Office conversation

So, the democracy that was exercised few days back brought results. If you don’t know what, then let me tell you. In our department we all were asked to forward the name of two employees one from assistant level and other from executive level, who we think deserved the annual perk from office. I exuberantly forwarded two names and the one who deserved won. I had left office earlier on the day of result. Following conversation transpired the next day on the same issue.
Raxi: Ram Prasad has got the grades. Hari was fired. According to Mr. Ro if everything was planned there was no need for the drama. He was really enraged.
Sandy: Wow! That’s cool. He deserved it.
Subbu: Yup! He works really hard and obeys things.
Hem: I also think he deserved it. But what ever that was done in the name of nomination was a frame. It had some other intention.
Raxi: didn’t you learn about the whole thing yesterday.
Sandy: No how would I.
Raxi(mockingly): you people shun work in the name of going to pulchowk.
Sandy: it does not mean that going to pulchowk is to know who got what. I do not go to unconcerned departments smelling new things cooking. I was at the Inventory.
Hem: Yes I was also at inventory but remained mostly at HR.
Raxi: Mr. Da who was so reluctant to vote and said he was concerned for others finally voted himself for assistant and Dept. Chief for executives.
Sandy: But I heard for Dept. Chief he had written he would not resent whoever is recommended.
Subbu: How come you people know the results when it hasn’t been flashed?
Sandy: I heard it on the workshop day.
Hem: After conducting the whole drama at least they should have come out with the results.
Sandy: Most of the staffs knew informally only we three were spared.
Raxi: Mr. Ro had told as soon as the recommendation cheats were counted.
Hem: Why does these things happen?
Subbu: this is so frustrating!! These things is not encouraging. Whether do not leak the information if you do make sure everybody knows it.
Sandy: The reality in our department is that we have groupism. We talk about one thing with some and with others the whole content is manipulated. There is no need to backbite anyone.
Hem: that is the main problem, at the end of the day we have to do our own work. The whole drama was to learn what the staffs think about each other and about their executives.
(Subbu leaves to fix something)
Raxi: I do not know about the intention but it was useless as the staffs feared that their handwriting will be identified and they will be biased.
Sandy: yes that could be the reason. This time my another nomination was a game of politics. I loved playing it.
Raxi: The best way was to ask the staffs to tick the names from the list and drop it in a box. It would have been justified and the result would have been fair.
Sandy: But to me the result is fair though what you said is correct.
Raxi: For e.g. Mr. Su had worked in this department for years and he hasn’t even got the perk a single time. He has worked hard.
Sandy: But its based on the work evaluation this year.
Raxi: It is a lie, a blatant lie. Then how come we can’t get the grades.
Sandy: Dept Chief had said we could be recommended.
Raxi: Then he knows nothing about the office rule. There is a rule which says employees can be recommended for grades only three years after they have joined the job.
We left the cabin after a guffaw. There are still few things that we all can agree on.

