News-n-Views: Narayan Murthy

Showing posts with label Narayan Murthy. Show all posts

Friday, September 28, 2007

Late Hour Working

Image Source Courtesy : Google

I have in great doubt that this post was written by Infosys' Naranyana Murthy. Nevertheless, this post has conspicuous success.

What he says, "I dislike people who stay back and work late on a regular basis". Not only are they spoiling the "work culture" as this post says, they are also skewing a lot of other things. Most of the times, these extra hours are not correctly recorded against the job assignment. And almost 100% of the time, nobody gets paid overtime for the extra work. So, the project's and management's cost and effort estimates are skewed and screwed. Nobody realizes the true cost of getting something done. This not only impacts the current project, but also impacts all future projects because estimates on future projects are to a large extent based on the cost of similar past projects. I have seen Indian managers deliberately shrink project schedules and team sizes expecting suckers to work late.

Just read, What Mr. Narayan Murthy said,

It's half past 8 in the office but the lights are still on...
AC's still running, coffee machines still buzzing...
And who's at work? Most of them ??? Take a closer look...
All or most specimens are ??
Something male species of the human race...
Look closer...again all or most of them are bachelors...
And why are they sitting late? Working hard? No Way !!!
Any guesses??
Let's ask one of them...

Here's what he says...

What's there to do after going home...
Here we get to surf, AC, phone, food, coffee...
that is why I am working late....
Importantly no bosssssssssss!!!!

This is the scene in most research centers and software companies and other off-shore offices.

Bachelors "TIME-PASSING" during late hours in the office just because they say they've nothing else to do...

NOW WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES...

"WORKING" (for the record only) late hours soon becomes part of the institute or company culture.

With bosses more than eager to provide support to those "WORKING" late in the form of TAXI VOUCHERS, FOOD VOUCHERS and of course GOOD FEEDBACK, (oh, he's a hard worker...goes home only to change...!!).

They aren't helping things too...

To hell with bosses who don't understand the difference between "sitting" late and "working" late !!!

Very soon, the boss start expecting all employees to put in extra working hours.

So, My dear BACHELORS let me tell you, life changes when you get married and start having a family....office is no longer a priority, family is....and

That's when the problem starts...because you start having commitments at home too.

For your boss, the earlier "hardworking" guy suddenly seems to become a "early leaver" even if u leave an hour after regular time...after doing the same amount of work.

People leaving on time after doing their tasks for the day are labeled as WORK-SHIRKERS...

Girls who thankfully always (its changing now a days...though) leave on time are labeled as "NOT UP TO IT". All the while, the bachelors pat their own back and carry on "working" not realizing the work culture at their own place and never realize that they would have to regret at one point of time.

SO WHAT's the MORAL of the STORY??

Very clear, LEAVE ON TIME !!!
Never put in extra time - "UNLESS REALLY NEEDED"
Don't stay back un-necessarily and spoil your company work culture which will in turn cause inconvenience to you and your colleagues.

There are hundred other things to do in the evening.... LEARN MUSIC... LEARN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.... TRY a SPORT....Table Tennis...CRICKET...... Importantly get a GIRL or BOY Friend, take him/her around town.... And for heaven's sake net cafe rates have dropped to an all-time low (plus, no fire-walls) and try cooking for a change. Take a tip from the SMIRNOFF Ad : "LIFE's CALLING, WHERE ARE YOU??"

IT'S A TYPICAL INDIAN MENTALITY THAT WORKING FOR LONG HOURS MEANS VERY HARD WORKING AND 100% COMMITMENT ETC.