Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Do You Work for “Job Satisfaction”...?

DO YOU WORK FOR JOB SATISFACTION...?
Is “Job Satisfaction” a Myth...?
Musings of a Veteran
By  
VIKRAM KARVE 

WHY DO YOU WORK...?

In today’s world  it is naive to assume that people work primarily to achieve professional fulfillment and job satisfaction. 

As a matter of fact  they seem to work because  what they get on the job enables them to achieve whatever they want to accomplish off the job. 
 
At the lower levels in an organisation people work for survival  but at middle levels  most persons work for their leisure. 

Yes  most people work so that they can enjoy their leisure

Think about it.

Don’t we all work so that we can enjoy our leisure? 

You slog 5 days a week  so that you can enjoy the 2 days of weekend that you get off.

Do you work because you enjoy doing the job...? 

Not at all.

You work for the money they pay you – so that – whatever the money that you earn from working – you can use that money to enjoy your leisure – once your basic needs are met. 

I have observed this factor especially in many youngsters working in IT, ITES, BPO and many other industries  who wait for the weekend  to enjoy what they have earned by “toiling in the sweatshops for the entire week. 

Then  they blow up what they have earned during the week having a ball in the weekend.

Some call it unwinding

You wind yourself up during the week  slogging away doing something you do not enjoy doing.

And then  you unwind” yourself during the weekend – doing something that you enjoy doing. 

You wind. 

And then  you unwind.

It is like clockwork  as if you are a clock to wind and unwind...!!!

Of course  there a very few lucky persons who seem to have found their metier in their jobs and genuinely enjoy their work.
    
In most cases  on the job  employees have to “produce” – and there is no time for any enjoyment

Both Competition and Compensation levels are higher than ever before  and  the chief casualties of this competitive work environment are those traditional so-called motivators like “job satisfaction”.
 
Today – a typical professional may no longer have an undivided loyalty and commitment towards his job. 

Therefore  it is incorrect to believe that an employee’s work life is spent entirely in the pursuit of job satisfaction

Perhaps  an employee is not actively seeking job satisfaction as much as aspiring towards other important needs and considerations like own career progression, standard of living, quality of life, material gain and personal gratification.
 
For most people their job is a means to achieving their desired ends.


DOES JOB SATISFACTION IMPROVE JOB PERFORMANCE...?
 
One of the typical propositions held by most people connected with Human Resource (HR) Management is that job satisfaction is positively associated with job performance. 

But in actual fact  does Job Satisfaction lead to improved Job Performance...?

Does a “satisfied” employee always “produce” more...?

It may be wrong to presume and take for granted a fictitious linkage between job satisfaction and employee productivity in all cases. 
 
In some cases  you may be shocked to find that while the so-called “job satisfaction” was increasing  the productivity of the individual was declining.

The reason behind this apparent paradox is the mistaken concept that a satisfied employee will devote his dedicated attention to his work.
 
“satisfied” or “happy” employee may begin to develop an attitude of self-complacency – and – an overall sense of well-being  and – consequently  his temperament may become one of ignorant submission and passivity  rather than one of positive action and active involvement. 

I have observed this behaviour among employees in many organisations  particularly in government and public sector organisations  where employment is secure  and  where seniority is more important than performance in career progression.

As a result  it is not too uncommon to see that the productivity of the employee does not always closely follow his upward satisfaction curve.
 
Another important aspect of this situation is the rate of Constructive Conflict.

If properly used and suggestively applied in the organizational context  the managerial implantation of a limited degree of constructive conflict does indeed shake these smug people and “satisfied” employees out of their lethargy – and enables them to achieve a certain individuality of action. 

Viewed from the perspective of the organization  the key issue is not having satisfied, happy employees  but maximizing productivity  the bottom line being increasing profit and achieving organisational goals
 
Yes  that is what the organization has to decide and prioritize  what is more important:

Does the organisation want to pamper  employees or maximize productivity...?

Does the organisation want to help employees in achieving their personal goals or is it more important to achieve organisational goals...

Is there a congruence between “Job Satisfaction and Job Performance...? 

Do “satisfied” employees always produce more...? 


