Work culture of our younger generation

I can remember an incident when N.R. Naryana Murthy the co-founder of Infosys sent an email to all his employees that read ‘This is 8.30 in the evening and I can see all lights on, most machines working, computers in on mode, I am interested to know who is working at this particular time’. Actually, he was curious to know rather read mentality of younger generation working for his organization. Later when he checked the people present at that particular time in office, he was not surprised to note that most of them were bachelors who were there to avail the facilities rather than working there. They were simply passing their time because they had nothing else to do. 

And, to be very frank, it is not the case of one particular organization but a typical Indian mentality that one who works until late hours considered a hard worker. Let me quote here that we teach in management schools about punctuality and here punctuality does not denote that you reach to your office dot on time and punch in your presence but to complete your work within a pre fixed period.

Plan your work and do it today

Steve Jobs, the CEO of apple once said that you should try to finish your work as if it was your last ad on this earth and you want to finish whatever work is left to finish. Do it now. The fact is you never get a second chance to complete your unfinished work and even if you do, you have to borrow your time at the cost of your other works. After all, you have lost the time that was allotted for the one you wasted passing time doing nothing or while you mixed pleasure with your work. There is a saying in Hindi language also that says ‘Do it now what you plan to work today and do it today what you pan to work tomorrow’ perhaps that solves all your problems about completion of your work and prompt you to finish your work within a predetermined timeframe.   

Two different schools of thought about work culture

There used to be two imaginary schools of thoughts, which were just opposite to each other. Out of these two one was known as Tata school, which believed in ‘tables clear at 6 pm’ and no one should stay in office after the regular time. They thought staying late, affected their family life, which ultimately made difference on their working capacity. 

The other one was known as Birla School of thoughts, which believed in late hours. People would sit until late evenings to finish their work while doing almost nothing in regular working hours. They thought people working until late are taken for more committed and talented workers and to be frank they learned it from their seniors.

The fact is people who do not finish their work within stipulated time are not efficient but they cannot manage their work properly. If they think that their offices are places where they can pass their time, they should know better than that and lean to utilize their time in more productive way. I would like to share an incident with you here, it was back in 2002 while the internet was in its initial stage in our country and usage was too high. One evening while I was passing through the road where our office was located, I saw movements. I stopped at the gate and enquired from the guard on duty about activities there. He told me that some marketing and technical staff was at work. I entered that particular room and watched people in front of three computers busy doing nothing but playing games.

They felt upset by my presence but when I asked about their activity rather casually, one of them replied ‘Sir, nothing to do back home and here we have every thing at our disposal including AC, phone and internet, what else do we need’. I knew those three were from Chandigarh and were hired especially for software development for our important project of routers, which were in big demand those days. I did not say much but sent them away. I know it is happening in most of our offices where employees are misusing official facilities, especially the bachelors who have nothing else to do. Although they can utilize their spare time doing lot many other things, which will enhance their knowledge and productivity, after all extended knowledge counts any day. 

They make it a habit

As I said earlier that there are employees who stay in their offices until late hours for fun, most of them bachelors, girls included later it becomes part of work culture making bosses believe that these people stay back for finishing their pending work. I am sure it does not take long before seniors know about reality of such employees because staying late and working late are two different things and do not hide for long time. The actual problem arises when some bosses without knowing the reality expect others to follow the trend and stay in office for longer hours. Remember you can afford to stay back in your office doing nothing and making your boss feel happy or even making him expecting you to stay until late, but what happens once you married and have more responsibilities back home. 

The other point to ponder upon

Now let us look the late hours with another point of view, in case you are doing it because you are unable to finish your job within working hours you have two reasons behind it. You did not plan your work properly or you are overworked, both these situations are not ideal for your carrier or future. You should have a plan before hand to manage your work within stipulated time limit so that you can leave your office at schedule time. So this is right time to think and change your habit, do something worthwhile, while you have still time to mend your ways. Remember the time while you had 3 hours to complete your exams and you did that successfully.

Set your goals

You shall have to think and ask yourself a question seriously, your aim of coming to office! Do you come to your workplace just to earn money? You certainly lack and miss motivation part associated with your work. You shall have to set your goals and once you do so you shall have to stick to them religiously to accomplish them. You should know your real worth and decide how you can prove yourself worthy for your organization, of course your answer would tell you that, not simply wasting time staying late in office doing nothing but trying to achieve what you have in your mind. You shall feel motivated and energized beyond your expectation that would lead you to top of the ladder. 

Find motivators at workplace

You should understand that sense of responsibility makes you a better worker, you feel better while executing a job without showing it off. There are people who finish their job without actually involving themselves in the assigned job. That shows in the end while they find number of amendments marked on their work. You should know that a record of accomplishment is kept on every employee’s performance. Your professional record is updated therefore if you are not serious in your work your appraisal would reveal it all and you would have nothing to complain about because you are yourself responsible for it. Here is your chance to make yourself responsible and find yourself transformed entirely. If you still do not feel motivated and find assigned jobs uninteresting probably this job is not for you, think in terms of a change.     

Choose your friends carefully at workplace

Friends at work place, Isn’t it a strange question? The answer is yes and no both because your companions at workplace are important, a factor that motivates you or affect your performance level. People who do not believe in work or spend most of their time gossiping would not help your cause. Try to stay with coworkers talking about their achievements, about improvement of work with positive attitude would make great friends at a workplace. Such people with their great motivating abilities prove to be great help in your future making plans. Remember a very crucial point that once you know about your potential there is no looking back.