Wednesday 30 April 2014

Corporate Culture: A Workplace or a Dirty Place?

Most of us today work in the corporate world. Finding jobs today is one of the most difficult tasks ever; forget about jobs in the Government. thus, most of us end up taking corporate jobs, those so-called highly paying jobs and become a part of the ever growing corporate culture! Where once corporate life was considered as the best one, has it remained the same today? Not everywhere!

I have been observing a lot lately the the corporate world is becoming a dirty place, especially for female employees, although not everywhere! A few days before, I was alone at home and the best timepass I could do to keep myself from boredom is to watch TV. And then I switched on to Sony Entertainment Television, the one that airs the classic and one of the best ever crime show Crime Patrol. And there was this episode going on of sexual abuse in the corporate world where a CEO of a company who was named Harish Puri sexually and mentally harasses his newly joined female employee on the pretext of giving her promotion and a good salary with a responsible position in the organisation. Crime Patrol is one show that airs all the real stories and yes, this has been the case with many such young female employees in the country.

And when I recollect the days when I was interning (not mentioning the name of the organisation), I made some handful of male friends just to make contacts in the media world. And each one of them offered to help me and my friend in finding a worthy job followed by that simply irritating common question :Aur milne kab aa rahi hai? (When are you coming to meet me?) I can recollect how frustrated I use to feel every time I heard this question being put up! I mean, today, no damn corporate person is ready to serve you or do good for you without asking for favors. And I do not need to mention what favors are women employees asked for by male counterparts or managers and bosses.

Even today, when I walk past my office, roam around in my corporate business park, I can feel eyes rolling up and down and people watching and checking out female employees. Guys, get a life! The corporate world is meant for working, earning a good amount of salary and developing your personality in the process. You do not come to office everyday merely to stare at girls and women, pass comments and follow them, ask for their information from others and stuff! For all the cheap and desperate guys who do this: A girl mostly ignores what you do because she is focused on her career and doesn't want to indulge into unwanted matters. But when she doesn't speak out, it does not mean that she can't! She can handle such perverts very well, so next time before
you stare and pass comments on female employees, think twice!  

Tuesday 1 April 2014

That's how our system works!

It was Sunday, a day that is loved by every working professional! Since I do not always get time to watch TV these days, I was watching TV yesterday. And what I prefer watching every weekend is the one and only comedy daily soap, Taarak Mehta ka Oolta Chashmah. There was that episode going on when Jethalal and all the men from the society go out partying, enter a No Entry zone and then attempt to pay bribe to a police official when caught. I simply love this series of episodes since they are truly comedy and fun to watch. But this serial is something that teaches us a lot and depicts the cruel truth of life.

Yes, just like Jethalal, we all have paid bribes to officials and public servants at some point of time
in life, whether knowingly or unknowingly. A few days back, I had been to the police station for the documents check process for getting a passport. And we all know this process well! The agent whom I had contacted for getting my passport appointment done had already given me the idea that I would have to pay a sum of money there so as to get my work done soon. And as my name was called out by the police after a long wait, I finally went in with my sister where all my documents were rechecked by an official. Soon after this, his voice lowered noticeably and he asked “Kahi payment anli ahe ka?” (Have you brought any payment?) When I questioned him regarding what the payment was, he insisted that it was the fee for the software that was used in the process and he demanded Rs. 200 each from me and my sister. Disgusted with this, I told him that this fees is not included in the passport process, and if it is, I need a valid receipt for it. Instantly, he started bargaining (literally) and finally settled down on Rs. 100 per head.

Trust me guys, I was not at all ready to pay the sum to him! I mean why should I? I earn for myself dude, after working whole day at office. And they are so called public servants! Well, I really doubt whether they are serving us or we are serving them! They get paid from the government for doing the work that they do, then why pay them extra? And, if, as he said, it was the fees for the software, why did he refuse a receipt? And c’mon, these people think people are fools! We understand very well the difference between fees and bribe! And then those who refuse to pay are asked to come back again later some other day (as if that’s the only work we have in life!) That’s the reason I wasn’t ready to pay him the sum but my sister insisted on it since no one has time for this shit every day! And then, it somewhere made sense, didn’t it?


At the face of elections, when parties are making huge claims, is there anyone who can free us from the evil of corruption? Frankly speaking, I don’t think so! When I paid the suggested sum of money to him, a higher official signed on my file. Later, when I questioned an official regarding when my passport would arrive, he said, “It would arrive within 30-45 working days. Leave now.” And trust me, I was so disgusted with this reply. I mean c’mon dude we are not here to stay at this pathetic place but at least have the courtesy to speak with hospitality to people! Why don’t politicians simply concentrate on improving the system rather than making false and irrational claims to people? Sad! L