Contact Tracing

I am done with this job. Tomorrow I will update my resume and start applying through all my contacts and portals, Dharma proclaimed. 

He was working in this manufacturing unit for nearly five years and was established. He got handsome salary, raised to newer positions, groomed further and well known resource in the organization handling a critical assignment. 

However, from past few weeks he was vexed at his work due to a minor disagreement with his team, his idea was not considered over his junior’s proposal and with ego being hurt, decided to look out at any cost. It was a negligible incident, but high on self-esteem, he wanted to teach a lesson by quitting the company. 

No doubt, the pandemic had created some kind of unrest in market, however there was no dearth of new opportunities for skilled and specific industry resources and he was confident to get one. 

His manager felt something amuse in Dharma’s new work approach and asked if anything to sort out, he also explained why his role is very important, future plans to groom him and not to worry about anything else, however Dharma neglected the advice and said will let know in few days. 

As work got resumed in factory, he and his team members were asked to work from office premises, equipped with all precautionary measures including contact tracing app, made mandatory by Government. Meanwhile, he started applying for job in market and was counting days when he can bid goodbye to this place. 

One evening, he got a call from a well-known company asking him to attend interview in two days. Next day in office, after a long meeting with his boss, he applied for a leave on pretext of personal work.

Dharma, next day morning was in this interview place. It was a competitor company. Attending his interview with a senior manager, he opened his heart and cribbed about workplace. The manager also motivated him to speak about their business model, challenges and issues they have. It was a lengthy discussion and Dharma was sure he will get shortlisted. The manager also spoke about how he plans to build this business, role of the new team member and how eager to have him onboard. 

He also spoke ill about Dharma’s company and questioned what made him to work for five years, spoiling his career opportunities and asked him to move out soon from there and join his team for a promising life. This had made Dharma to speak more than required answers. 

Next day onwards, with hope of new offer soon, the attitude towards current work changed, in office premises, with all arrogance dealt with people and supervisors. The goodwill from management started eroding in to negative. He also informally announced to few that he will quit soon, thus getting him undesirable attentions. 

After a week, his current manager fell sick, didn’t attend the office and within 2 weeks, he was diagnosed covid positive. Through contact tracing app, it was identified Dharma , who had a long meeting , is also a contact and need to be isolated soon to stop any possibility of spread of the infection. Coincidentally the status of Dharma’s app also changed as primary contact. 

Dharma, staying at home was restless. He was irritated with his team for putting him in this trouble and also anxious no updates on the new offer. Finally he reached the interviewed company seeking inputs and for his surprise, the Sr. Manager who had taken his interview was also infected and hospitalized, delaying any decision on candidatures. 

Cursing his luck, continued to work from home, till he was fine to resume the factory work as per authority’s guidelines on primary and secondary contacts. Back in office, Dharma met a senior staff and in a friendly chat they were discussing about the manager, his health etc. Curious to know, Dharma asked if any news on the source of infection. 

Yes, the senior staff said, your manager didn’t get infection in office. He had met a candidate in a café who was not comfortable to attend interview in our office. Both of them spent considerable time discussing the new role and candidate was too eager to join us as well. Might be in that process of meeting in open place, somehow both got infected. The candidate is also infected and he is still in hospital. 

Inquisitive to know, who the candidate was? Dharma asked. Staff informed, he is the senior manager from the competitor company. As the business is not well, and his career is stuck for many years, he was looking out for job. He applied through some source and also heard in interview he did well with knowledge of our business, ideas to improve etc. he might get offered. 

Dharma got in nervousness mode, feeling trapped…. He started tracing his action of being ego, arrogance, negative image he got created, of letting his company’s secrets to a potential candidate who lured him to quit ASAP, only to know the interviewee himself joining his company. 

What went wrong and what should be his approach…..He is still thinking, like a tracing app.

Disclaimer: This story is of imaginary work and if any resemblance to any incidents is pure coincidence.