Arbeitswelt

12.11.2006

Recruitment of Chinese human resources for a German/European enterprise located in China

von Britta Hecker

Editorial journalist Britta Hecker has spoken with Priscilla Leung, Director of Human Resources, BASF (China) Co. Ltd., about the difficulty to find well-skilled Chinese people to work for BASF in China.

How many Germans work for BASF in China, how many Chinese people?
We have nearly 100 Germans and more than 4,000 Chinese now working for BASF in China at all levels.

Many foreign enterprises deploy Chinese executives instead of expatriates. Is that the policy of BASF in China, too? If so, why?
Intercultural competence is our advantage in global competition. We foster diversity programs and seek employees from all cultures and nationalities who, with the interpersonal and professional competencies, are willing to devote their talents and skills to meet our objectives and to support our values.
We offer equal opportunities and varied responsibilities so that both our Chinese and expatriate employees can fully utilize their competencies in the company.

What are the difficulties of finding qualified resources in China?
The difficulties are various due to China's large geographic spread. In general, it can be categorized into two major areas:

Shortage of professional talents, especially for management and leadership positions;
Fierce competition for talents

Which recruitment strategies does BASF apply to find qualified Chinese resources?
We are committed to primarily developing internal talents. Additionally, we deploy an integrated approach targeting talents at different levels by combining our normal hiring process with mid-career recruitment of external top talents in China.
Besides, we establish close relationship with selected universities and vocational institutes through various channels, e.g. industry seminars, internship program, BASF scholarship, to identify and attract the potential young talents.

Are Chinese and German/European staff treated differently according to leadership?
No. We do not tolerate within the BASF Group discrimination based on nationalities, gender, religion or any other personal characteristics.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Chinese employees?
Chinese employees in general are hard working, highly motivated, flexible and corporative, and eager to learn new things. They are good at execution but relatively weak on problem solving. Communication skills, management and leadership skills have also to be improved.

Which are the qualifications/skills most needed?

Relevant working experience, e.g. specialist technical skills, functional expertise etc.
English proficiency

What soft skills are most needed?

Communication and interpersonal skills
Cross culture understanding and adaptability
Management and leadership skills, e.g. problem solving, decision making etc.

Do you consider it important to teach Chinese staff in German/European corporate culture and production flow? If so, what is your approach?
Yes. Corporate culture is the winning edge. It enables BASF to differentiate itself from other employers in China. Our Vision, Values and Principle define our corporate culture, which serves as both an orientation and a guideline for all of our decisions and activities. All our employees are required to act in accordance with our corporate culture.

What job aspects consider Chinese people as most important to be committed to work for the company?

Remuneration package
Career and learning opportunities

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