As a manager in ST, no need to know how things work as long as his subordinates know how to do their work, just need to manage them

Omg this made me laugh so hard because it's so true!

Your manager or PM still bother to find an excuse. My pet boss PM doesn't even try to find an excuse or smoke us through, he just says "I don't keep track." Then again, boss pet can do no wrong...

Is ST really that bad?

You nailed the problem and the issue!

Outside world. Manager is manage customer. Manager serve as the focal point for customer to shoot. Liaise delegate. Manager manage customer.

In ST, manager manage employee. But manager lack the knowledge so how to manage?
So end up have someone with the pay of a manager just to check your progress.

And you begin to ask yourself. Why don't just fire the manager and increase all the existing employee pay now with the fired manager.

Why need so many manager? Why need a business unit manager. Then a division manager. Then a deputy division manager. Then a team manager. Then a project manager. Then a project lead manager. Then a team lead. Then another operations manager. Then a businee development manager. Then a technology manager? So many ****ing manager...

Why need so many ****ING lead in job title and so called manager but no one is actually doing the work?? Other than just talk and discuss about a project that for 4 years still in discussion phase? While justifying the high pay for all this 10k per month manager...

Bad. Outside people they brag about the "project" I managed a million dollar project with xxxx from start to delivery etc...

Here manager brag about "length of service", I'm with ST for 20 years. I should be the VP. Why the new guy 5 years only but brought in profit become VP...

Everyone just bragging they 15 years to 20 years bla bla.
Ywah 15 years of just leeching the company and taichi your way up.

Can't convert your staff to perm cause no project means you guys failed as a VP. So why is company paying you 10, to 15 k per month then...

It's bad for new people.
It's good for old people.
It's bad for old people who don't play along or lost in the office politics. No career growth.
It's good for people who loves all this connection and office politics they confirm will promote fast.
It's bad for people with value.
It's good for people with no value.

It's bad for first class honours. Their intellect and hardwork is seen as "doesn't fit the culture"
It's good for no class honours. They can thrive in a place where you just let your group member do the work while you get the grade by being the part of the group...

Here you learn to be two face.
You learn to be "professional" in front of other managers. But you learn to backstab and manipulate staff to fight the dirty politics.

If you are an engineer you will have most likely been used in the politics without you knowing.

ST politics is the same as army politics.
Self explanatory

Even when projects were coming in, there is no incentive for them to convert because of project costing. They only convert when they have perm headcounts to fill. So if an E5 has many E6 and M1 above him, he can forget about the promotion until someone up the hierarchy got promoted or quit.

Worse still, if the engineer is the only one with that particular job scope or appointment, can wait for ages before getting promoted, probably about 7-8 years, probably after a mass exodus.

I don't know how things work in ST because I have never worked in ST before. I share speaking from the perspective of a managerial role holder in an MNC.

My background: Diploma in Electronics, Staff Engineer, 13 years experience, LSS Green belt, PMP certified.
Employment history: all US and European MNCs.
Former roles: Design engineer & Process engineer (5 Years)
Current Role: Project Management (8 Years)

I run 3 to 8 projects concurrently in my 8 years of experience on projects to ensure the product development roadmap gates are bought off by the relevant project members. Also, plan and request the budget to ensure the project is financially provided. Communicates with customers and suppleirs. I have to take accountability for the delays if the deadlines in the development gates are not met. Set up and execute response plan if customers change their minds.

Also, there is a strong need to be familiar with the products we are developing for customers so I can provide the various resources to the the team who run the other functions. When there is a problem, lead the team and arrange for resources to overcome the problem so as to avoid jeopardizing deadlines.

Sometimes, we get a new product concept and without new knowledge, I need to work with the design engineers and product management team to learn about these new products as we move. Each project that runs to production can take about a year to 2 depending on the complexities of design and business. So 4 years still in discussion phase sounds like a lot of wasted time. Some of my cheaper projects can cost from the hundreds or K to millions depending on the customer and equipments involved.

Although there were many challenges along the way, I benefitted with learning from my project members as we worked and delivered. So reading the way how ST works sounds bizarre and surreal. How can there be an organization having such a toxic culture of rearing freeloaders in their backyard for so many years without taking action on them? Incredulous.