Anthony Leung
Managing director, Hong Kong and Macau, FedEx Express
Importance
With the improving economy, job-seekers want to find a company where they can excel and achieve long-term job satisfaction. For that, they should consider the corporate culture of the organisation they hope to join. This has a big impact on their day-to-day work and career development because a company's values, beliefs and expectations define so much. Successful organisations have a strong, positive corporate culture that offers employees a springboard for personal success.
Merits of the culture
Our People-Service-Profit (PSP) philosophy has always been the bedrock of FedEx's value system. We hire, develop and reward people who, in turn, become the face of the company in their communities where they serve local needs with passion. We believe that taking good care of employees translates into quality services for customers, which leads to increasing corporate profits. For example, a few years ago, one of our operations co-ordinators learned a shipment was urgently needed for a wedding in Singapore. It arrived late in Hong Kong from Shenzhen and could not catch the same-day flight out. But the co-ordinator led a team to search for the package and arranged for it to be flown on a different flight, just in time for the wedding. This a great example of PSP, fostering a culture where employees feel motivated to go above and beyond for customers.
Policies
We encourage managers to engage team members through regular discussions, "skip-level" meetings, and on-the-job coaching. I enjoy going out with our couriers and making deliveries with them. This gives me a better understanding of their day-to-day challenges. We also bring employees together in social settings through community and family events. These help to build camaraderie and strengthen personal bonds. Having a strong corporate culture makes it easier for us to attract like-minded people.
Cynthia Leong
Director of human resources, Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Culture
Our stated mission in Mandarin Oriental is to completely delight and satisfy our guests. That means our staff must be committed to making a difference every day, continually getting better to keep us the best.
It is also our belief that success as a business comes from creating a culture that provides a motivating and rewarding environment.
Merits of the culture
The main objective is to create a climate of enthusiasm, continuous learning and good teamwork.
In a hotel, mutual respect and trust are very important because we need colleagues to work closely together and to have an excellent level of communication with one another.
In addition, we have to make sure there are clear guidelines so that everyone can understand the culture and the company's overall direction. Key to this is that management must "walk the talk" by working and behaving in a way that shows we mean what we say.
Policies
We have a "Lobby Fan" programme that gives our managers and executives a chance to help out in the hotel lobby.
At least twice a month, they can find themselves opening doors and carrying luggage for guests. This not only improves communication between back- and front-office staff but also clearly demonstrates the spirit of "walk the talk".
This initiative has been running since the very first Mandarin Oriental hotel opened and the programme's title refers to the fan on our logo and the fact that we are dedicated supporters of all our guests.
To groom employees for broader responsibilities, we invest in continuous learning and offer a well-structured framework to take each person from junior to senior levels.