Democracy

These two days were very engaging. When there are no works there are no works at all and when there is work it makes one sweat till the last drop. Even then I prefer busy days against the dull ones. Yesterday was more tiring than today, today I managed to peek into an e-Book I have been reading from few days. The office hour was reaching its end while I was reading the intriguing lines. It was a call from my immediate executive, all the staffs were summoned and at that time among fifteen hardly six can turn up. We were four in his room where he was busy making some papers. He handed one to all of us, without actually looking at the paper which was already in our hand we wanted to know what it was from the horse’s mouth. It was a real surprise a thunder in its own way. Hurrah!!! Democracy. We were supposed to give our opinion on who should receive the annual perk from our department this year. We have to give names of one executive and one non-executive who we think should receive the perk or grade. We have to scribble the name of staffs. We do not require signing or jotting down our names. No criteria for the nomination were suggested possibly believing we were mature enough to justify our nomination.
One of my colleagues was less interested while I was little exuberant. We can even recommend our own names, unfortunately I do not find myself deserving and more unfortunate is the fact that I cannot think of any other deserving executive. While our seniors are more engaged in meetings and planning rather than implementing, we without doubt work more than that. Planning of course is a rigorous act but only when you are committed and one does not sit for planning for the sake of planning itself and belching the meeting allowance. Planners are rarely accountable when their plans fail. On one of those meetings we didn’t talk anything on the purpose for which we had sat together but we (including myself) indulged in current political development. We so much shamelessly mock the system that we have committee to recommend software (e-mail server) though the decision to buy particular software has already been made. Committees have other advantages as well, first being the allowance one gets and the other being sharing the accountability for works that are usually dubious.
Anyways I was excited today for it was a signal of change, sign of democracy. As far as non-executives are concerned, there are two deserving candidates while others are worse than worthless. Now I am little confused on whom I should recommend. We have seven non-executives out of which five are good for nothing. The one with the most gloomy face is an active member of union and he does nothing. The only task assigned to him is to survey different section and take note of that, even with no work he is the one who is never satisfied. All of my colleagues were unanimous that he will get only one vote and that will be his own. The other has remained absent (though appearing present in office’s attendance register) lamenting on his personal issues. Even when he comes he shows no interest in work except reading newspaper. I don’t know how he is going to get even a single recommendation with his rude behavior and unauthorized absence. One of the assistants is also an active member of union and he talks/demands more rights than earning it by executing what he is supposed to do. Boss’ secretary is new and he is also someone rarely seen in his desk. One is lady who was in pregnancy leave from two months and that makes her chance of getting a recommendation bleak. Now the two are left. One is a really laborious assistant, facilitator who is always available (before 2:00PM) when one needs him. A hardworking and proactive staff, though he runs his small private business without affecting the office choirs. But then he leaves work at 2:00PM though office time is till 5:00PM. Even then he does more work in a single day than his peer does in a whole month. The final one is a young man who is exploited like no other in the whole department. He does overtime, runs from section to section repairing and fixing computer related problems, comes to office even during holidays and is really helpful. I do not prefer people who raise no voice against exploitation and who consciously fall victim to the exploiter. The poor guy is doing work of three people all along by himself. I don’t know why people do not understand by falling prey to exploitation they will never win praises and perks. On the contrary those who exploit him will never want him to rise out of fear that if he rises higher they won’t be able to exploit him as easily as they are doing now. If one is being exploited because of his/her helplessness it can be justified. For example a father with a family to feed do not raise voice against his exploiter because there is no job available if he leaves his exploiter, in this case he might be justified but if he is a silent oppressed with no obligations he deserves no pity.
I have expressed my discontent in above paragraphs on the staffs who do not work. One thing that cannot be denied is that they are doing what they are asked to do. There is no one to cross check the activities of staffs. Seniors remain mum against the breach of office rules. As far as the staff who needs to work for one day a week is concerned, he is assigned no other jobs and he can easily avoid new assignments citing lack of knowledge. What a shame for department that spends a big part of its annual budget in trainings to enhance skills of staffs. Management cannot expect efficient work and discharge of duties unless it ensures none of its staffs are exploited and there is balance of work between them. May be this is also a sign for other changes. Let me hold on to my excitement.
When we were out of our executives’ room the same colleague who was skeptical inside said it was just a show off, a sponsored event with no significance. He said he even knew the one who will get the perk. It was the same man with discontented face from the union working only once a week. I said I can’t say anything but we agreed that he won’t get a single recommendation. He said he is even ready to bet, we informally have a bet on. I must admit my exuberance was descending from its peak and soon I was indifferent.
Is it only a drama? May be or may be not. We have also not been told that our recommendation will be used to make final recommendation, but it indicated that only our opinions were sought. We however can easily know if it was a drama when the one getting the grade will be declared. If my colleague wins the bet it will surely mean it was just a setup. I do not like to be pessimistic before anything has really happened, I hope this time there will be no foul play and our opinions will be counted. If that is to happen that will be a perk in itself for me individually and I know it will encourage other colleagues as well. It might also send message to the staffs who shun works to work properly.
Last year when the perk was announced there was a frustration among few colleagues unfortunately those who lie on the bracket of irresponsible staffs. They think one should get perks on the basis of their tenure. What a pity? Only those who has no work to speak for them bring this kind of opinion.

