Crazy thoughts, deep emotions & more: September 2014

Tuesday, 30 September 2014

Flexible Work Arrangements – Luxury or Compromise

Most employers today boast about how they make life easier for their employees – flexible work timings, work from home option, part time options & so on. Though these options are open for all, it most benefits the “Married women” segment. While they juggle work, family & kids, these options seem like a godsend to them.

But is it that hunky dory? Let’s find out about at least one option: WFH…

The moment one opts for a flexibility option, the yardstick for measuring his performance changes drastically. While most managers won’t agree, it’s sadly the truth. Here are some of the notions that the so called regular employees breed about those who WFH (henceforth called as FlexSeekers):

· FlexSeekers don’t work at all

Suddenly “Being in office” is equated with “working”. The regular employees are not required to give an update about their tasks & bandwidth while the FlexSeekers are constantly on the radar even if they make every possible effort to showcase the work they’re doing.

· FlexSeekers are very unethical

FlexSeekers are unethical because they don’t start their work at the same time every day. People who part time between being in office & working from home find it even more difficult when their managers say, “If you say you’ll be in office by 8.30 AM, you can’t come in at 9 AM. That’s unethical”. The fact is FlexSeekers are ill-treated not just by their managers but also by their teams. They are not included in discussions. They are not given any information unless they ask for it. They are not informed about cancelled meetings. Imagine how frustrating it would be to spend time debugging an issue that’s already fixed or waiting endlessly for the cancelled conference call to begin. The torchbearers have got the concept of workplace ethics all wrong, I guess.

· FlexSeekers are not as dedicated as regular employees

This belief goes so up in the hierarchy even to the level of senior managers. If a regular employee is in office till 7 PM as opposed to the normal 4-5 PM schedule, the manager goes, “She stays back till 7 PM during release cycles. She’s so dedicated!” If a FlexSeeker works from 8 AM to 11 PM every day of the week (weekends included), all he gets to hear is “That’s okay… X has not done her work yet. If I was in your position, I would take up his work too…” Now that’s the new definition of DEDICATION.

One piece of advice for all the people who are considering opting for a flexible work option: Before jumping into it, remember, once you do so, you’ll no longer be rated based on the work you do but by the time you are present in office. Make a wise decision.

Thursday, 25 September 2014

Being yourself... Always

There are three kinds of people in this world. The first kind is all for going out there and grabbing the olive wreath. These people will do absolutely anything to be successful. The second category includes those people who just don’t understand the word compromise. They’ll always do what they love doing and will care a damn about what others think about them. The third category is left with all the confused souls who really can’t figure out which way to go. They try to sail in two boats at a time – they try to do what it takes to be successful but shy away from attempting completely outrageous things.

Though I pity those who run after the success tag, I do admire the fact that they have a clear purpose that they relentlessly pursue. They meet happiness when they achieve what, according to them, is success. Whether the meeting lasts even after the next finish line is unveiled is a matter of debate. Moreover, is the definition of success set in stone? It is what you define it to be. For some, success means being the best in what you do; for some others it is closely associated with money – lots & lots of it; for some people it means power and for a really small group of people, it just means being happy every single day of the year.

I’m a diehard fan of those who make it a point to pursue their interests no matter what. I salute those who don’t care about how they are perceived. They understand that perceptions and notions are never solely based on facts. A perception is like a recipe, a very complex one at that. A lot of things like the observed person’s behavior, language, knowledge and also situations go into making this recipe. But there is also a secret ingredient called the observer’s presumption. This ingredient is called a secret ingredient because most of the times the person forming the assumptions doesn’t realize its presence. Sometimes it becomes the core ingredient and yet one can’t even see the difference in the final product - the perception. That’s precisely why perception is called perception. It is what one thinks you are and not what you actually are.

Having said all that, the only group that deserves attention is the confused lot. These are people who have no idea about what they want in life. They are so bogged down by how others perceive them that they start living a life that is completely devoid of joy. They spend their entire life trying to be what someone else wants them to be.

Living a false life is a dreadful disease that is hard to diagnose. To all those who are afflicted by this disease, please remember if you are not being yourself, no amount of success can give you happiness. Being yourself is the best gift you can give yourself.

Monday, 22 September 2014

Truly free

“Your future is in your hands. You can shape it the way you want. You live in a free world.” How many times have you heard this? I grew up listening to this over and over again. Teachers, Parents, Parents’ friends,… it was every adult’s favourite piece of advice for the next generation. At that time, it sounded really flattering. Every child grew up believing that they could make every single dream of theirs come true. Now I wonder how many of the adults really believed in what they said…

True, we live in a free world. A world where you are free to look around, learn, voice our opinions, love, care, dream… A world where you can do all this and more. But there’s only one catch to it. There’s a cage around you all the time. It’s a cage that you can’t see or feel but it’s always there to knock you down when you wander far enough from where you were supposed to be. You can dream about absolutely anything and pour your heart into it. But can you reach out & hope to realize your dreams? Apparently not! Most of us try to break through a few times & then settle for a half-life - a life where you enjoy dreaming big yet settle for what you get.

It takes a lot of courage and will to break through the barrier. You must find the right stone to throw at the cage – the stone of perseverance. Eventually the walls will come crashing down.

Then & only then you’ll be truly free.

Friday, 19 September 2014

Till we meet again

I have been missing my friends throughout this week. It made me dig through old bits & pieces that remind me of all the good times I have spent with them. Here's one that's really close to my heart just like the friend I wrote it for:

Dear Shalaka,

I know I don’t have to say all this… You would probably already know… This is an opportunity of a lifetime and I’m not letting it pass. J I want you to know that I’ll always remember you for some good reasons and some… really good reasons.

Today when I go down the memory lane, I can vividly remember your first day in GE. That day was special for me too because that was the day a friend was thrust into my life. Back then it didn’t occur to me what a great friendship I would eventually share with you but today I can proudly say that that was one awesome blessing.

I have never paired with you in the true sense but would have definitely loved to. I have always admired your fearless attitude and that charming ability to quickly get along with anyone. Today when I remember all the moments we spent together, I feel grateful for having a friend like you. All the jokes, laughter, craziness, innocence (applies only to me :P) will always be some of my most cherished memories.

The way you imitate people without offending them makes it all the more enjoyable. That’s precisely the reason why I find myself laughing when you guys tease me all the time. ;) And I must credit Shailesh for his far-sightedness. Within a year of us joining, he used to tell me that he would let me sit next to you if I joined his team… :) He knew we would eventually become great friends even before we realized it.

I have known all along that you would leave some day… I was really happy, for you were embarking on a lovely journey. J But today when the time has come, the only thing I can think about is how much I would miss you… how different our lives would be at work without you… I want you to revel in the fact that you’ve been such a great friend to many out here and you’ve earned a lot of love and respect. You’ll be terribly missed but somewhere I can feel an inkling that you are not going to be away for long… Just this one thought brings a smile to my face.:)

Be just the way you are. Knowing you, I don’t think you would be any different even if I met you after a long, long time. Take care of yourself and keep in touch. Hope to see you soon… Uday ko bolti hoon mujhe Houston bhejne ko… Aur waise bhi ab jab mera engagement nahi hua hai, mere liye koi Houston wala doondna… :D

P.S.: You would have thought that if at all I came up with something for you it would have been a poem. But I felt a few rhyming words wouldn’t be enough to describe what you mean to me.

With lots of love,

Srividya

Undying Love

A tiny tot I’m, dancing on stage

Grooving to the rhythm alright

Yet my eyes search the crowd

I find you, I smile, and then I’m perfect