Hop..., hop..., hop jobs..., frequently!!!

 

When I happened to see very recently, the group photos of the employees of the company in which I worked (in Maldives), something strange struck me. I could not make out most of the faces. Almost all are 'new' to me. I left Maldives only about 6 years back, after working for about 18 years in the company. Within the last 6 years, how come so many known faces are missing and new faces have appeared! Even the employees appointed later (after I had left Maldives) in various departments, have vanished. Very surprising! I started working in the company from 1^st November 1998. There are still some colleagues working there in all the group companies with whom I had the privilege of working. It was more like a family. May be because they belong to the earlier generation!!!

I was a bit curious and wanted to know the reason for this situation. I had a casual chat on this 'subject' with a colleague, with whom I worked in the company for a long time. Based on the details of various aspects I gathered during the chat, I write this blog.

Let me come straight to the point. Why so much of staff turnover in the company? I understand that the youngsters today have a different mindset. They are all brought up in families where there are not more than two kids in a family. Sometimes, it is just one child. No grandparents at home to teach them "good values" of life. The parents (running around to meet ends meet) shower unlimited love on the only child and make him/her think that he/she can get anything in life, on a platter. The parents in fact pamper them and spoil them with that kind of up-bringing. The child then develops a mindset that he/she does not need to work hard in life, as the parents will take care of him/her, come what may. This mindset makes them quit the job, just at the drop of a hat. So, they don't work in any company for long.

The parents should remember that their child is going to face the hard realities of life alone, after their time. It is better to season the children rather than making them avoid facing the difficult situations of life (when the parents are alive). This will make the child face the world, head-on, at a later stage, with a confident mindset.

It takes years for anyone to learn the nuances of the job that one is supposed to do. I still work for the company (off-shore location). Even after almost 25 years of working in imports department, I learn new things in the subject, even today. The 'subject' is exhaustive. And new things keep adding up every single day. Similar is the case with any other work. So, one has to entrench himself/herself in the job, do it as per one's maximum ability and keep learning new things at the same time. One's education (whatever it be) provides only a platform for one to perform. How one performs depends on his skill set and willingness to learn on the job. Today, 'upskilling' is the most-talked about term in the industry. One's normal skills (required for the job) will not take one to the next higher level. One has to keep upgrading every single day. A lot of avenues are available now for learning new skills (compared to earlier days). Only thing is that one has to have the willingness and motivation to learn.

People want to hop jobs as and when possible. "My higher-up scolded me for a small mistake', 'I don't like my boss', 'My company does not appreciate my abilities', 'I don't like the company environment', 'I would get a higher salary in company Z” - are some of the reasons given for job-jumping. These are all flimsy reasons. You go to any company; you will face the same situation there too. Only when your present position does not offer you any scope for climbing up the ladder, you should think of switching companies. But I believe there is always room at the top. When a company takes very good care of the employees to the best possible extent, you should give enough time to get your roots embedded and grow naturally. Of course, not all companies do the same. Most of the corporate companies making billions of dollar profit year after year, throw away their long-standing employees, (irrespective of their rich experience), just like a pack of cards. Even in a grim economic situation, by retaining those retrenched employees, only their profit might get a dent (they may not make a loss). But they do not value their employees, though they give all facilities when the going is good. That is 'corporate culture'.

These days, people are very ambitious. They want to have everything in life. 'If they like it, they want it'. They don't consider the utility of what they want. I admit that there is nothing wrong in aspiring for everything. But, please consider the usefulness of the thing that you want. And how we achieve that goal is also important. The progress has to be gradual and strictly through ethical means. Only that will last forever.

People say that 'you must love your job' and 'not love your company'. It ('You must love your job and not the company') may be true for corporate companies. Not for all companies. I still work for the company (which has given me everything in life) and "God willing", I wish to work till my physical and mental faculties function properly....

(Incidentally, I have completed 25 years of service in the present company on 31st October, 2023)