Karma Bounced

As I was dumped in a road side garage, saw young Hritik sitting in the bus stop for hours. He deserved this fate… I felt this, seeing him waiting  for the public bus, the frequency of which reduced due to lack of passengers.

Hritik was a young professional, got placed in a reputed factory with handsome package after his graduation. He was among the top earners in his family. 

During his college days he was known to be arrogant with don’t care attitude. Having no value for money nor respect for others, he felt this is how the life should will be.

When he started the job, this disrespect for other just increased. He was good on his work delivery however he didn’t care for anything.

His father advised him for saving and investment, but Hritik felt, it’s the age to enjoy and not to think of saving for unknown future. He spent money in lavish way and unwarranted things.  When the need arises to own a two wheeler for local commute, he felt instead of spending 50 – 60 thousand its best to make use of things like me.

Well, I didn’t introduce myself – I am a humble bike. I was purchased along some more bikes by few hardworking, ambitious entrepreneurs, to start a bike renting company in this mega city. I was supposed to be used by citizen for ease of their work and travel. It was win-win situation for them and for my owners.

After initial launch days, people like Hritik abused me. Instead of thinking that I am a service provider, I was used like worthless item for their personal interests.

I was rented for short journeys by my riders and after their work I was getting dumped in many undesirable places. My spare parts were stolen, helmets were not kept back and finally some of my friends became disfigured permanently.

I still remember one day,after his late evening party this guy took me on rent and he eventually parked me in an edge of sewage drain canal, in a deserted area, just to ensure I fell in to it. I had heard stories of him from other rented bikes, which were parked on middle of highway or left abounded on top of busy flyovers.

When I was parked in such undesirable place, one of his friends did ask Hritik why he is doing this always after renting out, isn’t it unfair on the owners of the company to undergo lose due to such deed. Hritik was unsympathetic and said it’s the Karma of the bike and its company and he damn cares. He also confessed that he felt happy seeing such things getting damaged due to accidents, with a remorseless smile on him.

This continued for many days and I kept hearing about how my other bike friends were getting damaged by his purposeful act. I felt upset about my owners undergoing lose due to such people.

And then the pandemic crisis hit the world. My company had major issues as there were not many takers for the bike rides and on addition I was severely damaged due to the inhuman acts of people like Hritik. I was left to the care of bike garage and I am resting here from many months.

I also heard, Hritik lost his job and it’s been six months now. With no savings to backup he is literally in tears searching for new opportunities. Though getting few calls to attend interviews, he is not able to be on time as he can’t afford the same bikes which he ridiculed earlier and wait for the unscheduled public transport. This has pushed him to undue pressure and today he is sitting in this bus stop waiting for his next destination.

The same bikes which were pushed to scrap, like me, are watching the Karma getting bounced at people like Hritik.

  

Disclaimer: All the incidents, characters, names are fictitious and any resemblance to anyone or events is pure coincidence.

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. 

Mixie

Amma, pls stop this mixie while I am working at home, have lot of calls to attend and this mixie is not allowing me to speak nor hear ...

Yeah, I will stop, but do not ask what is for lunch or snacks every day. I cannot manage like this … anyways let me know when I can restart.

This was a routine conversation at Karun’s house, a small place, suiting his monetary condition in this big metro city. This house has also become his home office after the lockdown and keeps arguing with his mother to shutdown kitchen work while he is on calls.

He is the only earning member in family after his father’s retirement. With lot of dreams and responsibilities to manage, he had joined this small firm and was indeed a hard worker and was putting lot of efforts to ensure the job demands are met at any cost. He was one of the favorite in team for being humble, soft-spoken and no nonsense attitude , due to his background, he was shy and tried to be alone, never spoke to his team members other than his work and stayed away from all other conversations.

When the work from home started due to a pandemic situation, like everyone Karun took some time to settle down and eventually got adjusted as way of life, except the mixie’ s noise. Though this sound was noticed earlier, his family was not in position to buy new one and the repair shop guy had to given up hope on it long back, so they continued with it.

Few months into the crisis, things did not seem to improve across globe and thus his company also got in to trouble. The client for whom he was working in backend but in critical role did not want to extend the ongoing project as they felt it will not be liked by their end consumers and had given notice to end it.

Karun’s job was in stake. Lot of deliberation was done on retaining but company finally decided to let him go with one-month notice. It was a tough decision they had taken but without any option.

On that unfortunate day, while Karun was working in his laptop, he got an unannounced video call from his Manager. Surprised to see it, Karun joined the call and after all the initial greetings, Manager started talking about the client position and difficult situations due to this crisis. Just when his supervisor started to talk about the job and how regrettable to tell him he has only one-month notice to end the job, Karun’s mother switched on the mixer in the nearby kitchen.