Office Office

When I went to office early in the morning, I saw him already positioned in his chair busy in some kind of work. Out of curiosity, didn’t you make a schedule yesterday? He nodded in affirmation. My face must have questioned him ‘then?’. After having completed a year in the department, I knew what had happened. As always they must have made schedule to stay after office or come early in the morning so that only one won’t suffer, but when time came for their turn they must have produced excuses or might have left without information. There he was doing work that was supposed to be done by another. If someone wants to witness the limit of indiscipline they should come to our department. If one wants a leave, he need not ask for that what he needs to do is come to office early in the morning do the attendance and go home. In this way you save your leave and at the same time you can do your work. If you are expected to carry out a duty you can just ignore it citing you are not the responsible because no job description is given. Luckily the boss is lenient. More than that no one is sincere and you always have cases when your boss or your colleague had broken the norm. Do you want make your superiors and boss considerate on you, then keep telling them the works you did (though in reality your colleague might have that) and do not fear to give him information on what others are doing or talking. Do not appear in office for almost a month still superiors will think you are in leave as their mathematics is slightly poor. Even if you come to office just find a place to sit with newspaper and engage yourself in gossip. Just show your face to boss and leave the office. I was thinking may be I should join some other organization in the day as after signing the attendance book, its not necessary to stay at office. Tell your father is ill and leave office anytime you want. Do you know any other office which is as lenient as ours? If you don’t want to work then this is the best office and ours is the perfect department for you. Even after taking professional trainings worth thousands of rupees you can always say I don’t know how to do it. Even if you have to work then it won’t be more than visiting other sections once a week taking few notes make entries in computer and relax for rest of the week. But you have to be careful, you must give impressions as if yours is the toughest job and keep complaining how you are doing the most difficult thing in the department. However if you still fear then again there is a cure, join a union, appear as if you are the most dedicated staff in the whole department before the boss. In every meeting your consent will be sought even though you have nothing to say. Wait !!! in meetings do not hesitate to raise issues even though they may be the silliest you can think of. Make yourself appear as if you are in great stress due to the nature of your work. Recite your woes on how you have to listen to others complain and how rudely they behave with you.
The other thing is make smallest of the work look the most complicated one, even if that can be done in not more than 30 minutes complain how mind boggling is the problem and how it might take a whole days or even a week. Always lament on the pressure of work you have but in your cabin feel free to play games. Keep telling how the works have piled up and how your peers have made it more complicated. If a problem is encountered do not look for its nature before blaming your immediate boss for everything. Criticize him and curse his incompetency before others to prove yourself the ultimate messiah. Do not forget to blab about how you accomplished something so complicated to everyone. Make yourself look as if without you the whole office will be lame. Forget sharing work, why would you share your work? If others start solving problems people will go to your colleagues and your image will be tarnished, people will stop praying you. Present yourself as the most caring person before your colleagues though you might hate him. Find what he is doing and try spoiling his work either by deleting the records he has created, or by deleting the file he has created. When someone points at you, make a conspiracy theory ready, make someone a villain who is always against you. It will work.
I am now an expert in office stuffs. I don't have much work but that is not because I have started avoiding work, there isn't any. However I leave office early at least twice a month and seek no permission if I have to leave office in the day for my personal work. I know this is something I should be ashamed of rather than flaunting it.
I have now adapted to the new culture and is spoiling myself yet have never shunned my responsibilities nor delayed any work. Even then I am a clever staff now. Earlier I was not. once when I asked my colleague whose permission should I seek if I have to leave early. He said no-one. My obvious question was ‘won’t any disciplinary action will be taken?’and the obvious reply was ‘only people who are disciplined can take disciplinary action upon others’. In my previous office there was no chance of leaving early. I said ‘The boss might reproach’ and the immediate reply was ‘the boss himself take classes in day’. I knew this was wrong, I could have bet that our boss does not take any classes in the day. I argued and after being convinced my colleague said he used to abscond earlier. Later I learnt few of my colleagues do not like the boss because they preferred the boss from their ethnic background. Though in 21st century, many of us have fostered communal ideologies. One of my colleagues is always full of praises for the head of another department. His ‘had there been P. Sir’ is a repetitive term I hate to hear.
Anyway this is our office, thus are my colleagues, seniors and so many things I have learned.

