Dare to dream !

Most people want better benefits, be it from the company they are working in or from the government they are paying taxes to. A better work life balance, more subsidies, and getting paid without working hard. Sounds like a dream, isn’t it? Maybe that is why some people are moving out from their home countries in Asia for greener pastures in Australia and New Zealand (to name a few).

Better benefits are always good but better benefits also tend to make things difficult for companies.

Better benefits = employee market

Not-so-good benefits = employer market

That’s why I wasn’t surprised when the cab driver in Sydney told me about the lack of jobs in Australia. A lot of multinational companies (including Australia based companies) are moving out from Australia. Their destination? Countries where the government doesn’t protect the citizens that much – Vietnam, China, Malaysia, etc. Why? Well, for one, it creates less problems and fuss. You don’t get lawsuits from your own employees, accusing your company for not providing ergonomic chair (for example). And most importantly, you get hardworking employees for lesser price. Good bargain eh?

Bargain or not, it’s not up to us to decide. What matters to us is that, this migration of companies is fast becoming a popular trend in our world. Lesser job opportunities in countries with good benefits and strong labor law, and more job opportunities in countries with not-so-good benefits, cheaper labor, and weak (or non-existing) labor law enforcement, albeit the fact that many good and talented people are moving the opposite direction.

So the next time you think your country’s labor law is not protecting you enough or your government and company are not giving you sufficient benefits, maybe you should think that it could be a blessing in disguise.