Rlchard Pettlnger

MANAGING ACROSS CULTURES

The main lessons in how this should be done are taught by Japanese manufacturing companies in their attitude and approach to setting up operations in the West. In terms of stress management, they substitute one very real potential source of stress – the pressure to conform and

50 STRESS MANAGEMENT
do things their way – in return for removing all the others such as job insecurity, low levels of pay, rewards and achievement, lack of opportunities, alienation, and absence of mutual identity and respect. Staff induction, orientation, and job training is high level and contin- uous. Multiskilling, full flexibility of working, and all-round capability and commitment are required. In return for this, Japanese car, elec- trical goods (and lately financial services companies also), and other manufacturers provide the best levels of pay and rewards available in their sectors. This, together with job security, trade union recognition, and commitments to retrain and redeploy, rather than lay off or make redundant, has ensured that a largely stress-free environment is created and maintained.

In the UK, US and newly independent States (the former communist bloc), the companies originally made a point of locating in areas of high unemployment. They effectively ‘‘came to live in these areas’’ as corporate citizens, bringing benefits and comfort as well as work and prosperity. This is achieved through extensive and long-term invest- ment that combines respect for local history, customs, and traditions with long-term provision of high quality work, working environment, salaries, and security of employment.

It is important to recognize that the pressure to conform referred to above has brought with it isolated causes of individual stress, and this is symptomatic of the need to pay constant attention to this aspect of management. For example, Nissan UK had to pay compensation to one female employee when the company tried to insist that she turned up for evening and weekend social functions as a condition of employment. So, even the overtly best employers have to be constantly vigilant.