Everything people are saying about the cons is absolutely true! And there are a few more thoughts and discoveries I'd like to share. Firstly, It's scary to voice my concerns, and it's exactly as you saw in the comments, the work environment at TSMC is toxic. They have a webpage where employees can share their issues, but you can only access it when you're at the office and you have to use your real name. As someone who feels like they're working in a toxic environment, where you could even say they're bullying you, would I dare to go on that webpage and share my concerns with my identity? No way! My first thought is that my concerns would get back to my direct manager. Regardless of who's in charge of receiving suggestions from the webpage, there's another big cultural problem in this company. The majority of people don't want to do their jobs well or pay attention to details. Most of them just want to go through the motions and go home at the end of the day. This leads to another issue with the company. While you might think it's a great company with lots of money, that's not the case. Yes, it's a great company with substantial financial resources, but its pace of development doesn't match up. As a result, there are no proper channels to address relevant issues, or sometimes the department you're looking for doesn't even exist in the company. The way TSMC has implemented their speak-up solution just confirms what I mentioned before. It's more of a show for the board members and the press. The fact that employees can't access the webpage outside the office is further proof of that.
The company keeps denying almost everything that people say online. They claim they follow labor laws and accuse most of the online statements of being false. I really wish the managers in this amazing company would listen to what the employees are complaining about. Are their complaints really baseless, or could they potentially become a huge problem that tears this company apart? Please understand that even though you might be a company in an industry that relies on machines and fewer people, you still have people working for you. If you can't manage your people effectively, especially now that you're expanding, I'm worried that the mismanagement will eventually erode your core resources. You may have had success in Taiwan for the past 30 years, but you have to understand that a new generation is here. This new generation has grown up in a different culture shaped by a different era and awareness. It's not just the management in the U.S. that might suffer, Taiwan could also face long-term challenges.
During the board meeting in June, Mark Liu, the Chairman of TSMC, recently admitted the areas where he needs to make improvements. "TSMC is currently in a learning phase, so it's too early to discuss cultural integration. We haven't reached that stage yet. I hope our managers can continue developing their management skills and effectively lead the fabs," he said. "As we enter the international stage, we're facing numerous challenges. We also need to learn how to lead the new generation. We can't rely on outdated methods and expect employees to blindly follow instructions without asking questions. We may have had some differences and misunderstandings due to our lack of experience in people management, but we're actively learning and training ourselves to address that."
It's disheartening to hear the chairman confirm the negative working culture in the company. However, I find it encouraging that he's self-aware. I believe that if the chairman recognizes the problem and takes action, there's still hope for our company to turn things around and create a better future. As TSMC hire and lead American employees, they simply can't afford to provide overseas salaries for a large number of Taiwanese employees and ask them to work in the U.S., so they really needs to address the challenges they face in unfamiliar areas beyond chip manufacturing. Successfully resolving these people-related issues would be a significant victory and mark the beginning of a new chapter for TSMC. On the other hand, if they fail to address these concerns, it could lead to a depletion of financial resources.
I see myself as a resilient seed, with the strength to wake up every morning, go to work, and eagerly await a brighter future in this company. I'm confident that there are more individuals like me--positive, empathetic, welcoming diverse ideas, and offering unique solutions to the daily challenges we encounter. I'll continue nurturing my resilience as a seed, hoping that one day we'll come together and thrive. Even though we're anonymous on this platform, I firmly believe that when we have the opportunity to train together, attend meetings together, or even just cross paths in the hallways, we'll recognize our shared purpose. We'll have the love, warmth, and kindness to help the company overcome these difficult times.
