It’s almost 20 years – my friend was working for an organization that was quite ‘tech-savvy’, read as – people using more emails rather than personal interactions. Every morning, he used to get an email from some Mr. Gupta, asking for very petty information. He was new to the system and thus, very obediently, he used to share the required information instantly. He would also then receive a response, saying – ‘thank you for the information and I really appreciate your prompt response’ – a tech-savvy response.
After about 10-12 days, when he was done with these daily emails, he decided to say hello to Mr. Gupta and thus called him. To my surprise, Mr. Gupta was sitting just next to his cubical, about 2 feet away. The good part was that even Mr. Gupta didn’t know that my friend was sitting just next to him.
My friend could see around and realize that the number of cameras installed at the work-place had out-numbered the employee strength. And perhaps that made Mr. Gupta insisted on sending an email. The office-atmosphere, for sure, was highly stressful, suspicious, and full of tension, which was making employees uncomfortable towards building a personal bonding at the work-place.
Ironically, some of such organizations also have a ‘physiotherapist’ or a ‘psychologist’ visiting every week, not for the employees, but for covering an additional agenda for the title of – ‘the best place to work’. Some also organize employee engagement activities, which are made compulsory to participate by the HR Department.
Knowing the incident from my friend, I didn’t know whether to laugh or get angry on this work culture. Forget about a pleasing atmosphere at the work-place, there seemed to be a necessity to monitor blood-pressure, sugar, thyroid, depression, heart-rate, anxiety attack, etc. of each and every employee of such an organization on a daily basis. The medical box in such organizations should be available in all departments.
Contrary to the above, many organizations also emphasize more interaction rather than being ‘tech-savvy’. At my workplace, I have adopted a work-culture of sharing ‘healthy’ humour and making my colleagues relish & enjoy the work and the workplace, while also spending time sharing jokes and even smiling at their mistakes. My team also de-stresses by sharing their stories of professional and personal instances, and I am equally vocal and involved. We crack jokes and share a strong emotional bond. We discuss about ‘artificial intelligence’ and equally about ‘artificial people intelligence’. Machine-learning’ is also discussed in the same tone as ‘downloading’ and ‘sharing’ interesting videos on ‘best place to work’ or ‘toxic work-culture’.
Ironically, as many may not be able to digest, the outcomes have been very interesting – my department looks like a team-work, everyone was available for extending a helping hand, deliverables became interesting, innovation became a leading factor in communication verticals, there was a silent competitive feeling travelling in each and everyone’s veins, and most importantly, mood-swings disappeared. Everyone has developed a sizable and tangible respect for each other.
We started believing in being busy with work, rather than pretending to be busy without work.
Well, this change of attitude was not initially inhaled by my many ‘corporate colleagues’, and in the process, I could develop a lot of ‘corporate enemies’ as well. But, it also made me popular, since the surroundings were becoming lighter and a work-place that was comfortable, non-stressful, smiling, cheerful, reciprocative, dynamic and respectful was spreading.
Slowly, the ‘opportunists’ corporate colleagues’ also became ‘acquaintances’. I didn’t expect their admiration for me, but still, I could see a plastic-smile on their stern faces, whenever I crossed them across the corridors. I came to know the reason later when an equal demand came from their team and they had no choice but to adopt reluctantly.
Coming back to my friend, he tried adjusting to the positions of cameras installed at every corner, tried building more of interactions rather than emails, tried exchanging smiles – but finally shifted to another organization, only on the belief that – ‘Humour at Workplace Strengthens Bonding and Enhances Productivity’.
We organize and participate in workshops and seminars for networking, and here at our own workplace, we monitor any possibility of networking within the organization.
About the Author
Pavan Kaushik is a highly acclaimed author and storyteller known for his captivating narratives and ability to transport readers into imaginative worlds. With a passion for the written word, Pavan has mastered the art of storytelling, weaving intricate plots and creating memorable characters that resonate with audiences of all ages.