I shouldn't have done that

Just few days back, I boasted on my resistance to anger. I claimed how I can dodge anger and here I am lost in remorse for loosing my cool in the morning. Actually I had to reproach Sarita for ignoring works and not being in good mood. I do not do that by choice but that must have pissed me off though I was in good zeal on my way to the training institute. During the lesson we landed on a discussion, actually a colleague had bought an issue details of which won’t be interesting. It dealt with sorting the display in a web page and I wrote a code for him. While writing the code, one of my colleague started to argue before I completed the code. I should have taken that in a good sense but I utterly failed in taking the arguments in light heart. Why should I expect that others to agree with me and why can’t they comment? After all they are my colleagues not my students. I was pissed off. I have this ego that I am the most adept programmer among us (only in terms of dot Net). I do not want to be arrogant even then I can’t just take others denial of my task and others doubts on my work with light heart. Very like others I cannot notice that I am loosing my cool. In most of the cases when someone does not agree with us we take it too personally. When we argue most of us start arguing with an assumption that we are superior to the others. This feel of superiority does not let us remain in the cool spirit and the rushes of chemicals in our nerves accelerate. Before the other party gives or presents his logic we already hold an opinion that he is wrong and he does not know anything. We fail to realize that it is our logic that he is arguing, it is not us. Whenever he disagrees we assume that it is us he is questioning, it is us who he doubts. We believe he is not giving his logic to prove anything but to make us look low, embarrass us and mock us. HOW DARE HE NOT AGREE WITH ME? We are infuriated. I was just the victim of this immature ego. Is this the lack of security that I have granted myself? Is it my lack of knowledge or lack of confidence in the matter which I am defending? Probably its my confidence that is lingering. I might have doubted my armor that I can use in my defense or may be I have no armors enough to prove myself. I stop fighting to prove my point I soon channel my energies to prove myself, to prove I am superior and to send a message to my counterpart not to mess with me. Slowly my attempts are to prove him sick and worthless. Arguments only heats further. Luckily most of us know when we are losing control and we pull ourselves from resorting into violence till then enough damage has been done. Either we have challenged the self respect of other or we are head bent to give him a good lesson in the days to come.
Luckily today, I realized it was my mistake and soon repented within myself but it was clear my colleague was really fired. I can ascertain this from his tone from his language. I can catch him with his accent. Now let this not be taken as my fear from him, its just my realization. When everything had settled down and we had buried the hatchet (he was still fuming though), I thought may be I should say sorry. I was in two minds, if I say sorry it will soothe me but that will accepting that he was right, if I was not to say sorry I won’t feel good hence my ego will persist. I didn’t like to say sorry after all we never invaded personal premises, I just said stiffly that I could bet that I was right.
One thing had fumed me more than anything; he did not even try to listen to me. I explained him where he had misunderstood me; all others understood the point except for him. His obvious question was ‘how can this be?’ though I had taken the pain to explain him three times earlier. If he doesn’t understand it’s his problem, my ego had not died. I was sounding more as if I was trying to blow him rather than defend my logic, how could I behave so cynically. My fury for him had been taken over by my embarrassment. I had embarrassed myself. I behaved inappropriately.
Now even he is cool and seems to have got over with everything and I have not said sorry. I don’t know if I will say sorry or not.