The Amazon work syndrome has raised academic debates (“ >In love with work, Amazon style ,” Sept.17). However, work culture in India is not finding the space and attention it deserves. Some of our youngsters work on an average of 12 hours a day and are thankful to get even a weekly holiday. The question of work-life balance is nonexistent. By mid-thirties they suffer a burn-out, with negative impact on personal life. The salary, when compared to similar profiles in the West, is also meagre.
Many companies in India get work worth two shifts done by one individual. This contributes to their so-called ‘bottom line’. It is high time the government takes a more proactive regulatory role to ensure proper working hours at these for these workplaces, which have become similar to sweatshops.
V. Rajan,
Thiruvananthapuram The thought-provoking article highlights the ‘rat trap’ our modern, but unwise, knowledge worker walks into. In the industrial era, humans made machines to enhance efficiency and productivity. However, in the information era, they are trying to employ other humans as machines, the aim being the same — to enhance efficiency and productivity. The new lubricant here is the catchphrase Do What You Love (DWYL). The industrial-era blue-collar worker has transformed into the knowledge-era white-collar worker. That the so-called ‘lovable work’ depends on the ‘not-so-lovable’ work is seldom acknowledged. Most of us, in fact, make a living only through the latter.
Tony Augustine,
Bengaluru The article, though erudite, does not deal with some aspects of work. In this highly competitive world with rampant unemployment, it is very difficult to precisely select and secure a job one loves the most. Hence, a successful employee is one who is prepared to make himself employable for different job profiles. Also, long, uncharitable working hours in workplaces are unavoidable since there is intense competition among employees.
The employer has his own targets and the employee needs to show himself or herself to be capable of achieving them. Salary, not passion, is the criterion for measuring work here. Speed and precision are the watchwords. The employee must perform or perish. Results do matter and lead to the employee conditioning himself or herself to the requirements.
V. Lakshmanan,
Tirupur
