, and other industries that use leather. It has two factories, one in China and one in Vietnam. The position I applied for was a business role assigned to Dongguan, China. The business department is divided into the Development Team and the Customer Complaint Team.
1. The salary is arguably the most generous among companies in the same industry in Taiwan. Performance bonuses are distributed as long as targets are met, but the year-end bonus is exceptionally poor.
2. The atmosphere in the business department at the Dongguan plant in China is harmonious.
3. Six sets of plane tickets per year and eight days of leave for home visits each time.
4. Overseas-assignment positions include meals and accommodation, as well as cleaning staff who clean rooms and wash clothes, etc. (However, I think these are basic benefits for overseas-assignment positions.)
Pou Chen is a well-known family business. Naturally, companies within its group are similar: with the right connections, getting hired is incredibly easy. This subsidiary is no exception. Some of the Taiwan-based executives are second-generation family members, and regarding the conduct of several of them, the company can only turn a blind eye. (I left the company between May and June 2020.)
1. The Business Development Team basically serves as the liaison between the U.S. and China factories, responsible for resolving difficult and miscellaneous problems, making it the busiest team in the company. The Customer Complaint Team, on the other hand, goes “out” to handle abnormal issues with mass-produced products. It was extremely busy when orders were plentiful in the past, but now it is so idle that you can do whatever you want—even sleep in the car or go for a walk outside. You are even reimbursed for lunch and dinner expenses, making this team the company’s parasites.
2. The Development Team’s managers lead by example and do not put on airs; they also get along well with the other business staff. The Customer Complaint Team’s manager is the second-generation child of a senior executive at another company in the Pou Chen Group (a parachuted appointee with no relevant industry experience), so some managers and other employees at or above the managerial level within the company sometimes have to watch his mood. Yet his work attitude is not as good as that of the Development Team’s managers. He spends much of his working time slacking off, and because he lacks experience, he manages people very poorly without realizing it. Instead, he thinks highly of himself, cannot manage the Chinese employees, and only dares to target the Taiwanese employees. If you bring him any work-related issue, besides passing the buck, he will also withhold information and wait for you to make a mistake before criticizing you for things you did not even know about.
3. There are too many factions within the company, making work difficult, and its thinking is outdated. People pass the buck back and forth. It is not a good choice for those who genuinely want to get things done, but it may be worth considering if you want a stable life and a civil-servant-like lifestyle. As long as you do not make any major mistakes, promotion is almost guaranteed once you have enough seniority, and your work performance is not given much consideration.
4. At present, some foreign managers and above are in charge. The Taiwan-based executives no longer have much real authority, but they still direct the Taiwanese employees, while their salaries and benefits differ drastically.
The pandemic has had a huge impact. Based on my guess, this company may not recruit again in the near future. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and I will do my best to respond.
Pros
1. Located in a building in Taichung’s 7th Redevelopment Zone CBD, with a great environment and views
2. A Pou Chen subsidiary, so it offers the same benefits as Pou Chen
3. A fresh start for the new e-commerce department (?)
4. There may be a performance bonus every month
Cons
1. The e-commerce product designer also has to work as a general assistant (labeling, organizing the warehouse, employee purchases, finding vendors, etc.)
2. The e-commerce manager’s emotional stability is hard to assess; you can only try your best to avoid being singled out (if they say you didn’t handle something properly, apologize instead of telling them that you had previously warned them there might be a problem)
3. The e-commerce department works at a very fast pace. Even when handling miscellaneous tasks, new product design drawings cannot be delayed (you have to work overtime at home; due to institutional issues, the manager generally does not allow overtime, but the work still has to be completed)
4. Although it is under Pou Chen and everything follows the Labor Standards Act, the manager may still ask you to withdraw your overtime application
5. The monthly performance evaluation depends on how much the manager likes you
The location and work environment are very good. Colleagues in the office and other departments are very friendly, and the benefits system provides all leave required under the Labor Standards Act.
1. Monthly performance bonuses and year-end bonuses are awarded based on evaluations by department managers, so it is important that your manager likes you.
2. Staff turnover in the e-commerce department is high, and employees often need to cover other positions without receiving an additional allowance for doing so.
3. Administrative procedures are cumbersome, and the system follows traditional-industry practices, making it difficult to achieve the immediacy required in e-commerce.
4. In the e-commerce department, greater attention needs to be paid to how you communicate with your manager. Work can proceed normally as long as you maintain a good relationship with your manager.
This company is a subsidiary under the Pou Chen Group. It is engaged in leather-related products, mainly bags, and can be considered part of Pou Chen’s business operations.
From sending the invitation through the end of the process, HR treated the interviewee with great respect and carefully reviewed the interviewee’s résumé. This was highly commendable. This kind of screening process can further improve the compatibility between both parties at work, and deserves strong recognition!
Currently, the company’s entire product line and customer base must be developed from scratch. It is a highly challenging job. However, as a large company, it has relevant strategies in place, and relevant industry experience may still be given the highest priority. This cannot really be called a drawback, but applicants can search for more relevant information before the interview to help them perform well during the interview and, if ultimately hired, make good use of their strengths.