Karun could not hear anything and in panic of his manager scolding him of noise, muted his audio also, thus other side did not know Karun is not able to hear anything. Being a video call, he was not able to walk or signal his family to stop the mixer as well and pretend to hear what has been told in the call.

After couple of minutes, in coincidence, the mixer work ended, and his manager also completed his talk on giving notice and wishing him all the best and keep continue good job, Karun in his way of being humble said , he understood what has been told without realizing he has been served one month time to exit.

Karun continued his job in natural zeal and continued his backend support for the client with innovative ideas. His management felt bad of not able to retain such good associate who is being so committed during notice period.

One of the idea’s Karun had given turned the clients fortune and they decided to continue the project. Management quickly decided that this employee must be retained immediately since only he can implement this idea and delight the customer.

Thus , another Video call from his Manager to Karun, this time to inform him to stay back and as fluke the mixer started at same time, forcing Karun to mute his audio and pretend agreeing to his manager words. Only words he heard at end was his Manager was appreciating and thanking him for being passionate despite in this situation.

Well, what If he had heard the initial decision, would he be continued to be passionate of job, nor give ideas, leading to client business reviewed, company retaining project and finally saved his job… is it because he was ignorant of the message or mixie played different role for him, no one can predict.

As the lockdown continues and return to office is not yet confirmed, Karun’s life underwent a roller coaster ride without himself realizing it in this unpredictable life.

Indian Workforce Management - Challenges and Opportunities

As the world restarts the business operations, covid era has made everyone to think a common question, what next?

It can be from sourcing of raw materials to supply chain management, from sales meeting to customer interaction, from administration of premises to financial aspects, it all starts with what next..?

One area need to be taken care on priority is Human Capital, The People, who will work to solve most of the above questions and help to restart the economic cycle. 

As the possibility of remote working is becoming way forward for technology based companies, it also give raises to certain challenges and opportunities in people management, especially from Indian perspectives.

Some of them are noted below as a thought to ponder, while working towards such possibilities:   

Opportunities:

Talent Attraction – with remote working we can hire resources from any location of the country, even from the remotest part where employee can sit and start delivering the requirements.

     Retention Management – one the major reasons for exit was relocation due to family reasons. No more such reasons are required and we can retain key resources to work from their preferred job locations. 

    Happy Employees – with associates able to manage time between home needs and office work, take care of dependents at home, remote working will help them to address such topics and concentrate at work in ease.

      Fewer Events – most of the organizations were spending huge amount towards those big events and sometimes with celebrities on stage. With social distancing and crowd management, such mega events will not be allowed, same with sports and cultural activities.  

    Reduced Facilities cost and related concerns  - we will not require those big buildings with large number tables and chairs, spacious cafeterias, transportation, F&B, facilities  thus resulting in less cost towards infra and also the concerns related to it from employees.

    Better Productivity – employees might be ready to put that extra hour saved from commuting to office premises, coffee breaks taken in pantry.  Possibilities of Employees applying leaves to address personal challenges will also be reduced, thus getting more working hours every year.

   Newer Market Info – with employees based out of remote locations, they might help to gather the information on the local customer base, consumer mindset, without spending money on research data which can help in business development and employee recognitions.

    Reduced Compensation Cost – as an employer, you might get opportunity to explore untapped locations and attract talents at lesser cost compared to candidates in cities. Even candidates might agree to join at lower salary considering the cost of living and savings from being away from metropolises.

     Shorter Meetings, Webinars and Discussions -leads to better participation by resources.

Challenges:

Risk of Attrition – the way a company can hire people from anywhere, competitors can also target skilled resources, offer and pouch them. With very little information on what employees are up to, with no physical presence in office, attending video based interviews from remote locations, it should not be a surprise when people send their resignation mail.

Talent Retention – there might be employees who stayed back in an organization due to the location constraint, travel distance, especially in mega cities. Now with possibility to work anywhere and limited requirement of physical presence, the same employees will start scouting for their dream companies and roles.  There can also be situations of employees starting their own ventures in tier 2-3 cities by quitting their current jobs.

Limited Engagement - with reduced social bonding among people, the essence of engaging them through various forums and forms will be lost and isolation feeling will start impacting. Don’t forget, no more team outings.

Monotony – as the remote work kicks in, there will be monotonous of job, feeling of separated will start and organizations will need dedicated counseling help lines to support employees in their personal and professional grievances. The need to talk to someone to share their problems will increase which would have been taken care by close colleagues in office space.

Rewards and Recognition - with virtual award ceremonies, the feel of being recognized in mega events will be missed. The mailers and desktop backgrounds will have limited recalling effect. No more dinner or travel vouchers will motivate, there will be need to reward people in newer and better ways.

