Different rules for different people
@yeezermac (145)
Singapore, Singapore
November 3, 2015 4:13pm CST
So you see Janice playfully smacking the Manager on the arm. You see Desmond put his hands around the Manager's shoulder. You hear Brandon calling the Manager "bro". So you wanna be as casual with the Manager too, huh?
Don't. Different rules exist for different people. The Manager may have a soft-spot for ladies, and thus cut them more slack. The Manager may think Indians are his "bros" and thus would be more open to bromance with makkels. The Manager may not like young people very much, and may perceive their cordialness as rudeness. So if you're a young non-Indian male, good luck, that Manager is not and will never be your friend. Know your place, friends. When in doubt, always keep an arm's length away from any Manager.
3 people like this
5 responses
@jerzgirl (9233)
• United States
4 Nov 15
A term used for a group of people from India, but I don't know if it's from a specific part of India or Indians from other SE Asian countries and I don't know if it's nice or not nice. I went looking myself to figure it out. This is all I understood.
1 person likes this
@yeezermac (145)
• Singapore, Singapore
4 Nov 15
@TheHorse "Makkel" is a term that refers to Indians in Singapore and Malaysia. In Tamil, it means "my folkperson"
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
4 Nov 15
If the manager really does prefer some people over others because of gender or race, he probably shouldn't be in that position in the first place.
1 person likes this
@jerzgirl (9233)
• United States
4 Nov 15
Managers should never favor anyone over anyone else. If they do, they're not good managers. I can understand with so many nationalities and cultures living in Singapore that someone from India might feel camaraderie with other Indians, but it can't be allowed to cause preferential treatment.
1 person likes this
@jerzgirl (9233)
• United States
4 Nov 15
@yeezermac I understand. It's a hard battle to bring that to light anywhere.
@yeezermac (145)
• Singapore, Singapore
4 Nov 15
They certainly should not. But in many countries, there are no labour laws that check on management. Labour laws only serve to assist management in managing proletariat.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98834)
• India
4 Nov 15
I am an Indian, and I am a "mekkel" though I am not sure what that term means. I am also a woman though not young. I would face discrimination with the same boss because bosses prefer them younger. Trust me on that one. If he is keeping you at the arms length, because you are young then he fears his gay tendencies surfacing when you are in the room. Beeching. Anyway, I think it is wrong. Personally, those who flatter are the ones who dig the grave. So wait till one of them does it.
@vandana7 (98834)
• India
4 Nov 15
@yeezermac ...In life, there is one thing I have learned. There are no permanent close friendships. Nothing is permanent. As far as boss and employees is concerned, sooner or later there will be breakdown, jealousies, and boss will either be at cross roads, forced to take side, and thereafter fail to get cooperation or be pulled down and replaced by another. I have seen that happening.
@yeezermac (145)
• Singapore, Singapore
4 Nov 15
I understand. Different bosses have different preferences. And when those preferences become bases of discrimination, everyone who is outside of those preferences lose.
1 person likes this
@sophiecheer (931)
• Philippines
16 Nov 15
It is always beneficial to act professional at all times because that was only expected being part of a workforce. It is the prerogative of the manager on how he or she treats his or her subordinates, and you can't expect to be treated the way others are. You are right, always be wary of your actions, especially when you don't exactly fit the bill in terms of the place of work's general demographics. You can only control on how you act and not how others treat you; and that's the point: always act accordingly. There's always a period of adjustment, but first and foremost, know that you are an employee and not a visiting friend.
