issue 54 - AsiaLIFE Magazine

people matter
Romance in the Office
By Gary Woollacott
Are office romances good
or bad? Surprisingly, this
came up at a business lunch
recently. Well, if everything
goes smoothly it might not
be a problem; only if it goes
wrong can grief ensue. I am
not endorsing office romances,
only pointing out some
considerations. Single people
can do whatever they like
without worrying about others’
feelings, but those involved
in relationships have more to
think about.
It’s an easy situation to
imagine: Two people who
spend much of their working
time together learn they have
much more in common than
they thought. Or maybe they
regularly travel together for
business. Either way, an initial
spark of attraction turns into
something else and before
they know it they are spending
much more time together, and
this time it has nothing to do
with work.
The tough part is what
can happen to the working
relationship if the physical bit
ends. That might be tricky,
particularly if one party feels
aggrieved about how it comes
about. If both agree and can
handle their feelings in an adult
and professional way there's
really no reason they shouldn’t
continue to work together
— and no one needs to ever
know what happened between
them. The flip side is, one of
them is angry. If you’ve seen
Basic Instinct, you’ll know how
nasty things can get.
Speaking of films, forget
sleeping with the boss to get
ahead. That only happens in
the movies and even then it
rarely works out. In Asia few
secrets are kept, especially
in a romantic entanglement
between supervisor and subordinate,
and it won’t take long
for the rest of the office to find
out. On one insidious scenario,
one person supervises the
work of another, or company
money is involved, and maybe
no one knows that these two
are an item. That opens up the
possibility of abuse of position,
which is never a good thing.
Many companies have rules
barring couples from working
together, which may not seem
fair but at least it’s out in the
open and easier to deal with.
If you’re considering an
office fling, it may be very
exciting in the early days but
consider the longer-term
consequences. It could cost
you your job as well as a lot of
personal grief.
As usual, let me know if
you have any particular topic
you would like to see covered
here.
Gary Woollacott is the CEO of
Opus executive search in Vietnam
and Thailand. He can be
reached at +84 8 3827 8209
or via gary@opusasia.net.
Opus is a partner of Horton
International.
sells a range of appealing handmade
products created by underprivileged
women in Binh Thuan Province.
Minh Boutique
15 Nguyen Thiep, D1
Lacquerware pieces, tea boxes, teapot
warmers, ice buckets and sake drinking
sets all handmade in Vietnam. Also sells
a range of silverware, egg holders and
ice tongs.
OUT-2 STUDIO
L6 Fafilm annex
6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3825 6056
STUDIO@OUT-2.com
www.out-2.com
Studio space for independent designers
to showcas their wares, sell their work
and meet with clients. Open Monday t
Saturday 10 am to 6 pm.
Phuong Mai
213C Dong Khoi
www.phuongmai-gallery.com
Gallery specializing in original oils by
Vietnamese artists. The works here are a
mish-mash of styles but do contain some
standouts, particularly well-known local
artists La Hon, Quy Tam and Pham Trinh.
Sapa
125 Ho Tung Mau, D1
Offers a better selection of hill tribe
handicrafts than most of its rivals.
Concentrates mainly on the hand-woven
clothing of the indigenous tribespeople of
the region. There is also a line in ladies’
shoes and the standard range of silk
wraps and bags.
Unity
12 Dang Tran Con, D1
Tel: 3823 9375
info@unitycompany.com
www.facebook.com/unitycompany
Located opposite Galaxy cinema, Unity
offers accessories that are designed to
seamlessly blend in with your life. Familiar
basics are given a contemporary update
with the use of modern, alternative materials
like silicone, rubber, and brushed
aluminum. From orbital lamps and
eggshell-white china, to wire-clasped
water bottles, each individual piece
complements the others in the collection
to give your home a sense of Unity.
ELECTRONICS
Hi End Audio
84 Ho Tung Mau, D1
A standout that stocks the very latest
and greatest in home entertainment.
Retails in everything from giant plasmascreen
TVs to audio equipment. Most
top brands are available.
iDEAS Shopping Centre
133-141AB Cach Mang Thang Tam, D3
The largest of the electonics stores
along the street, the three-storey iDEAS
sells every type of electronic and home
appliance imaginable. Offers proper warranties.
Staff speaks some English.
Nguyen Kim Shopping Centre
63-65 Tran Hung Dao, D1
Tel: 3821 1211
www.nguyenkim.com
Stocks DVD/CD players, cameras,
TVs, hi-fis and more from Sony, Sanyo,
Panasonic, Philips and other major
manufacturers. Also a good place to pick
up electronic kitchen supplies like coffee
makers and rice cookers, as well as large
and small appliances, from hot water
heaters to regrigerators.
Phong Vu
125 Cach Mang Thang Tam, D1
Tel: 6290 8777
www.vitinphongvu.com
Two-storey electronics store retails in
international products conveniently
grouped by brand. Carries computers,
home audio, printers, hard drives and
more, as well as a variety of mobile
phones, handheld electronic devices and
accessories.
Savico
117 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 7993
One-stop electronics and home appliance
superstore. All products have a one
to three-year warranty.
Tech Street
Huynh Thuc Khang Street between Ton
That Dam and Nguyen Hue, D1
Sells compact discs, DVDs, electronic
money counters, video games and
systems, Discmans, mp3 players and
portable DVD players.
FURNITURE
Appeal
41 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 5258
A small, upscale shop that offers modern
accents for the sleek dining room. The
colours of the over-sized vases and
fruit bowls are either glistening red or
lacquered black.
AustinHome
20 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3519 0023
Outstanding quality and style for your
home. The shop says its products are
hand-picked by an American furniture
expert from the best factories in Vietnam.
Upholstery, accessories, antiques and
more.
Catherine Denoual
15C Thi Sach, D1 Tel: 3823 9394
Beautiful showroom with clean lines and
a sumptuous array of bedroom products
including bedside lamps, linens, pillowcases
and duvet covers.
Decosy
112 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 6281 9917
Producer of a large selection of European
styled furniture and interior fittings,
specializing in wrought iron and patine
(distressed) wood finishes. Also stocks
a wide-range of decorative accessories,
crockery and fixtures. Custom design
services available upon request.
Esthetic
11 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh
Tel: 3514 7371/7372
Fax: 3514 7370
esthetic@vnn.vn
www.estheticfurnishing.com.vn
Design and manufacture as order with a
mixture of antique and modern furniture.
Friendly staff speak excellent English.
Furniture Outlet
3A Ton Duc Thang, D1
Tel: 2243 7955/3911 0104
Wide selection of well-crafted and carefully
constructed pine wood pieces at
good prices, aimed at customers craving
a taste of Europe.
Furniture Street
Ngo Gia Tu, D10 between Ly Thai To
and Nguyen Chi Thanh
Very affordable furniture can be found on
this stretch: couches, mattresses, desks,
chairs, etc. It often takes some looking to
find a gem. A connected sidestreet, Ba
Hat, features woodworkers’ shops.
Gaya
1 Nguyen Van Trang, D1
Tel: 3925 1495
www.gayavietnam.com
Four-floor store featuring the work of
foreign designers: home accessories and
outdoor furniture by Lawson Johnston,
linens by Corinne Leveilley-Dadda,
furniture and lighting by Quasar Khanh,
laquerware decor by Michele De Albert
and furniture and decor by vivekkevin.
LINH‘S WHITE
37 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6281 9863
Furniture shop that focuses on solid
wood furniture and decorative items
ranging from pillows and lamps to
bedding. Also offers kids’ furniture and
custom pieces.
Rare Decor
41 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3822 2284
137/1 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh
72 asialife HCMC