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| October 24, 2006 02:11 AM 1 |
Total Posts: 32
Join Date: September 11, 2006
Rank: Executive
Post Date: October 26, 2006
Posts: 32
Location: United States
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Late at Work
Dear Friends,
I would like to share this early morning experience of mine.
I had boarded the BEST bus to my place of work and was comfortably seated on a window seat behind the entrance when I noticed after a few stops, a man clinging onto the running bus...spontaneity prompted me to hold onto the guy's hands, he couldnt get grip on foot and the bus wouldnt stop. The other passengers were either watching callously or were lost-in-their own world. A conflicting mind told me I didnt know whether the guy was not letting off due to my hold on his hand and so I let go off the grip but I was worng for the guy was holding on due to my grip and the moment I let go he toppled heavily on road. Instinctively, I pulled the bell strings and the bus halted. That guy who had fallen badly on seeing the bus halt got up and boarded the bus. My immediate reaction was to see his hurt and I gave him first aid and then letting lose my emotions, I shouted at him for all his blunderous stunts of trying to board a running bus and clinging onto it. The reply he gave me numbed me completely (as it would do to most of you, I suppose)...
He said "I missed the earlier bus as I got late due to some family problems and if I had missed this bus I would have been "late-marked" today with severence in my pay" which I cannot afford.
Here was this guy willing to risk his life for saving the earnings he is drawing from his job.
What left me pondering the remainder of the journey is after-thoughts on all my past actions where in my capacity of managing the technical professionals many-a-times I had reprimanded my team on issues of late attendance oblivious of what they might have been through personally to make it to workplace.
What I experienced is a clear conflict of thought-process on "Should emotional sentiments pave their way in as a consideration factor for adherence of Corporate rules?". The answer to which I have still not found.
As a loud thought, I would appreciate if someone out here could guide on how late mark can be handled in ways other than severence of pay. Regards, Hitesh
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| October 24, 2006 08:032 |
msantos
Total Posts: 35
Join Date: September 11, 2006
Rank: Executive
Post Date: October 24, 2006
Points: 175
Location: United States
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Re: Late at Work
It is a bad practice among people, that unless the salary is cut for late- coming, they will not come in time. Once they know that the Management is serious on puncutuality 80% will come in time, but still that 20% remains - who can be corrected only by salary cuts. Probably, instead of cutting the salary, we can say that all latecomers shd drop a certain amount of money kept near the attendance, and late in the evening their names will be displayed in the Notice Board - for their contribution!!!!.. This will definitely have a good impact. This is just an immediate thought.
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| October 24, 2006 08:063 |
srini
Total Posts: 163
Join Date: September 11, 2006
Rank: Leader
Post Date: October 24, 2006
Points: 815
Location: United States
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Re: Late at Work
Dear Hitesh, What happened to you this morning, is an experience which I'm sure will knock your conscience for a while.
The debate on this can go into eternity and we might still not be able to say this is right or that is wrong.
I'm just imagining a scene where one of the fisherman being late on the sea-front on the fateful day of December 26, 2004. His friends, the other fishermaen folk may have left after perhaps waiting for a while. What they lost or what they gained will not be known.
What this guy who missed the boat would have gained or lost alos may not be know. He may have survived, or not we may not know. Lookingat it from the positive side, if he did and were to get to his family at the crucial time then his being late would have been a
blessing in disguise.
The point I am trying to make it that we must move from time orientation to task orientation, and deduction of wages, in emotional terms is pathetic, but good as far as the law is concerned. You get paid for what you produce.
In all my career, I've known several of them who come in on time, but in terms of production, delivery, or out-put they aren't all that high. Being late, but being committed, sincere, and hardworking is more preferred.
Historically, I believe it is the men who wanted to subjugate the other lesser endowed made such rules, which has been pretty coveniently found its way into the volumes of the law.
We have to change our mind-set on this aspect.
I'm not just talking, but I am walking the talk daily. We just do not care for the check-in or the check out time as far as we get the "juice" out of those who are engaged by us. In fact, it helps us in the high technology, hi-tech domain we prvail. It contibutes to a certain degree to one of the ways in which we are able to keep our resources with us.
This is just my view point, I'm eager to listen to the others who would have more to contribute. Regards, srini
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| October 25, 2006 03:444 |
srini
Total Posts: 163
Join Date: September 11, 2006
Rank: Leader
Post Date: October 25, 2006
Points: 815
Location: United States
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Re: Late at Work
In continuation to my ealier posting..
We should all aim at becoming big believers in systems. Systems help make our work and our life easier, less prone to error and they frëe our minds for better things. And no system is simpler or more useful than a checklist.
When we walk on board an airplane, we take some comfort in knowing the flight deck crew is going through their checklists. Even though they may have gone through their routines thousands of times, they still use checklists to minimize the chance for ërror. Lives, equipment and reputation are on the line, and they wouldn't think of risking these things without using checklists.
We all use them. Most of the time, they're mental checklists. Before we go to bed, we lock the front door, turn out the lights and brush our teeth. It's a routine that doesn't require a written checklist.
But anything longer or more critical than this mental list would be best served with a written one. Anything we do infrequently or that affects safety should utilize this simple system.
You've heard it said that "A short or a long pencil beats a short memory." It's true--our minds are better designed for thinking than remembering.
Checklists also help us to delegate tasks and projects to others. If we have a system, we're more confident the job will be done better, and we're more inclined to delegate it.
Action Point - What processes do you or your team members conduct that could be improved by using a checklist? What project are you involved with that you could document and develop a checklist for the next similar project? Regards, srini
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| October 25, 2006 03:465 |
kaushik
Total Posts: 61
Join Date: September 11, 2006
Rank: Manager
Post Date: October 25, 2006
Points: 305
Location: United States
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Re: Late at Work
Do not ever try this method of deducting amount per day for late attendance, I am so sure that people will give an amount in advance for coming late , when they are earning lakhs, and then u do not have a control for the time for coming late ( it could be from 10.00 minutes - 60 minutes) Warm Regards, Kaushik
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