Conversation at 3 p.m.: From "System Accountability" to "Full - Link Support"
At three o'clock in the afternoon, two slanting beams of light slipped through the blinds in the office and landed on the "Revised Draft of the System Documents" on my desk. My superior, holding a teacup, called me into his office. The steam from the tea wafted up to the crease between his eyebrows. Before I could even sit down, he started speaking, "I've noticed that you've been immersed in the system work every day recently. Why haven't there been any developments in your other tasks?"
I lowered my head and stared at the weekly report on his desk. The column of "System Optimization" was circled in red pen, and "Accounting for 80%" was written beside it. Actually, I haven't been idle these days: The process review of ISO20000 has reached a critical node. Every day, I have to align the system permission logic with the IT department, confirm the process nodes with the operations department, and review the compliance clauses with the legal department. Last Thursday, I attended four review meetings. It was already eight o'clock when the meetings ended. I held my laptop in the elevator and revised the records. My fingers were so cold that I mistyped three characters. The "System Operation Report" I just submitted on Monday took me a whole day just for data verification. All these are the "main responsibilities" clearly stated in the JD when I joined the company, but in his eyes, it's as if I haven't done anything.
"One radish in three pits": The "human resource efficiency theory" of private enterprises
He tapped the edge of the report with his pen, his voice tinged with impatience: "What I need is not just 'system implementation', but 'full - link support'." Then he gave examples: Last week, I didn't help with the project progress report that the marketing department needed; I passed on the annual meeting venue research of the administration department to an intern; when the sales department needed the customer compliance certificate, although I know the system best, I let a new employee handle it. "These are all 'easy tasks'. Why didn't you take them on?"
Finally, he put down his pen and spoke so bluntly that there was no room for beating around the bush: "A private enterprise is not a state-owned enterprise. Every position here has to be 'fully utilized'. If you just stick to your own 'niche', I might as well hire an outsourcing company specialized in system work. Why do I need a full-time employee?"
This sentence is like a needle, pricking people awake. I suddenly remembered what the HR said when I first joined the company: "We need compound talents." It turns out that what it really means is "one person has to do the work of three people." I remembered my financial colleague sitting next to me. He has to prepare monthly reports, do administrative procurement, and help the sales department write tender documents. Last month, he was scolded for "low efficiency" because he couldn't handle everything. I also remembered a foreign company I interviewed with before. In its JD, it listed three responsibilities for "system management", and each had clear output standards. However, the "responsibilities" here are more like a basket that can hold anything.
The "Survival Logic" of Private Enterprises: Clear Responsibility Boundaries Are a "Luxury"
When walking out of the office, the air - conditioning in the corridor made the back of my neck feel cold. I took out my phone and flipped through the recruitment apps. Under the job descriptions (JD) of "System Specialist", there were almost always small words stating "Need to assist other departments in completing relevant work" - it turned out that this wasn't a problem of a single company, but the "underlying logic" of many private enterprises.
What they want is not "in - depth professional development" but "quickly filling in the gaps"; not "clear - cut responsibilities" but "flexibly covering all bases". Just like my colleague sitting next to me. Although the position recruited was "Financial Assistant", they actually ended up in an "all - round position" responsible for "administration + finance + sales support". And like the last company event, the colleagues in the Design Department had to double as material handlers, and those in the Operations Department had to double as check - in staff. Under the banner of "cost - reduction and efficiency - improvement", "one person for one position" is considered a "waste", while "one person for three positions" is regarded as "maximizing value".
The last breath: not grievance, but clarity
When I returned to my seat, my colleague sitting next to me leaned over and asked, "How did the talk go?" I pointed at the "System Documents" on my computer and smiled, saying, "It's nothing. Just have to take on more work." She offered me a fruit candy and said, "I was also talked to last week. Now I have to do procurement part - time." The wrapper indicated it was orange - flavored, but it tasted a bit bitter in my mouth.
In fact, I should have understood earlier that the so - called "cost - effectiveness" in private enterprises has never been about the employees, but about the company. They pay one salary and expect an "all - rounder" who "can build systems, can collect and analyze data, can help salespeople write certificates, and can provide support for the marketing department". As for "the depth of system optimization" and "the effect of process implementation", they have to take a back seat in front of the priority of "covering more work".
The clouds outside the window are drifting rapidly, as if being pushed by the wind. I picked up my pen and added a few lines to the weekly report: "Assisted the marketing department in the project progress", "Supported the administrative department in researching the venue for the annual meeting", "Helped the sales department review compliance certificates". It turns out that sometimes, so - called "career growth" means learning to crumple up the "scope of duties" and stuff it into the pocket of the "rules of survival". "statistics" "statistically analyze"
Perhaps the ideals about "in - depth professional development" will have to wait until the next job - change to be taken out and "sunbathed".