Friday, October 21, 2016

Do you work only when boss is around?​


My Story

I remember my early days of financial independence, just fresh out of college, it was fun to get a cubicle with a desktop and a phone to work on. Being a service company I was assigned to a project but "work was yet to come". My BOSS was at client side collecting requirements, and as per my Boss Boss once he would be back, there would be lot of work! I waited...waited and waited... and was sitting idle for more than three months. And this wait was now fun, come to office chit-chat,sip coffee, enjoy lunch and tea time snack and leave sharp at 6 :).

Finally one day "Work arrived" and so did THE Boss, and I started disliking him for he was pulling me out of my comfort zone. I was enjoying my time, I didn't liked to stretch beyond 6 or come on Saturdays. eeeeehhhh! People around me said - if you do not work you do not get good rating that means no increment!
So I only worked when "He was around" and that happened for almost a year! Finally when I was released from the project and moved to a new one I started working irrespective of my Boss presence, because I was liking that work, the interaction with people or rather the recognition I used to get for my work. And since then I have been working independently may be because I CHOSE MY WORK each time, unlike the earlier scenario where work chose me.

Another incident which my friend told me when she and her spouse visited their India Office, her spouse was surprised to see how one of his Indian counterpart used to run away from his BOSS and his BOSS used to chase him. He was simply not understanding - Why is his Boss after him?He will work when he wants! Why that chase?

My Root Cause Analysis


As I understand people could only run from the work/boss when - they do not like doing something and are pushed to, or have no other choice but to pretend work. In my almost twelve years of career I have seen


  1. People who work hardheartedly 
  2. People who work only " when required"
  3. People Who "pretend to work"
Which category do you fall under? 

  • In every age group I have seen people of all three categories,so it has nothing to do with age. In fact even toddlers, you might see some very energetic babies and some who like to sit at one place and watch [ I fall under that category]
  • People says work/no work also is related to the number of years in a company. When you are in the same firm for more than four years, you get to a stage where you know the "working style" and have adopted it, so you try to go slow with working only what is required when your superior ask you about it.
  • Some people also believe it has to do with the numbers of experience, as you grow up in the ladder you tend to know the nitty-gritty of the system, you know complaining doesn't help! nor taking an action, so tend to create a comfortable environment around you and relax with "pretend working mode".



My Verdict

Your BOSS would know which category you fall under [ yes thats one of the reason he is your BOSS] but do you know? If you do not like your work, its good to talk to your Boss, if you have other priorities, its good to communicate that to your Boss and if you find nothing is helping its time to MOVE ON!

Pretending is not a good way to work! Would you like your Housekeeping to pretend work and get the salary? 

Happy Working!



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