Many of Russia's workers are highly educated, but they lack knowledge of
Western business concepts.  As more Western firms relocate to Russia, they
need to know how to tap into the local talent.  Some suggestions for
training Russian workers include: 1.  Take advantage of a positive
attitude.  2.  Start with basic skills.  3.  Encourage coaching.  4.  Link
learning to business.  5.  Recognize the age factor.

Headnote: MANY OF RUSSIA'S WORKERS ARE HIGHLY EDUCATED, BUT THEY LACK
KNOWLEDGE OF WESTERN BUSINESS CONCEPTS. AS MORE WESTERN FIRMS RELOCATE TO
RUSSIA, THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW TO TAP INTO THE LOCAL TALENT. HERE'S A LOOK
AT RUSSIAN WORKERS: WHAT KIND OF TRAINING THEY NEED AND HOW TO DELIVER IT.
SINCE THE POLITICAL collapse of the Soviet Union, scores of Western firms
have either relocated to Russia or opened branches there, recognizing the
business potential of one of the world's largest emerging markets. In 1991,
there were just over two dozen American firms registered in Moscow. Today,
there are several hundred American businesses in Russia, with hundreds of
expatriate managers and thousands of Russian employees. And the numbers are
climbing. With a population of almost 150 million, Russia should be a gold
mine of local talent. But many Western firms have discovered "the Russian
paradox."
Russians are among the most highly educated people in the world, with a
literacy rate of 99 percent. Many have at least one advanced degree.
Russian students receive rigorous education in history, literature,
languages, mathematics, sciences, and the arts. But business subjects were
not taught in Soviet-era universities. And most Soviet-era enterprises
didn't have such functions as finance, strategic planning, marketing,
customer relations, leadership development, and human resources. The resuit
is a large, highly-educated labor force with little understanding of
organizational behavior or marketplace economics. Clearly, Russia is a vast
market for training and development.
An Inside edge
Why train Russians? Why not just use employees and managers brought in from
Western operations?
One reason is that the typical expatriate salary package for a mid-level
manager costs several times as much as the typical Russian salary. Though
salaries in many parts of Russia are beginning to approach Western levels,
it's likely that it will always be more cost effective to hire
locally-considering such expatriate costs as hardship premiums, overseas
incentives, and tax protection.
Another reason is that the Russian government is concerned about rising
unemployment. The need to keep citizens employed and maintain national
pride are motivations to use local labor. In fact, the Russian government
at the local, regional, or federal level may require that a certain number
of positions in Western firms be filled by Russian nationals and that it be
stipulated in any contracts.
It's also likely to be more efficient to hire locals in a culture in which
who you know can mean the difference between success and failure. In
Russia, personal relationships are valued highly. In some cases, a
foreigner may find it impossible to reach an agreement with a Russian, no
matter how trivial the matter is, until the Russian feels that a close,
trusting relationship exists. Consequently, many Westerners find it
expedient to hire local employees with established relationships in the
community. Such relationships can be efficacious in working with suppliers,
obtaining government licenses and customs clearances, and handling
countless other business tasks.
Once you've hired Russian workers, the next task is to render them
effective in a Western business setting and ensure that they receive the
appropriate training.
An historical perspective
To understand the strengths and learning needs of Russian employees, it's
necessary to understand how training and work practices were conducted in
Russia in the past. Most workers were expected to have been formally
educated at a university or institute in a lecture-type setting. In the
workplace, they were given specific jobs with instructions and little
training. Rare training seminars-generally viewed as either a reward or
perk-were theoretical rather than skill-based. As a profession, training
and development hardly prospered. Nor was it viewed as a way to improve
productivity or business results.
Much of the Russian perspective on training stems from the Communist work
system in which employees were considered "cogs in the great Soviet wheel."
The work environment was one of command and control. Supervisors had
authority and told employees exactly what to do. Because rewards weren't
tied to performance, employees had little incentive to demonstrate
initiative, ask questions, or make suggestions. As a microcosm of Russian
society, the Russian workplace fostered valuing the collective good over
individuals. Peer pressure prevented people from standing out. Workers just
did their jobs. Promotions often arose from personal relationships with
higher-ups. Because performance-appraisal systems were based on theoretical
knowledge rather than practical application, employees had no incentive to
learn new skills. They wouldn't earn more pay or have a greater chance of
promotion. And in all likelihood, learning new skills would result in being
criticized by peers.
Yet, Russian employees bring to the workplace highly developed cognitive
skills, honed through rigorous education at the primary, secondary, and
university levels. They're generally well-read, with an in-depth knowledge
of their special disciplines. Their scientific and mathematical abilities
tend to be exceptional. Most importantly to Western businesspeople,
Russians know how to get things done in their communities and within the
Russian system.
Most Russian employees are highly motivated to learn and are pleased about
the opportunity to work at Western firms. It's common for people with
university degrees to apply for entrylevel jobs just so they can obtain
experience working in Western companies.
In my experience, I've found that their most pressing training needs are to
learn English and computer skills. My partner and I interviewed Western
firms in Russia and talked with Russian employees. Specifically, they need
training in using software, writing letters and documents in English,
operating computerized cash registers, and other similar functions. They
also need training in customer service, a relatively new concept in Russia.
Previously, Russian businesses had not made the link between customer
satisfaction and profit. Now, "smile training" and telephone etiquette are
in big demand. But employees still need to learn that effective customer
service can mean repeat business, greater revenue, higher net income, and
secure paychecks. They need to understand basic marketplace economics,
including cost management and the laws of supply and demand.
