What an Employer can offer?

I always found myself too over confident to believe concretly that I am gifted with talent to do what ever I want to. In such an overconfidence, I attempted to write a column, provoked by one of the recent writing in The Hindu (issue date 12/10/05).

Destined to spend 10 to 12 hours a day at office, it is extremely important that employees feel good to be there. What really makes them happy?

‘Working under pressure’ this is the mantra most BPO’s in transaction processing line utter. These organizations are best suited for just out of college freshers who want a job desperately. I perceive strongly that this line is chosen as a career for life by those who lack great ambitions. Still, associating oneself with a big brand name will make that working under pressure a bit less painful.

Though this brand name may keep them loyal to their companies for quite some time, this cannot help in the long run. An employee who wants to explore and do more will really badly need a change.

Apart from brand name, amenities which the company offer plays an important role in creating this feel good atmosphere. Rather than the utility of the amenity offered, the pride that ‘my company offers such and such to me’ plays a vital role. An employee would love to boast of the quality of lunch provided to him free of cost/subsidized rate. It is not that he is tightfisted not to take his own lunch, but the fact that the company cares matters.

The important factor which cannot be ignored is the pride which an employee has in his work. I have heard my friend lamenting that she deserves well to do a better job than she is doing now. Though paid heftily, the ultimate pleasure is derived when we really cherish what we do.

The irritating part can be, when the organization/department is in its nascent stage, and least efforts are taken by the management to streamline the procedures properly. The demotivation which the employee suffers is great. Giving way for subjective judgment is the best way for dispiriting the employee.

On the contrary, in a department which is in nascent stage, when the management is with open ears to get good suggestion from every employee, right from organizational procedures to appraising pattern, the democratic liberty given and the feeling of being consulted can really make an employee loyal.

A nagging superior, least interested in shouldering responsibilities, with a pessimistic view about anything new, to add to all these, with a completely hollow head, can make the employee doubt the very faith about his future prospects in the organization. Though most of the private organizations have done away with such superiors and it is only quality that pays, it is sad to notice that few really count the years of experience, which sidelines the rationality and reckon less on skill set of others.

To conclude, an organization will be doing complete justice to its employees, if it offers a democratic environment, with responsible and understanding superiors and cheerful and friendly colleagues and most importantly a really challenging or feel proud work which the employee wants. If those who read it conclude that such an ideal organization do not exist, let me tell u, I am part of one.