We really wanted this guy to join us at the earliest. We gave him a good hike, a fancy designation and showed him all the perks of the job. But still he refused the offer. On insisting him for details, he explained. “Last year my father was hospitalised for 3 months. This company didn’t trouble me at all during that time, paid me my salary and got a temporary staff to manage the operational work of my role. I can’t severe my ties now with them by asking them to relieve me so quickly. I owe it to them”
The disappointment on my HR face was soon changed to a sparkling hope. Even in today’s day & age when all studies show that more than 50% of employees are dis-engaged and where a job posting update on LinkedIn draws likes and comments in thousands, we have employees like this.
I wondered if employee loyalty was only a one way street? Is it only the employer’s responsibility to ensure that employee stay loyal and committed? Is there no accountability of the employee when it comes to being engaged?
There are facilities and perks that every company provides these days. The need to retain to their precious talent is so high, that even if the boss doesn’t want, he has to provide time and work flexibilities to his team. But then as employees do we take it as a right or do we feel under obligation for taking such perks? What this employee (who rejected our offer) got from his employer was a normal, expected humane gesture but this employee felt obliged. And hence he didn’t feel it right to be selfish with them.
Working in an organization is completely based on give and take relationship. What you take from the employer (salary, benefits, work life balance etc.) determines what you give to them (your efforts, mind share, skills etc.). It’s always the imbalance that determines an exit- either voluntary or forced. If, as an employer, you can’t give me this, then I would move to another- in search of the perfect balance. And the moves just continue, one after another.
But there has to be an end to the constant tickling of mind of employees. Someone needs higher salary; someone needs the balance, some a fancy title, and some just peace of mind. It is a never ending search and there can never be an employer which can satisfy the growing expectations of employees. We need to pause and think. We just can’t keep demanding such things, without giving anything in return.
It’s not our right as an employee or as a human being. We showed some potential during our job assessment process and hence we got hired. Unless we deliver results, we can’t keep hoping for better this and better that. It is a worrying trend where many employees are starting to demand benefits and then misusing them.
Next time you pass on your corporate sponsored match tickets to your friends, you use your Identity card to claim a discount on the food you eat, the subsidized mobile bills that you pay, the extra number of days you get at home- think it not as a right but as a favour that your employer has done on its esteemed employee.
If you have earned it, then enjoy it. But if you haven’t, then pause- you are disturbing the balance and if you continue to do it then you would be moving out soon.
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