Advanced Planning– Managers will need to give advance notice to employees to be available in office for any purpose. In case of project exigencies, lack of people around might complicate situations and also possible business loss.

Team Management -  Managers will have huge task of ensuring fairness while treating people on remote working, roster planning and dealing with disciplinary issues.

Health Issues – the need of being in front of system for long hours, can also lead to physical and psychological stress. In long term it might lead to attrition. Addressing unhealthy lifestyle issues will become organization issues.

Amendment of various policies and laws- Policies like Accumulation or Lapse of Leaves will ask for rethink to balance between employee need and organization goals. With possibilities of employees applying for vacation reduced, there will be higher number of lapsed or accumulation, which leads to higher encashment cost during exit. Another example can be Working Hours. We need to amend such policies to suit the requirements.

With advantage and disadvantages are natural in any new spheres of life, Workforce Management will have initial challenges but will evolve along with Organization based on the experiences, feedback as it progresses over a period of time . People Managers will have to be ready to partially unlearn the current, learn and adopt to the new ways.  

Disclaimer:  None of the above points are related to any organization. This write up is based on authors understanding through discussion in various forums, reading of articles on evolving situation and experience gained in people management domain.   

An Unknown Story of a Known Face

Most of us will be familiar seeing a face staring from various buildings, houses, complex etc. You can also notice such figurines lurking in roadside waiting for some one to buy. Well, this is a common face in India known to everyone, especially in South. However, do we know there is a folk story of this face?

Well, if someone asks what is this or why it is placed on any buildings, the most common response we get is – it’s a “dristi bombe”. A doll kept scaring away the evil eyes.

From childhood most of us would have heard similar answer – it is a distract kept on top of any good, expensive building which will reduce the impact of any wicked senses, and keep such place safe, isn’t it? I was in assumption for many years and never bothered to find the details behind it until recently came across a mythological story related to it.

Yes, there is a story embedded in our famous classic Mahabharata…!!

Just before the start of Kurukshetra war, Krishna was thinking about the upcoming war and came across an archer who was practicing with great precise. Looking at his talent he spent some more time observing him and in one aim practice, archer shoots down all but 5 ½ leaves from a tree in a single arrow. Krishna was impressed at this talent but also curious to know why 5 ½ leaves was left and ask the archer.

Archer introduces himself as Urdhvaroma, son of Bheema and says when the Kurukshetra war happens, he will take side of Pandava’s and eliminate all others in the war. Thus those 5 leaves are of Pandava’s and ½ for Krishna.

Though Krishna is impressed with Urdhvaroma, he doesn’t want to these to happen, since his vision for the war was different and Urdhvaroma’ s presence will eliminate the very purpose of war. Krishna asks him to join him for further journey towards camp.

In the camp, Pandava’s were performing a Havan and as part of ritual they need to sacrifice a living creature.

Krishna entrusts this to Urdhvaroma, asking him to get a creature which has scary face and full of straightened hairs, without which Pandava’s can’t complete the Havan and may not be able to win the war.

Urdhvaroma having taken side of Pandava’s start searching for that description, but never to be found. Tired of roaming and thirsty, he goes to a pond for water. Just when he bends to gulp some water, his reflection is seen in pond and that gives a shock to him. Yes, his face is comparable to Krishna’s ask for sacrifice. He realizes, it is his life been asked for the victory of Pandava’s.

With sadness but determined, Urdhvaroma returns to the camp and lies down beneath a cloth, on the bench kept for the creature.

Krishna asks Bheema to sacrifice the creature beneath the cloth by chopping off the parts from toe onwards. Bheema follows the instructions, without realizing who is lying there.

Up on reaching neck, while the creature is still alive, Bheema feels awry and unveils the cloth, to see the horror of his son been chopped by him as sacrifice for war.

Too late to reversible, Bheema is disheartened by his act however needs to move forward.

Urdhvaroma seeks blessings from Bheema and ask Krishna if he can be alive till the war ends, which is granted and his head is kept in safe distance, to watch all 18 days war of Kurukshetra.

Not only that, for the great sacrifice Urdhvaroma did by offering his own life, he is also blessed that he will be remembered forever by keeping his head replica in front of all houses for generations to come and he will safeguard such places from evil eyes.

 

Note: This story may not appear in all the versions of the Mahabharata. However, there are so many stories and sub stories connected with this great classic and in one of such folk stories, came across this incident.

There can be various other versions of Urdhvaroma or Dristi Bombe concept. There are numerous stories around the arrow and conversation follows, however, this is an attempt to capture the stories read and heard from different sources. Have referred numerous articles, stories videos, plays, spoke to elders in family for information and got this created. If not for originality, you can treat this as a simple story on bravery and sacrifice.

