As I clean out my desk before leaving for good, I take a moment to absorb the surroundings. It’s not the first time I’ve left a job, and I know it won’t be the last. But saddens me, it always does!
Cut to 2020, where I still struggle to find permanent work that I can take with me to any city. Compromise has been a loyal friend. From salary to the work I do, I compromise a lot to land a job that looks beyond my location. Whether it is a start-up or a Fortune 500, everyone wants employees to be physically present in the office, even if mentally they aren’t!
The pandemic has surely busted myths, you say? That itself is a myth, I say! When companies call me for an interview, I mention my unique situation. After that, there’s no need to compare calendars!
As I strive to find work, I wonder why organizations are so reluctant. Is it their lack of trust in us or our lack of commitment? Some of us have the local broadband, a wi-fi dongle, and even the mobile hotspot to stay connected, while the laptop batteries of some die twenty minutes after a power cut!
Someone once told me that being co-located is the only way to ensure productivity. If that were true, then I haven’t had a single productive day in my current company, because though we exchange secret-Santa gifts every year, I’ve never visited the facility or met my peers face-to-face!
It is tough to change mindsets, but with baby-steps, we can. The fact that a group of writers is developing a newsletter by communicating via virtual meetings and text messages, proves my point.
As I log out one last time, I wonder which city will I live in next and whether I’ll ever find a company that cares only about my talent and commitment and not my location.
Poorva Abhyankar | An enthusiastic writer with a soft-spot for the Queen’s English
Poorva enjoys writing information that piques the user’s interest. When not writing, she enjoys reading, and hopes to publish a book of short stories one day.
Supriya Patwardhan
Posted at 18:48h, 11 NovemberAwesome,,!!!
Atulya Patwardhan
Posted at 07:26h, 12 November👌🏼
Anuradha Shet
Posted at 18:46h, 13 NovemberWell said!
Sunil Achary
Posted at 15:05h, 22 NovemberThoughtful message, Poorva! I think that time is nearing where it’s only about the work or output that will matter. The technology is playing a larger role to get us back to our creative mode with which our humanity had started. It’s only the industrialization that implemented the practice of mass production, physical office, hierarchy, managing co-workers, etc. But, this 21st century is bringing the originality back. Cheers!