Nikki Blog

Ever wonder what it is like to work for Google, recently voted the world’s best company to work for? Life in the Googleplex is already a modern legend, with free gourmet food, gyms, massage rooms, hairdressers, car wash, child care and dry cleaning – That is more than most of us even get at home! Where can we find such a cool company to work for in Thailand? Maybe Siam Ocean World, if you really like fish and do not mind swimming alongside sharks.

Traditionally, Thais look to big multinationals like Proctor & Gamble when asked about their dream company. While this is understandable given the good salary, training program, and clear career path, does sticking to the beaten path really excite you? I thus set myself out to look for a new role model company in Thailand, where young and energetic people can express themselves and make a real difference, and where women are made to feel equal.

Alas, it has not been an easy endeavor. But when I found it, it was truly worth the effort!

Destination Properties (DP) is on the surface indistinguishable from any other property developer, yet you can feel something is different the moment you step through the front door. One of the first things that leaped out at me when I visited the office is its open layout which encourages people to interact directly with each other. There are no walls between desks, not even if you have the word “president” on your name card. Sharing new ideas and receiving positive (and immediate) feedback is part of the daily exchange between “everyone on the team”. It is refreshing to see a Thai company with so much equality.

Aside from a cool design, employees are allowed to sit at different desks everyday. And if they have an urge to go and work in a coffee shop or a park, they can do just that, or check in at one of the company’s 5 star hotels for free, if that means getting the work done. With the use of webex and other technology gadgets, women with young children can also work from home, and still able to progress in their careers.

There is such a thing as a free lunch after all. In fact, the company provides free dinner too, and has happy hours starting from 5:30 PM when employees can order pizzas and beers, on the house. But this does not mean employees have to work insane hours unless they want to. DP also gives free perks such as 5 free nights a year at any of their resort hotels, plus discounts off spa treatments, food and beverage, and tickets on the company’s new seaplane flights.

Leave your suit at home The employees come to work in casual clothes, adding to DP’s relaxed, creative environment. They command authority and earn respect for the work they produce, not from the suits they wear. This makes anyone who comes to DP for a job interview in a smart slick suit look mistakenly like an insurance sales person. After a brief orientation, new recruits are expected to jump in and take charge; demonstrating their value to the team and to the company. People are paid to excel in performance; the policy is to be internally fair and externally competitive.

And it’s all reflected in the company’s performance. Within 2 years of inception, the company has become Thailand’s leading hotel and resort developer. Some of the most prestigious brands in the world, Hilton, Alila, Ramada, and Marriott have partnered with DP to provide first class service for the upgraded properties. The DP group also has an airline called Destination Air, which operates shuttle services between regional airports and island resorts.

Another good reason why I think people love working here is that every day is a new challenge and there is something new to learn. They have a seemingly never-ending queue of new properties and projects. Each week, employees get to see and work on these new developments, and work with different teams along the way. They take pride in their contribution towards making great places, the best they can be by the time the public sees them.

To the established companies out there, take a page from this new rule book or continue to wonder why you can’t keep hold of your talent.

The secrets to building a successful company

• Whatever you choose to do, aim to be the best in the world at it. If you can’t be the best in the world, do something else.
• Hire the best people in the world. Cast the net far, and don’t be afraid to pay for talent.
• Create an environment that fosters passion. Talented people get inspired by interaction, not big offices.
• Reward initiative. Err on the side of action.