What is the "job satisfaction" that Thai local employees seek? Hints for retention seen from differences in values

This is Endo from IIJ Thailand.

When I interact with local subsidiaries of Japanese companies in Thailand, I often hear complaints such as "They quit soon after being hired" and "Young employees don't stay." I feel that the values ​​of Thai employees are strongly reflected in the "job satisfaction" aspect, which cannot be explained by salary and benefits alone.　

What makes Thai employees feel motivated to work?

First of all, in Thailand, "good interpersonal relationships" seems to be a major factor in choosing a workplace. If the relationship with one's superiors, the atmosphere with colleagues, or the atmosphere in the workplace do not suit one, it can lead to resignation even if there is no dissatisfaction with the work content. Young employees in particular tend to place a strong emphasis on "whether they can work happily" and "whether they are respected," and it seems that they may feel distanced by command-and-control management.

Another important point is the feeling of growth. Not only promotions and pay raises, but also experiences such as "learning new things" and "having one's opinions reflected" lead to job satisfaction. While "stability" tends to be seen as an attraction in Japanese companies, in Thailand, "change" and "challenge" are often seen as positive, and there are cases where employees are required to be provided with an educational system and career paths.

Furthermore, there is growing awareness of work-life balance.

• Little overtime
• Being able to take holidays properly
• Having a flexible work system

These seem to be the criteria for choosing a company. This is not just about employee benefits, but is rooted in the value of whether or not the workplace allows you to value your own time.

The value of "working with peace of mind" supported by Thailand's labor system

The background to this is Thailand's labor law*1There are also systems in place to protect health and lifestyles, such as up to 30 days of paid sick leave per year. With the right to take time off for illness or medical treatment now legally guaranteed, employees are increasingly seeking an environment where they can work with peace of mind.

Incidentally, in Japan, there is no such statutory sick leave system, and it is common to use annual paid leave when taking time off due to illness. This difference seems to be connected to differences in values ​​regarding work styles. (Japanese employees in Thailand don't often use sick leave, so it may be a "common Japanese thing" to come to work even when you're not feeling well.)

Understanding these cultural and institutional backgrounds and considering how to support the "job satisfaction" of local employees is the key to recruiting and retention. Not only having a system in place, but also consideration of operational aspects such as "can it actually be used?" and "can people apply for it without hesitation" also leads to a sense of trust in the company.

Creating a rewarding work environment and differentiating ourselves in IT recruitment

Additionally, when recruiting IT personnel, important factors include whether there are opportunities for technical growth and an environment where employees can come into contact with the latest tools. For example, working in an environment that utilizes AWS, a cloud platform used worldwide, may be seen as an attractive workplace for young engineers as one where they can learn.

In particular, working with tools like Cloud Automator, which supports automated operations in AWS environments, offers many elements that lead to skill development. Through practical cloud operations such as job design, schedule management, cost optimization, and security enhancement, you will gain experience that will broaden your perspective as an engineer. Another attractive feature is that, despite being a no-code program, you will naturally gain an understanding of AWS configuration and operational design skills.

By the way,IIJ Managed Cloud for AWSWith this plan, you can receive support at the same level as the top-tier enterprise support offered by AWS, and you can use it with confidence as the operating environment for your company's core systems and important applications. In particular, the support for troubleshooting is comprehensive, providing a powerful backup to support stable operations locally.

Recruiting and retaining people in Thailand is not just about "hiring people," but also about "facing people." I believe that by understanding local values ​​and systems and creating an environment where employees feel motivated to work, we can find talented people who will work for us for a long time.


*1 Thailand Labor Protection Act (BE 2541) Full Text