The Hindu Business Line : Business at the speed of thought with an HR millstone?

STORY so far: Having seen too close somebody on the brink of a bad decision, all because of not spending enough time for fun, I decide to take up with the boss the issue of managing stress of top executives. He proposes yoga and I suggest telecommuting in addition. He tells me to get the views of department heads on allowing managers to function from home. Before I begin, he also cautions me about possible dangers of such an exercise.

Episode 68

Before launching on discussions with my colleagues, I decided to find the modern practices in working. A current book on HR management informed me that telecommuting is only one of the many options available, apart from flexi-time, job sharing, hot-desking, and so on. While names of practices could vary, the one string that linked all these was the urge of the management to ensure that the staff could deliver result at any cost.

There is nothing new to working from a distance, I realised, when considering how sales representatives work. In many cases, they are the mobile offices and keep elaborate record of their calls and sales. Ditto with service personnel who, during those days when mobile phones and pagers were not in vogue, would visit a client and after attending to the complaint ask to use the phone, to inform the office about work done and also seek further directions.

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In the rush of things, what I forgot to tell you is that Chandru has not been talking about his quitting. I see him happily going about his work.

An hour back, he even dropped by to sound me on a proposal he was working on — to establish an elaborate management information system. "That would take more than a year, or at least six months," I told him, as if to warn him because if he left midway it would be tough for his successor to complete. "So what?" he asked, determined to see his new project to the finish. "I want to show you... " he said, trying to take something out of his pocket, and I feared if it was going to be that letter again, but no, it was a medal. "Raju won this yesterday, in inter-school oratorical competition," Chandru said with pride. "He was adamant that I show it to you." I exclaimed, "How sweet!" and pulled out a mini dictionary from my desk, scribbled `Congrats, Raju!'

Chandru looked at what I gave him, "Thanks, Swati. He'll be doubly happy." After Chandru left, I was wondering if these are some of those little things that happen in the workplace which one may have to sacrifice when opting to stay at home as a recluse and work by the wire.

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I met Anand in the canteen and remembered he had voiced he had a tough time coming to the office through the traffic. "What do you think about working from home?" I asked him and for a moment he seemed shocked as if I was handing out a pink slip. "Oh, if you mean to save me the trouble of coming," he said, "it is really not a big deal, Swati. To increase my productivity, I have hired a driver. I sit cosily in the backseat and finish off all my morning reading."

I reminded him, "But Anand, you get hassled by traffic on the crowded Arcot Road." He laughed, "Used to, Swati. Nowadays, I'm happy when there is a jam, because I get a few more minutes to read. I have installed a sleek bookshelf in the boot. I keep it fully stocked and it can keep me going for a whole day, just in case there is a curfew and I get stuck somewhere."

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Over the day, I could interact about the topic on hand with at least half a dozen of top executives and department heads. And there was no unanimity. There was even a tilt towards coming to the office to work, except as in rare cases like me and Jagan of sales.

"If I am not in office, I am on road, meeting customers, checking our stockists, and so on," he told me. "How I wish, Swati, I could manage my team from home." That was somebody who seemed to support me. But Jagan continued, "Yet, it would be tough to motivate my people through remote action. The human element can go out the window very fast and then I would look like an automaton for my staff."

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Gupta thought over my question, when I met him at lunch. "So, this is your project for the day?" he asked almost mocking. I sneered. "I envy you, Swati," he said. "Boss is getting us run around to Ministry and bank, factory and site, and you are happily roaming around with a reporter's pad."

I retorted, "But Guptaji, this is an important policy matter, you'd appreciate." He had no option but to nod, at least to get me stop.

"Well, there are pluses and minuses on both sides, be it working here or from residence," he opined, and that was nothing new. "Yet my vote would be in favour of coming to office, unless I am too ill to come. We need this exercise, you see."

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Towards evening, I decided to meet the HR man, Siva, and get his views. Aged about fifty and a stickler to discipline, he was busy with a register. "What's that?" I asked, out of curiosity. "Attendance," he said. "I am marking `absent' those who didn't sign." I peered over to see and he was putting a neat `a' against my name. "Oh, s***!" I muttered.

With a task in my hand, I was going everywhere but forgot to sign the register. "Now, what happens?" I asked. "Should I give a leave letter?" Siva looked at me and said, matter-of-factly, "No, Swati, according to rules, we cut your pay for the `absent' days." Suddenly, it seemed I was sitting in a time machine that was travelling from the 21st century new economy to some 18th century sweatshop. I was not going to take this lying down, I decided.

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Are our HR practices in tune with the requirements of new economy? E-mail your thoughts before Friday.

(To be continued)

Swati_CA@hotmail.com

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