Dear Member,
You are working in a company where discrimination is extreme. I understand the mental trauma you are going through.
Root causes of discrimination
The root cause of the problems is not necessarily the blue-eyed assistant of the Indian General Manager (GM) but the Japanese themselves. While they may not know the language, they can sense the discrimination. One need not know the language when blatant favoritism is going on in your company.
There could be more than meets the eye. You have written: "After her 1 year of completion, she received an approximately 100% salary increase, a dedicated cab service, a work-from-home facility (when she required), and allowances for late arrivals, early departures, and frequent breaks. Furthermore, he requires every executive, manager, and senior executive to report to her. Those who do not comply face immediate mental harassment."
If one reads between the lines, there are some facts that cannot be written here.
Options for HR professionals
Though you have not mentioned your designation, let me assume that you are from the HR Department. You have two options: The first one is to make a truce with destiny and accept the leadership of the GM's secretary. The second one is to quit the job. Even if you choose the second option, until you get another job, you need to follow the first option.
General comments on workplace equality
The member's post highlights how fostering a culture of justice and fairness is important to the company. Equality is the foundation for justice and fairness. If equality is missing, then how it creates a devastating effect on the minds of the employees is evident from this post. That this post comes from an employee working in a Japanese company speaks volumes. Japan is a democratic country. But merely having democracy is not sufficient; the real challenge lies in inculcating democratic values in the minds of the citizens.
Leadership and communication in a multicultural environment
The post also shows what happens when the top leadership remains aloof from the employees. It appears that out of aloofness, the Japanese are maintaining a transactional relationship with the Indian staff members.
Importance of learning English
Lastly, when the company administration decides to post the employees abroad, it is incumbent upon the posted employees to learn English. The post also highlights the importance of learning English, which is an international language. It sends a message to those who undermine it.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar