World Fence News

8 • JANUARY 2020 • WORLD FENCE NEWS Developing innovative techniques and a culture of success in your fence company BY TOM LUBY, PROFIT BUILDERS INTERNATIONAL On December 23, 2008, a GM plant in Dayton, Ohio closed for good, laying off approximately 10,000 UAW workers. Not only was this a great per- sonal loss for these employees days before Christmas and during one of the worst economic recessions in our country's history, but this also left the community of Dayton shattered and disheartened. Roughly six years later, in 2014, a Chinese billionaire named Cao De- wang (also known as Chairman Cao), purchased the plant and reopened it as Fuyao America Glass Company. Naturally the primary goal was to make money, but to do that Chair- man Cao and his team had to meld two vastly different cultures together to form a viable corporate ethos that could produce economic success for the company and a viable living for the employees. This unique business venture also became the topic of a documentary for Netflix called "An American Factory." For a few years the company struggled, but finally turned the cor- ner and in 2018 earned a profit. The entire premise of the docu- mentary was based on culture com- parisons and the staggering differ- ences between Chinese and American workers, and indeed, life cultures. It was fascinating to see the life- styles of the Chinese and America worker analyzed side-by-side and in action in this China-influenced cor- porate setting deep in the American Rustbelt. I mention this because I have seen first-hand the effect that work environment, or culture, can have on a company. It im- pacts productivity and output yes, but even more import- ant, a good work culture can have a dramatic posi- tive impact on the core happiness and wellbeing of each and every employ- ee, including management and the owner(s) of the company. Likewise, an oppressive work en- vironment or culture can have the op- posite effect and create unnecessary tension and stress for everyone. Here is a perfect example to com- pare cultures: In this documentary about Fuyao America Glass, the Chi- nese worker was paid substantially less money but was twice as dedicated to his or her job. The documentary did not disclose the wages of the Chinese worker, only that they were required to work in America for two year stints and did not earn any extra money for being away from home. Fu r t her more, the documentary showed the sister factory in China and compared that to the U.S. oper- ation. The China factory was run more like a mil- itary unit, with workers working 12 hour shifts and getting two or three days per month off, no more. The thing is, most of them (at least in front of the camera) seemed happy, whereas the U.S. workers were definitely not happy with their jobs, even with much better working condi- tions and wages. But were the Chinese workers re- ally happy? Perhaps they simply did not know what they were missing with the free- doms we enjoy in America. The Chinese worker was, in my opinion, indoctrinated into thinking that what is good for the company, for China and for the Communist Party is also good for them as well. They have very little time with family and their union is the Commu- nist Party. Yes, sometimes we do not know just how good we have it here. Many of the American workers, on the other hand, were disgruntled and very unhappy, especially with working conditions and the starting salary of about $14 per hour. I can see their point; the starting salary of the GM plant before it closed was between double and triple the wages of Fuyao American Glass. The disconnect between the two cultures shown in the film was ap- parent, and really made me stop and think. Turning Fuyao American Glass into a profitable enterprise wasn't easy, considering the vast void between the two cultures, but was accomplished largely due to management success- fully defeating the UAW's attempt to unionize and the fact that they are cut- continued on page 13 The Chinese worker was, in my opinion, indoctrinated into thinking that what is good for the company, for China and for the Communist Party is also good for them as well. They have very little time with family and their union is the Communist Party. Yes, sometimes we do not know just how good we have it here.

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