I’m frustrated after 15 years of working with some Vietnamese workers

I have lived and worked in Japan for 15 years and observed that some Vietnamese people often boast about being “smart and quick to grasp the tasks at hand.” However, the reality could not be more different. Many of them lack discipline, which is crucial for improving labor productivity. In a professional industrial environment, every operation should follow procedures, yet some Viet employees often try to “innovate” to skip some steps.

Additionally, many people frequently take days off without prior notice, job hop, and do not respect their superiors. These are the reasons why their labor productivity is low. Therefore, we should acknowledge these issues for change, rather than attributing them solely to Vietnamese intelligence and blaming businesses. Intelligence is good, but professionalism and discipline should be enhanced.

The above story was shared by reader Minh November in a recent article on Vietnamese workers’ low productivity. Many readers have mixed opinions about the topic:

Reader LHP:

“The subconscious desire to reduce work hours is deeply ingrained in people’s mindsets and is the reason behind our low labor productivity. Many constantly demand higher wages and shorter hours, and complain about heavy workload and low pay. Meanwhile, they often slack off and prefer leisure over dedication. Only a very small fraction of workers are committed to a place long enough to have managed to change their lives.”

Reader Doan Viet Anh:

“Why do many still equate labor productivity with awareness and skill level? Labor productivity has always been influenced by many other factors like wages, training, work environment, labor discipline, and tools. To improve labor productivity, all related factors must be elevated. How can a worker achieve high productivity when their salary is just a few million dong (VND1 million = US$39.35)? They have no money to afford daycare for their children, their rented accommodation is cramped and uncomfortable, and they have to worry about being laid off whenever their employers lack orders.”

Reader Letsparty:

“On a salary of VND5-7 million per month, workers will only be coming to work worried about food, clothing, shelter, and money. How can they invest in and focus on their work like this? Try paying at least VND10 million per month and you will see people strive to cling to their jobs. My company used to have low wages, so the turnover rate was very high. After a few salary reforms, everything has changed significantly.”

Reader Daniel:

“In reality, workers in developed countries stay loyal to their companies for a long time because their salaries can cover basic needs and a relatively high quality of life. They also get assistance in buying homes or cars. In contrast, with the meager income and skyrocketing housing prices in Vietnam, affording basic needs is a challenge, not to mention buying a house and raising children. Moreover, many foreign companies in Vietnam are not very concerned about the lives of their staff because there is no shortage of labor here. Our country greatly needs more strong corporations that care about our wellbeing.”

What are your thoughts on this matter?

*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.