German companies are like Italian companies

It seems German companies are no different from Italian companies when it comes to nepotism and cronyism in the workplace. The economic engine of Europe is fuelled by entrepreneurs with TFBs (Trust Fund Babies) who, having been raised with a silver spoon in their mouths couldn’t possibly be expected to go out and work like the rest of us. So what better solution than to “find” gainful employment in your father/uncle/godfather’s company?

I learnt this, to my detriment, first-hand recently. Having bowed at the altar of German efficiency and economic superiority, I was sad to learn that the Germans are, in fact, no different from those they’ve spent the last three years castigating (Greeks/Italians/Spanish).  

It all started with the antics of an errant colleague. He-who-shall-remain-nameless has a history of truancy. He shows up for work at eleven, takes an hour and a half for lunch and leaves at four, and that’s on a good day. Yet, for some, mysterious reason, he was always getting away with it. Actually, to say “getting away with it” would imply that he was doing all this secretly. Not a chance. He was unashamed in his conduct yet he remained untouchable. Some scratched their heads as to how he was allowed to behave in such a way knowing full well that if it was anybody else they would be out the door without so much as a P45. The whole thing was a mystery to them. But the reasons weren’t so mysterious after all given the man's “connections” to senior management.

“It’s all so Italian,” my Milanese colleague says. “I’ve travelled a thousand miles to work in an “Italian” company. I might as well have stayed at home. In Italy, the more work you do, the more you’re considered a failure. The thinking is that you do as little work as possible. And if you leave [the country], you’re considered a failure. People think: Why didn’t you manage to get a job at your father’s business or your family’s business? You’re seen as weak and a failure.”

It’s hard to express how demotivating it is to work in an environment where there is one rule for one and another for everyone else. Not only is it demotivating but it’s insulting, too.

Now, I have nothing against employing your family and friends. I would probably do the same if I were in a position to do so. I find it hard to believe that any parent would rather see their child unemployed or destitute (granted, they’re not the same thing) than give them a job in the family business. The problem comes when that child or relative becomes more of a liability than an asset. A true businessperson would surely be more concerned about the bottom line than the family line and would gracefully retire his or her kin to a life of leisure back on the ranch, if not to save the company and the livelihood of its staff then to protect the family inheritance.

It was the American philosopher, Milton Friedman who said that in a truly capitalist society there would be no racism because a true capitalist would hire the best person for the job, regardless of race. Perhaps that philosophy could be adapted to the European context by saying that nepotism wouldn’t exist in a truly capitalist society either.

It seems to me that, in this current climate, if you want a productive workforce that actually works for the money their paid, then your best bet is to hire two sets of people: those from Eastern Europe who have known hard times and don’t shy away from hard work, and ethnic minorities who are drilled from birth to know that they must work three times harder than everyone else to get just as far. This I know. (See Gender Apartheid).

And, for the record, it wasn’t me who drew the original analogy between German and Italian companies. That would be a bona-fide Italian who’s worked for both Italian and German companies and is speaking from experience. From my own knowledge, I can only say that, yes, working with the boss’ friends/relatives/associates – delete as appropriate – is not conducive to a productive working environment if not extremely anti-capitalist. And what European nation would dare claim to be that?