The Hindu Business Line : Changing paradigms

Most modern managers are aware that changes in managerial working practices are inevitable, and that they keep occurring almost continuously. But being just aware of a phenomenon is quite different from taking necessary steps to benefit from it. Moving from knowing to doing is an altogether different ball game. What is required to obtain the optimum advantage is to embrace and action such working practices, wholly and willingly.

But, the history of managerial working practices is strongly in favour of the status quo. There is not enough evidence that people in the industry seek or solicit any change. Invariably, they are used to, and seem to be even more comfortable with, “fire-fighting”. They are accustomed to confront a crisis only after it is upon them, rather than anticipating it and dealing with it accordingly.

Reality beyond the rhetoric

On the other hand, there are some changes in managerial working practices, which are already well established and widespread. A number of organisations have delayed and downsized, and have become more customer-focussed. They have introduced more flexible working patterns, and have empowered their workforce.

But looking at the reality beyond the rhetoric, the story is somewhat different and, also, there seems to be a downside to it.

Employees are stretched to their limit, often at the expense of consistency in delivery and quality. Further, an employee’s personal life with his family, in any case, goes for a sixer; and seldom do they derive any job satisfaction from their professional life.

Even where empowerment has been introduced, the basic objectives are not translated into practice, because there has been no systematic planning or preparation. Employees are often confused and feel exploited — they think that the company is extracting more work out of them.

Customer focus takes the back seat vis-À-vis the short-term goals relating to cost control. Pleasing the boss takes precedence over pleasing the customer.

Caught in transition

When changes to the working practices were first proposed — in the middle of the last century — the intention was to produce a kind of result vastly different from what actually obtains now in the corporate scenario. A lot of pious and serious writing by management philosophers focused on how advances in technology would take away the drudgery and monotony from the factory jobs, how the workplace would be transformed into a haven, providing people with opportunities for creativity and satisfaction.

Unfortunately, there has been a clash of paradigms. While some elements of the prophesy have surfaced, still there are large chunks of orthodoxy in vogue. It is, hence, important to recognise the present reality wherein, to some degree, every organisation is caught between two different styles — the traditional and the modern working systems. It is necessary to make the transition fast forward to survive in the current context of cut-throat competition.

(The author is a Chennai-based freelance writer.)