Experience Report Malaysiakuala Lumpur

1 | P a g e EXPERIENCE REPORT MALAYSIA – KUALA LUMPUR 03/10/2016 – 29/11/2016 2 | P a g e Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Work experience 3-7 3. Intercultural experience 8-11 3.1 Lost in Malaysia 8 3.2 Malaysian Roommates 8-9 3.3 People 9 3.4 Safety 10 3.5 Food 10 3.6 Religion 11 3.7 Trips 11-12 3.7.1 Cameron Highlands 11 3.7.2 Island Pangkor 11-12 3.7.3 Island Langkawi 12 4. Conclusion 13 3 | P a g e 1. Introduction The next two months in Malaysia will be a very life changing experience. I am studying Human Resource Education and Management with the subject English and the focus on Management, Marketing and Innovation. Last semester I chose to deepen my knowledge in the subject Human Resource Management Basics where I was taught a lot about contexts like HR practises, policies and theory. Now I got the offer of an internship in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur at Allianz Insurance Company in HR Department. In Munich I have already done two internships at Allianz Insurance Com- pany, in HR department and in Employee Marketing. In my second internship at HR department I met two people who helped me to get the internship by sending my application to HR departments in different establishments of Allianz all over the world. Only few days later a Malaysian woman was asking for a telephone interview. After ac- ceptance everything went very fast and so I had to do a lot of preparations like organizing documents for university and visa, injections, booking flight and accommodation as well as sub renting my flat in Munich. I had just 2 months time to organize. After all it was very chal- lenging, but at the end I had everything in time. But only a few days before departure, I got a mail that there will be problems with my visa. I had to cancel my flight as well as my accommodation and of course I had no flat in Munich anymore. They did not tell me any reason, why they were not able to give me the visa in the right time. I was only told I should keep calm and wait for the visa, because they can also just delay it and so the whole next month I had big doubts, if I could really do the internship. This was also a reason why I had fears about the stay in Malaysia. After my first experiences with the contact to Malaysia my expec- tations were that the country will be very slow-working and very different to the European way to work, time should not play an important role and I also had some doubts because of the big variety of culture there. Especially I had no idea, how it is as a European woman in a muslin country. But I have never been in an Asian country so I expected to see something totally different to my life in Germany, which would definitely change my view of life. 2. Work Experience Week 1: 04/10/16 - 07/10/16 At the first day of my internship at Allianz Malaysia Berhad I was introduced to my colleges of the HR Department. The department is divided into three sections: HR Services, HR Relations and HR Planning and Development. The HR Services has to do tasks like administrating pay- roll, leave, personal files, compensation and staff benefits. Recruitment processes, manpower planning, employee relations, IR cases and staff movements are tasks of HR Relations and HR Planning and Development deals with HR Planning, Development, staff training, staff enrol- ment in professional accreditation as well as engagement survey and HR Global Metrics. After the introducing of my colleagues I had an interesting talk to Mrs Woon Man – my boss. She explained me the structure of Allianz Malaysia and the connection to Allianz Germany. Furthermore it was very interesting to hear about a new Agenda which deals with the attitude towards customers and changes. Additionallz it was very exciting to hear how she 4 | P a g e came to her position. Furthermore I could join in a workshop about the new attitude of Allianz which Mrs Woon Man told me the day before. It was very interesting and in comparison to German workshops completely different. It was much more active and the audience had to do lots of tasks and games during the workshop. Later I talked with Nelvy who was mostly responsible for me doing tasks in Talent Management. She explained what they are doing at the moment in terms of Talent Management and asked how it is handled in Germany. Actu- alizing of Talent Database, where I fill in the goals for peoples` development and how the development is going so far, was another task I was busy doing this week. I was also allowed to design a postcard for newcomers to Allianz. First I tried to keep close to the Allianz Brand with colours and style which I learnt in the internship in Germany. But the people here told me to feel free to design the postcard. That was much fun to be that creative and so I gave my best. I could also help my colleagues to call interview candidates for an internship. I had to introduce myself and explain which internship I was talking about and I had to check when they would be available. That was a big challenge for myself, because it is much more difficult to understand people on the phone because of side sounds and you do not see the people so you cannot read from their lips. As Allianz is organizing lots of after work activities I joined dance class and I was doing Zumba in a big dance studio with about 40 participants of Allianz. I also joined in an initiative of Allianz which offers to go running and doing fitness with colleagues. We were driven to a big park, trained there and had a lot of fun. Week 2: 10/10/16 – 14/10/16 The week started with continuing the database task. I finished that this day and I just had to check them again and put them into a folder in alphabetic range. My colleagues took me for lunch to a Chinese restaurant where I had to experience frog. Not that voluntary, but I said to myself, I want to try everything and it was really delicious and tasted a bit like chicken. Another big surprise was that I was invited to a Japanese Wedding, which is a big pleasure for me. By reading I was also preparing myself for the development center which I am supposed to join in a week. In that event people are watched and rated in certain categories and by the results later will be decided on their further development. I also joined in an interview with a potential intern. They asked the girl a few questions which were quite difficult to answer. But this was the same in my own previous interview. I also prepared a presentation for a Loyalty Award to congratulate employees who are having their jubilee of 10, 20 or 25 years in Allianz. It was upon to me to create a good design and to choose music for background entertain- ment. And I had to contact the people because of pictures which should be shown in the presentation. I also prepared certifications for this award. Another interesting task was the designing of a welcome booklet, which is supposed to be given to newcomers of Allianz. It should contain several orientation hints as well as checklists to help new employees. There 5 | P a g e was another after work event: Bowling! We were divided in about 7 groups and did a bowling competition. That was great and I met some new colleagues. Actually it was a little bit embarrassing as we were the worst team. I also got internet access and so I could do some design work at the welcome booklet. Week 3: 17/10/16 - Friday 21/10/16 The day started with the joining into an On-boarding-program of Allianz for their new employees and interns. I learnt about the company, their people and policies. There I also met some interesting new people, with whom I talked a lot to and about first experiences in Alli- anz. I attended at the Development Centre, in which six persons were rewarded and classi- fied in different skill categories like presentation, leadership, social competence and more. There were different tasks which had to be done by the participants. Every participant was observed by one person of HR. And I could also choose to observe one of them. Additionally I was allowed to introduce the participants to a new task. At the end of the day the six ob- servers met in a room where we discussed about the candidates’ rating. That was quite interesting as I could also act like an observer. I shared my impressions with the others and was also surprised on which details my colleagues spent attention. Up to now this was the most exciting part of this internship. I also was invited to take part in an interview for a permanent position for a mechanic claims position. In comparison to my first interview joins the questions were much more technical inspired. I started with the prescanning for customer service call centre positions. I called candidates and asked them some questions about their current jobs and their pleasure for customer service to look at their English skills.

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