"Working in a German company is more fun..."

FIDUCIA'S OFFICE MANAGERS IN HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI, STEPHANIE TSE AND ELLEN MI, TALK ABOUT LIFE IN TWO SIMILAR YET DIFFERENT CITIES.

China Focus (CF): What is the biggest difference between Hong Kong (HK) and Shanghai (SH)?

Stephanie Tse (ST): The cities are quite similar in terms of buildings and traffic. The most obvious difference is that in HK you can see English and Chinese everywhere. In SH, most of the signs are in Chinese and Pinyin (Chinese phonetic spelling).
Ellen Mi (EM): There are many Western influences in SH, but it is still more Chinese than HK. The philosophies and mindsets of HK and SH people are different. If you look at it from a simplified perspective, the way Shanghainese deal with business conflicts is more based upon personal feelings while the mentality in HK is more law-based. HK people are also more open-minded and more confident.

CF: Are there any differences in terms of culture?

EM: HK has a much stronger Western influence than the Mainland, but with the development of domestic artists, the Chinese are more open to accepting Western cultures nowadays. Many artists such as classical musicians or modern dancers study abroad. Young people also like Western pop music. The Chinese sports culture is also opening up and we have world-famous athletes like basketball player Yao Ming or hurdle sprinter Liu Xiang. On the other hand, the rich Chinese culture, for example Chinese folk songs, is also more and more appreciated by HK and Western people.
ST: Young people in HK like to listen to pop music from Taiwan, Singapore and other parts of Asia. Older people prefer HK pop singers like Andy Lau. As for sports, over the past few decades, there hasn't been an emphasis on sports - so there aren't as many famous sport stars as in China.

CF: How do living standards in HK compare to SH?

ST: I think they are more or less the same. SH is now very modern so the living standard is similar to HK. The difference is that there is more of a middle class in HK, whereas in SH there is a growing gap between rich and poor.
EM: I think the living standard in SH is getting better and better - people's homes are getting larger, so many people can own cars now and go travelling. The living standard has improved a lot over the last ten years.

CF: What is your favourite place in your city?

ST: My favourite places are Sai Kung and Tai O on Lantau Island. Sai Kung is on the outskirts of HK where I can breathe fresh air and there are many trees which I like. The nickname for Tai O is "Chinese Venice". I like to go there because you can see a more traditional HK, unlike in the urban centre. Many of the houses in Tai O were built on the sea and they are connected by bridges. A very unique place!
EM: I like the Bund and Liujiazhui area, it represents different "ages" of the city. Liujiazhui is very new and green with modern buildings. Just on the other side of the river is the Bund with many unique old buildings that are witnesses to SH's history and part of its culture. Many famous banks are located in this area so it is also the financial centre of SH.

"My favourite place in Hong Kong is Tai O, which is nicknamed "Chinese Venice""
Stephanie Tse, HR/Office Manager, Fiducia HK

CF: SH and HK are both known to be commuter's hell. How long do you travel to work?

EM: It takes me around an hour. That's long compared to some of my colleagues but for people in other companies it often takes even longer to arrive in their office.
ST: I travel for around 45 minutes by MTR. In HK, public transport is very convenient and it is easy to get to our office because of its central location.

CF: What makes working for a German company in SH/HK special?

ST: Working in a German company is more fun; I think it is great to have so many international influences. Our colleagues come from many different countries and they all bring in different ideas which creates more creativity. At the same time, we have a serious and disciplined working environment that gives staff a chance to learn and stay organised.
EM: Yes, there is definitely a more international environment. You can learn about different cultures and different languages, especially the Chinese staff can improve their oral and written English. The management of European and German companies is more focused on their staff's well-being than in Chinese companies. There are birthday gifts and free fruit in the office. Also, the working atmosphere between Western and Chinese staff is very good at Fiducia.

CF: How do Fiducia employees communicate in SH/HK?

EM: We use Mandarin among the Chinese employees and English with the foreign staff. Some Chinese still use the SH dialect and others even use the opportunity to practice foreign languages such as German.
ST: In our HK office, English and Cantonese are the main languages. The English level of all our staff is good, as in HK English is still the number one business language.

CF: What do Fiducia employees in SH/HK talk about in the office?

ST: Many people like to talk about Mark Six (the lottery). For those colleagues who have families, they're talking about their children and HK's education system.
EM: Recently employees like to talk about the stock market, because it is prospering and they want to earn some extra money. With the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games drawing near, many people are talking about that - there is also lots of publicity about it on television. Chinese are very proud that the Olympics will take place here. Traffic is another "hot" topic? There are lots of traffic jams and it takes longer for staff to get to the office.

CF: Fiducia organises quarterly employee outings called "Staff Club"? Which was your favourite one?

EM: On our trip to Qiandao Lake we spent two days going boating, sightseeing and playing games. The scenery is very beautiful and it was a great chance to get to know all my colleagues. I had been on staff events in other companies before but they were just dinners or karaoke, not a "trip" out of the city like that. And for our Annual Meeting this year, Fiducia even flies all employees to Hainan!
ST: My favourite was our trip to Macau last month. I found it very relaxing and we got the chance to have fun with all of our colleagues. For our next staff club I would like to organise for people to do volunteer work to make a meaningful contribution.

"On our trip to Qiandao Lake we spent two days boating, sightseeing and playing games."
Ellen Mi, HR/Office Manager, Fiducia SH

CF: What do Fiducia employees do in their free time?

ST: I like to go shopping in Mongkok or Causeway Bay or go to movies with my friends. Most of the married people go on one-day trips around HK and have a great outing for the whole family.
EM: We also go shopping and spend time with friends and family or enjoy leisure activities like playing table tennis. Two of our colleagues have twins at home so that keeps them busy too (laughs)!

CF: Since both of you mentioned it... which is China's shopping capital - HK or SH?

EM: I think HK has a better selection and better price for luxury goods whereas SH has much more department stores and supermarkets. So they're quite different.
ST: I like HK better, because it's so convenient. For luxury goods you can go to Tsim Sha Tsui or Causeway Bay, and for cheaper products you can go to Mongkok.

CF: What are the typical holiday destinations of Fiducia staff?

ST: Many people travel within China. To get to Zhuhai or Guangzhou in Guangdong province doesn't take long at all. Some of our colleagues make weekend trips to Thailand, Vietnam or Malaysia. And the Europeans in the office of course like to travel back home as often as possible.
EM: In China we have many choices. Many enjoy travelling to Hainan, Xiamen or Beijing. As people's living standards increase some also go abroad to HK, Singapore or even Europe.

» Latest News Index
» Subscribe Fiducia Newsletter