Other key development areas include teamwork and systems thinking. In the
past, Russians were rarely encouraged to think about the big picture; they
were just expected to do their jobs. The idea of assisting a coworker in
order to help the whole business succeed was foreign, as was the idea of
making day-to-day decisions in the larger context of the business as a
whole. Consequently, other development needs include such communication
skills as how to ask questions, seek clarification, confirm understanding,
hold discussions, make suggestions, give feedback, and deal with conflict.
Actually, the Soviet-era work environment wasn't much different from the
work environment in the United States 20 years ago when employees did what
they were told.
Russian workers also need planning and organizing skills. They need daily
coaching so that they can begin thinking ahead to the next step in a job or
next phase in a project. Western managers working in Russia often become
frustrated because they aren't used to having to micromanage. But they've
also seen that when employees grasp the concept of empowerment and
decision-making, they exceed expectations.
In addition, Russian managers need training in Western management skills.
Because past managers used control, Russian employees may not respect a
manager with a participative style, at least not until they understand that
the style is expected and doesn't undermine the manager's authority. Then,
Russian employees complain if a participative manager is replaced by a
directive one, just as American workers often do.
Interestingly, though Russians are interested in learning Western
management techniques, it's common to see a formerly collaborative employee
turn into an autocrat when he or she is promoted to a supervisory
position-no doubt reverting to the cultural conditioning of the old system.
Different work ethics can also frustrate Western managers, such as the lack
of punctuality and excessive smoking breaks. In fact, many Russians seem to
delight in breaking the rules-perhaps as behavior left over from the Soviet
era in which underpaid employees would say, "They think they are paying us;
let them think we are working."
Training tips
Here are some suggestions for training Russian workers:
Take advantage of a positive attitude.
Most Russians see training as a chance to improve themselves and get ahead.
And they still see it as a perk to some extent. In addition, Russians excel
at self-study, especially if it's structured. Often, you can give them a
manual and videotape, and they'll complete the whole program quite
studiously. An exception is on-the-job training; Russians don't think of it
as real training. It's best to provide several development opportunities,
including OJT, classroom training, self-study, and apprenticeship-and to
communicate that all of these approaches are part of a comprehensive
training and development strategy.
Start with basic skills. Too many Westem companies have made the mistake of
jumping in and training Russian employees using the same concepts they
offer at home. But in Russia, such Western concepts as participative
management, empowerment, reengineering, and teamwork don't translate
immediately. It's better to start with basic skills training.
Encourage coaching. As all training professionals know, if training isn't
reinforced on the job, it doesn't work. It's crucial for expatriate
managers to coach and counsel Russian employees daily on implementing basic
skills. But first, the expats should receive training in the Russian
culture, appropriate coaching techniques for Russians, the need to
micromanage in the beginning, and their role in helping Russian employees
become successful and productive. In Russia, the manager's role is still
widely perceived as authoritative and powerful. This viewpoint can aid
retention when expat managers reinforce training. That can, in turn,
translate to a high return-on-investment for training dollars.
Link learning to business. Because Russians still tend to view training as
a perk, it's important to link learning to business results and systems. In
the very first training session, Russian employees should be told that
training is being offered because it will help them and the business. All
training efforts should emphasize the systems aspect of the business and
how employees' jobs fit within the system. Describe the big picture,
emphasize organizational values, and explain how money is made.
Recognize the age factor. Some older Russian employees may appear to be
less motivated to learn such Western business concepts as profit-loss
ratios, the focus on customers, and the need for efficiency and quality.
The new flood of e-mail, faxes, and voice-mail messages exacerbates the
situation. It's best to acknowledge the problem, recognize that it's
engrained from years of working in the Soviet era, and be patient and
methodical in training and coaching older Russian employees.
Know what works best. Russians respond well to tests and quizzes. They lend
credibility, in the Russian view, to training classes. Russians also like
lectures, videotapes, structured discussions, and hands-on practice
activities. In the past, games, exercises, icebreakers, and role plays were
unheard of. At first, many Russian employees will view them skeptically.
But once they try them, they seem to enjoy and expect them in future
classes.
Develop relevant examples. Another success factor for Russian training is
the use of examples that are specific to employees' context. This requires
that the trainer or instructional designer spend some time prior to
training interviewing employees about their backgrounds, job duties, and
social activities. Because family relationships are held in high esteem in
Russia, it's important to relate to employees' work and family situations.
For example, when teaching questioning skills, use the example of a wife
asking her husband about eggs he bought at the store. Then move on to a
work-related example.
Brush up on training via interpreter. Because a lot of training in Russia
is conducted through interpreters, it behooves Western trainers to review
the basic rules for communicating through interpreters and to conduct a dry
run with the actual material. Naturally, it's essential that the training
materials, including videotapes, are translated into Russian. Even if
classes are conducted in English because employees are bilingual, don't use
a Western pace. Instead, provide the materials, with specific instructions,
several days in advance so that trainees can preview them. During training,
make sure that there are plenty of simple, relevant examples and practice
sessions. But don't expect trainees to participate in role plays in
English. During discussions, English-speaking Russians will listen and
respond in English, but they're more likely to speak Russian when
participating in group activities.
New businesses are opening every week in Russia; foreign investment is
increasing. How long will Russians need the kind of training and
development described in this article? Historical, political, and
socio-economic trends suggest that it may be a while longer before
Soviet-era thinking becomes global-market thinking. But when it does, no
doubt the result will be a mix of cultures, management styles, and
communication techniques from which the rest of the world can learn.
(Table Omitted)
Author Affiliation: Liz Thach is an organizational-capability
representative at Amoco, Box 3092, MC 1234W3, Houston, TX 77253. Phone
713/366-7752. E-mail: ECThach @amoco. com.