When work is hardship...

OFFICE ISSUES

You don’t need to quit your job just because you hate the boss or can’t stand your colleagues. Vimla Patil offers some sound advice on establishing a wholesome work environment.

She was an efficient computer expert. She joined as an assistant and within five years, became the head of her department at the MNC, taking on the task of redesigning her department to achieve the highest efficiency. Just then, there came a highly qualified supervisor like a spoke in the wheel, with qualifications that could give him the position so desperately desired by Vinita.

Vinita’s first encounter with him made her see a red light and her work pattern changed. She became secretive, anxious and avoided direct meetings with her new colleague. Over a short period of time, the new supervisor too noticed her standoffishness and returned it fully. Add to this the office grapevine and there was a huge buzz around the workplace that these two were headed for a showdown. And sure enough, when it came to one, Vinita being the volatile one, had to leave her much-loved job and look for opportunities
elsewhere.

This is not an unusual scenario in offices. Everyone who works for a living realises that to work in an ideal environment – with a wonderful boss, a satisfying income and future prospects - is a boon which is rare to come by. Most jobs offer only some of these benefits. So what could Vinita have done to save her job?

Plan of action

For one, she should not have reacted immediately to show her insecurity.

Secondly, she should not have perceived the newcomer as a ‘future boss and enemy’ but rather as a colleague with whom she looked forward to working well, for there was a good chance that Vinita, with hard work and foresight, may have still got the chief’s job and achieved her goal. A good and co-operative work relationship with one’s colleagues and seniors is one of the basic foundations of success for all ambitious workers.

How can such a relationship be built? To begin with, accept that it is a rare good fortune for anyone to have the joy of working in an assignment where both the work and the boss who directs that endeavour are perfect. Sometimes we have the pleasure of working with a boss or colleague we really like and respect, and who respects us too. Other times, the relationship isn’t so great and we have to deal with caution. Quitting a job for reasons such as this will not do you much good. There are healthy ways in which you can handle tricky situations at your workplace and achieve success.

* Be the best you can in all you do, earn respect and be courteous to all colleagues – including your subordinates. Talk and work with respect and consideration; understand that everyone goes through bad patches now and then. Learn to appreciate others’ skills and abilities even as you build your own success. Use teamwork to achieve results.

* Try not to carry a negative picture of your higher ups, going by workplace
gossip. Word gets around and always reaches the boss. When you acknowledge others, they acknowledge you too and a peaceful atmosphere is created.

* Distinguish between being nasty and being inefficient. In the first case, you need to give special attention to the relationship with careful conversation and excellent work. If s/he is inefficient or laid back at work, you can only try to help set up systems, priorities and clear goals for the staff working with you to the best of your ability. At all times, choose to be peaceful rather than aggressive or quarrelsome. Face nastiness with dignity, if you value your job. If not, there are greener pastures elsewhere.

* Also, understand if you are contributing to the boss’s anger by doing things in a particular way or not giving him/her enough attention or inputs. If the latter is true, you can change yourself and re-examine to see if there is any change. Similarly, among your colleagues there may be men and women who have other problems outside the office or personal vendettas. Ignore these with dignity and pay more attention to the job at hand.

* Check if your habits/behaviour ruffle the feathers of the boss or colleagues. Do you maintain ready availability to solve problems or for discussions? Do you observe punctuality at most events in the workplace? Do you tend to argue too much so as to insinuate that you’re the best? Understand that it is important to discourage skirmishes or unpleasantness by working out problems and personal equations in a mature and understanding manner.

* Be the change you want to see and make the environment amicable. Be aware that frustration makes many colleagues sensitive and silent. Share possible solutions to their problems and help where you can to enhance the team spirit of your group. Try not to turn frustration into an emotional issue and accept criticism in the same spirit. Avoid preferential treatment for some team members and disdain for others.

* Respect all equally at the workplace. Of course, this is not easy, but then all good things are hard to come by.

Remember you have a right to put your statements and solutions before the team, but that extra effort to work through small hitches pays big dividends.

* Knowing what to do makes you confident. Even a mildly good job can become increasingly good with strategies that are positive – until you find a more suitable one.

* Do not mix personal and workplace issues, and try to solve them sincerely. Avoid stress and anger, for they can vitiate all your efforts at building peaceful relationships at work. Use the time to improve skills and develop better knowledge of the job. Enjoy other activities outside the office and be skillful at hobbies, too. Avoid office romances that are fickle and be careful of sexual or improper advances from bosses or colleagues.

* Make the ‘management’ of your career a habit and you will reap rich dividends. Prioritise your work together with that of senior colleagues and your boss and find that there is peace in your workplace.

Realise the difference between being just an employed person and being a committed employee/colleague.

Of course, if none of your strategies work and you clearly see that this is not the job you would enjoy doing on a permanent basis, plan to quit in a systematic, organised way. Look for other options and when the right one beckons, be brave to take that chance at a new job. After all, a fresh start is a wonderful choice to make. And it doesn’t have to stem from a bitter ending.