樹花園股份有限公司

1. Subsidies for exams for certifications related to job requirements

2. All-you-can-eat promises

To make my own experience public while also helping future job seekers make a more informed decision about whether to work at Tree Garden, I will explain it in two parts: subjective and objective:

Subjective: This is a company with absolutely no systems or procedures; no systems means no protection. My first interview was in February. 104 showed a regular salary of over NT$40,000, but after the interview, the supervisor said they could not decide the salary (I had stated an expected salary of NT$40,000) because the supervisor for the position was on extended leave, so I would have to wait for a while. I waited for two months and, having no choice, found a temporary job. Later, I contacted the company again myself before finally having a second interview with the supervisor for the original position.

During the interview, the supervisor directly said that because I had no experience, they would cut NT$5,000 from the salary, leaving me with NT$35,000. They said the probationary period would be somewhere between one and three months, followed by a raise of NT$5,000–10,000. In the end, after three months, I received only a NT$3,000 raise. During that time, I also spent two months of weekends attending classes (without overtime pay) and obtained an arborist certification. When I asked whether there was anything I needed to improve, the only response I received was, “We’re still observing you.”

At the exit interview, they also labeled me as someone who learns very slowly. When I asked for specific examples, they could only ramble and could not provide a clear answer. In this way, they wasted five months of my time.

Objective:

1. Office: There are no exterior windows. It should be considered a warehouse, not an office in the true sense. Writing proposals requires strong administrative writing skills. Because the company has a high turnover rate among frontline employees, there are quite a few young people in the department, making communication and cooperation relatively easy.

2. Outdoor tree surveys: You never know what projects the supervisor has taken on externally; usually, you only find out the actual situation after arriving on site. I have worked in ruins and on reclaimed wasteland. Because we had to measure tree dimensions, entering the sites required climbing onto the ruins or cutting through grass by hand. Being bitten by mosquitoes and other insects all over the body was standard; mosquito repellent and similar products had become completely ineffective. I was even stung by a hornet while cutting grass. Fortunately, I did not have an allergic reaction; otherwise, if I had gone into shock, it would have taken quite a while to get from the wasteland to a hospital.

Conclusion: I know there are certainly many more companies like this in Taiwan, and there are undoubtedly even worse ones. But I want to expose this so more people will know. People work to earn money; why should employers be allowed to make empty promises to job seekers, casually waste several months of their time, and use “the probationary period” as an excuse to rationalize employing people at low salaries that do not match the advertised amount? Conversely, if I disliked the company after three months, could I also make the company lose money? As for safety issues, is it not dangerously negligent to have employees enter an environment where, without their knowledge, they could be bitten by snakes, stung by bees, or even encounter fire ants?

As long as you’re tough enough, willing enough to be exploited, and obedient enough, the company will keep giving you raises—raising your pay entirely according to the company’s preferences. But even if you slack off while collecting your paycheck, you won’t get fired.

1. There is no consistent system; things are constantly changing depending on whether the people above you are in a good mood.

2. You have to be self-reliant. Supervisors in some departments won’t help you and may occasionally disappear, making them impossible to find.

3. The year-end bonus is entirely a matter of luck. It’s recommended that you act more obedient and more willing to be exploited, cooperate obediently with overtime, and refrain from protesting even when things are unreasonable. Don’t be so calculating, and you’ll receive good treatment!

Basically, the company loudly chants slogans about dedication, teamwork, and cherishing things, but in practice, you have to cooperate until you collapse to earn the empty title of “honorary employee.” Remember: unless you’re talented enough, you must never react to anything unreasonable, or you’ll be labeled a bad employee.

Conclusion: If you really are talented, you deserve a better company.