Late Sitting is being practiced in mot of South Asian companies and mostly the Sole Proprietorship companies are the culprits.
They make the employees work beyond the usual time allocated for work i.e. 9am to 5pm. I know of some companies where the employees are made to sit and work till 8pm or 9pm and nothing worthwhile is ever achieved. Some pay extra money, most don't. When an employee reminds the supervisor or Seth on this injustice, he/she is told "Either look for another job or work and grow with the organization by working late." Considering the joblessness spreading in Pakistan by leaps and bounds, the employee is left with little choice but to curse the Seth and the supervisor (privately) and go back to performing his tasks with the least amount of dedication, devotion and attachment to the company.
But the irony is even in some larger listed companies and MNCs, late sitting is seen as a sign of dedication and employee is rewarded with “Employee of the Month” award for going above and beyond his/her duty. Further, during interviews the candidates are dare asked this stupid question "Any issue with late sitting?" and he/she is left with no choice, being out of work for months or years, but to say "No issues". All such practices should come to an end.
Late sitting should never be criteria for promotion or better increment, let alone any award. Those who espouse such practices are grossly wrong and they must realize following facts:
#1 Late sitting means that the employee or a department may not be finishing their work on time and steps should be taken for correction. This correction can be in the shape of updating information system technology (IT) currently in place or the supervisor and the employees sitting late need to be counseled.
#2 Late sitting may be costing the company/organization added overhead expenses in the shape of increased AC, Telephone, Electric and Internet costs.
#3 Most importantly ask yourself this question “ Why do we all work”? To support our family in the best possible way, remaining in the best shape possible. So now, are we fulfilling or achieving this? When the employee and supervisors/managers stay late can they give quality time to their families, let alone maintain a good health (they are eating junk food most of the time)? Just consider, if the employee is stressed out due to family problems or not giving enough time to his/her family and is unhealthy, can he/ she give his/her 100% at work? How soon can we expect that employee to burn out?
It is high time that the Owners/Senior Management should grow up and start thinking rationally on the above lines if they want to see a staff which is not only efficient but consider the company as part of his/her family.
But the irony is even in some larger listed companies and MNCs, late sitting is seen as a sign of dedication and employee is rewarded with “Employee of the Month” award for going above and beyond his/her duty. Further, during interviews the candidates are dare asked this stupid question "Any issue with late sitting?" and he/she is left with no choice, being out of work for months or years, but to say "No issues". All such practices should come to an end.
Late sitting should never be criteria for promotion or better increment, let alone any award. Those who espouse such practices are grossly wrong and they must realize following facts:
#1 Late sitting means that the employee or a department may not be finishing their work on time and steps should be taken for correction. This correction can be in the shape of updating information system technology (IT) currently in place or the supervisor and the employees sitting late need to be counseled.
#2 Late sitting may be costing the company/organization added overhead expenses in the shape of increased AC, Telephone, Electric and Internet costs.
#3 Most importantly ask yourself this question “ Why do we all work”? To support our family in the best possible way, remaining in the best shape possible. So now, are we fulfilling or achieving this? When the employee and supervisors/managers stay late can they give quality time to their families, let alone maintain a good health (they are eating junk food most of the time)? Just consider, if the employee is stressed out due to family problems or not giving enough time to his/her family and is unhealthy, can he/ she give his/her 100% at work? How soon can we expect that employee to burn out?
It is high time that the Owners/Senior Management should grow up and start thinking rationally on the above lines if they want to see a staff which is not only efficient but consider the company as part of his/her family.
So next time you as an owner and/or senior manager in MNC want to make it your company policy for an employee to sit as long as possible to show dedication and devotion to the cause, read this article as fruit for thought.
Readers are encouraged to add comments / observations.
Comments
Post a Comment