Chinese company’s military-style teambuilding exercise

In my previous psots I often insisted on the importance of Teambuilding in China.

Teambuilding has to be distinguished with what occurs in many factories, restaurants and business units where blue collars work: Military-Style Drills that are aimed at mobilize the staff. The orders are shouted and strict discipline is required. It usually needs hours of rehearsal and has nothing to do with stress release or Fun.

In China teambuilding can be translated by 团队建设tuandui jianshe however the most common expression in China is “collective activities” 群体活动qunti huodong. The Chinese didn’t wait for American theories about Teamwork to organize Teambuilding. 

As a matter of fact qunti huodong are an absolute prerequisite to mutual trust that is the very possibility of a cooperation. Since there is no formal trust into the system, the company and its rules, the natural behavior is suspicion, systematic information retention, cold indifference and fierce competition.

I happened to discover this January 2013' video of a team-building exercise recorded in a hotel in northeast China. It has caused an uproar among Chinese Internet users, some of whom say that these methods remind them of those practiced in North Korea: http://observers.france24.com/content/20130118-video-chinese-company-team-building-exercise-youkue-youku

In China, it is not uncommon for companies to organise early-morning pep rallies designed to boost employees’ spirits before they begin their workday. These generally feature songs and chants. However, the unusually rigorous performance by employees at Arirang hotel in Dandong, in northeast China (near its border with North Korea), caused many Chinese Internet users to express their concern on social networks.

In the video, a group of female employees are shown taking part in a sort of drill, repeating slogans praising the company over and over and stamping their feet until they start panting. They also participate in strange exercises, like throwing themselves at a cloth rope, which is supposed to symbolise an obstacle.

The video was filmed on January 8 during the company’s annual employee meeting. It has been viewed over 2 and a half million times on Youku, which is China’s equivalent of YouTube, and has garnered hundreds of comments on Weibo, its equivalent of Twitter.

Contacted by RFI, a hotel employee explained that “this event was meant to strengthen team spirit. All the obstacles, all the difficulties we were faced with this past year, we try to turn them into strengths.”

Here are a few excerpts from the video:

At 28 seconds: “I greet this day with love in my heart. Because that is the secret of success. Muscles cannot pierce shields, nor destroy a life. Only the invisible power of love can open the human heart […] I will use my love as my greatest weapon, and nobody will be able to defend themselves against it. They can counter my arguments, be wary of my words, or disapprove of the way I dress […] but my love will melt all hearts like the rays of sun soften clay.”

At 1’24”: Team leader: “The quickest way to reach success is…”

Employees: “…to follow the right man; to do what needs to be done!”

At 12’40”: Team leader: “To reach our goals in 2013, what do we need to do?”

Employees: “… Stay concentrated on our goals, and never give up! Stay concentrated on our goals, and never give up!”

At 14’24”: “Raise your hands! Put them on your heart! The first bow is for your parents, for their generosity that is deeper than the ocean.”

At 14’48”: “The second bow is for our customers, thanks to whom we feed our families!”

At 15’09”: “The third is for Arirang hotel, which opens the doors to happiness!”