 

A Decade of Blogging - Thank You and Indology Series !!

Its ten years since I started this blog - The Journal Journey. First blog published in Jan 2010 and then it became a part-time interest..!!

Why it all started? Well it was mix of reasons- an idea came in discussion with friends, along with a need to record the contemporary issues in a place which can be munched sometime in future. Off course I don’t have hesitation to accept there was long gap in the continuing the posts and the actual momentum gained much later.

There are occasions when new articles was posted on regular basis and there are years when I have posted sporadically, nonetheless ensured the blog is alive till date. In this period was able to cover many contemporary issues ranging from self-reflections to politics to environment to travel and being nostalgia.

Thanks to all the encouragement from readers. I still remember had shared my first blog link to some known contacts through mail seeking feedback. I should acknowledge, for most of the blogs till date have got reaction, either through comments directly in the blog or in person connects.  I also enjoyed the moments when people asked for new one whenever there is delay, such query creates motivation to write further.

In this ten years lot of changes has happened in all of us including our connects, interests, hobbies and one notable change is the reviewed interest in our “Indianness”.

With this background, from 2020 will be adding “Indology” series along with continuing the contemporary topics.

Under Indology (meaning - related to Indian history, literature, philosophy, culture etc.) will be posting articles on some unknown facts, lesser known mythological characters and stories, historical topics, mystical subjects . Wish I will be able to give justice to this vast subject called India and its unique history.

Eagerly looking for feedback and suggestions, as always, expecting it to continue…!!

A New Tax Reform –Benefit for All!!

Introduction:

As the preparation for the 2020 Budget will kick start in few weeks, proposing this idea to Government which might be useful not only to individual tax payers but also to the organizations and Administration.

One of the biggest challenge we are facing in any major Indian city is Traffic. We are spending hours while commuting to work, wasting manpower, burning fuels, creating pollution and ending up with frustration and ill-health.

The measures taken by authorities to improve the situation is only a small step. Major problem is how to involve all the stakeholders in addressing this issue.

With creation of new type jobs from late 90’s, the once so called luxury and dream purchase –two and four wheeler has become a common commodity.Cheap loans from banks is also pushing more vehicles in to road.

It is becoming very common to have one or two personal bike / car and not to depend on the public transport. With increasing salary it is also easy to afford and maintain as it is only a part of the income earned.

Peak hours traffic shows the above examples – big cars with single person driving occupies majority of jams and in between are numerous bikes trying to squeeze in, either on road or pavements. This is common especially in front of IT Parks and Industrial Areas.

Many of the companies are also providing bus facilities as part of their benefit schemes, however very few employees are using it. If we question what makes them not to use such facilities – most of them will talk about being independent and also to some extent social status.

This is not only creating chaos on the road but also causing India a big lose in terms of fuel import to keep feeding these vehicles.  Approximately India imports 82% of its oil need at a staggering cost of $ 112 Billion!!

No matter how much road expansion we keep doing, if there is no control on the number of vehicles on street, it will never solve the problem or rather we might end with only roads all over!! This obviously causes destruction of greenery, water-body and complete ecology resulting in deteriorated health.

Suggestion:

Mayor of Colombian capital Bogota once said “A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It's where the rich use public transport” we need to encourage more number of people to go for such modes.

With lakhs of employees commuting daily to their workplace, why don’t we encourage employers / organizations to provide Bus / Cab facilities to their employees and motivate employees to use it?

To boost this, as part of tax structure can we introduce below scheme:

• Individuals  using public transport / mass transit / company provided cabs or buses should be given tax rebate as part of their income tax rebates
• Companies which provides bus / cabs to their employees should be given corporate tax benefit while they are filling their annual returns.

General mindset of commoner is to save money whenever such offers are made from Government. If it is part of incomes tax rebates, sure more number of people will start subscribing for mass transport. Even companies will encourage it since they will also get tax benefits. 

Government will not be under loss due to such schemes, because it will be saving in millions by reduced fuel consumption resulting lower import of oil. Cost of expanding roads and environment destruction can also be avoided.

Yes, this might reduce demand in automotive industry for newer personal vehicles however it will create employment for trained drivers and mass vehicles.

This might be only a small suggestion, which will have challenges to implement, however, with tumbling environment condition, there is urgent steps to be taken by Corporate and Government to safeguard the larger interest. Let’s brainstorm them….

(Postscript - While writing this blog remembered about an article which I discarded without publishing in 2012-13, only to see it became a big news after few years and regret I didn’t publish.

Title was - Make in India vs Made in India..!!

Even now I am not sure if this proposal is best, however recording it here for any future reference, as there is need for alternative for sure)