THE MYTH OF JOB SATISFACTION

An individuals NEED consists of two components:

1. APPETITE 

2. DESIRE
 
With changing value systems  it may be wrong to believe that increased satisfaction means increased motivation as propounded by various conventional theories of motivation (Maslow’s Need Hierarchy, for example). 

Here it is vital to understand that “need” comprises two components: “Appetite” and “Desire”. 

Appetite corresponds to that part of each hierarchical level of need  the non-satisfaction of which can be expected to normally inhibit or deter progress up the hierarchy of needs. 
 
Desire corresponds with the greedy, relatively unjustified part of each hierarchical level of need  the satisfaction of which should not be viewed as necessary prerequisite.
 
With changing values  and  by habit and custom  yesterday’s desires become today’s appetite

The effect of extrinsic “motivational techniques” like job satisfaction will eventually be to increase need satisfaction threshold limits and draw more energies towards the satisfaction of desires. 
 
The myth of 
“job satisfaction exerts severe pressures upon both the employer and the employee. 

The employer convinces himself that he must provide satisfaction on the job  and the employee rationalizes his behaviour and anticipates satisfaction.

In this two-faceted pressure approach  the entire organization and all stakeholders suffer from unwanted conflicts, unfulfilled expectations, and unkept promises. 

Dear Reader: 

Do you work for “job satisfaction”...? 

Or – do you work to earn money which enables you to have a good quality of life and enables you to enjoy your leisure...? 

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:
All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:
No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

This is an abridged and revised version of one of my early writings on Human Resource (HR) Management. I wrote this article more than 25 years ago, in the year 1992, and I have posted this article online a number of times including at urls: http://creative.sulekha.com/human-resource-management-the-myth-of-job-satisfaction_354574_blog  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2011/07/job-satisfaction-and-motivation-myth.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/07/clockwork-careers-job-satisfaction-myth.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/06/job-satisfaction-paradox.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2017/02/why-do-you-work-for-money-or-for-job.html etc

Monday, November 27, 2017

Navy Week – A Sailor’s Perspective

Humor in Uniform 

In end September 2017 – I saw a post on a Navy Veterans Form about a Navy Week Event – Ships Open to Visitors on 01 and 02 October 2017 as part of Navy Week 2017 activities. 

I was surprised.

Long ago – when I was in the Navy – to the best of my knowledge Navy Day was observed on the 4th of December every year to commemorate the daredevil attack by Indian Navy Warships on the Pakistan Navy at Karachi Port on December 4, 1971 (Operation Trident). 

Since then – Navy Day was observed on the 4th of December every year– and the week in which Navy Day fell was observed as Navy Week.

Yes – the entire week comprising Navy Day was observed as Navy Week – and usually – this was the first week of December. 

This year – in 2017 – Navy Day (the 4th of December) falls on a Monday – so – as per my calculations – Navy Week should have been observed from 3 December to 9 December (or 4 December to 10 December) 2017.

I was therefore confused as to why Navy Week Events were being held in the first week of October. 

(In fact Air Force Day falls on the 8th of October – so – it may have been apt to observe Air Force Week

By the way – I know that – like Navy Day  there is an Army Day and Air Force Day 

But I wonder whether Army and Air Force observe Army Week and Air Force Week – like the Navy does...?)

But – that is besides the point. 

As I told you  I was confused as to why Navy Week Events were being held in the first week of October.

Had Navy Week expanded into a few months...?

While ruminating on all these thoughts – I rememembered a story I had written on Navy Day and Navy Week a few years ago. 

Dear Reader – here is the story... 

NAVY DAY and NAVY WEEK
(Navy Perspective versus Sailors Perspective)
Ramblings of a Retired Navy Veteran
A Fictional Spoof
By
VIKRAM KARVE


NAVY DAY and NAVY WEEK – The Navy Perspective

Every year  the 4th of December  is observed as NAVY DAY by the Indian Navy.

In the Indian Navy  the Navy Day celebrations actually extend across the entire week in which the Navy Day falls  and this week is called the NAVY WEEK.

The Navy Week celebrations are held mainly at Mumbai  and on a smaller scale in other Naval Stations like Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Goa etc  and in landlocked New Delhi too.

In Mumbai  the Navy Week Celebrations culminate with Beating the Retreat Ceremony at Gateway of India  and the grand finale is the spectacular Navy Ball at the end of the week on Saturday.  

During the Navy Week the Navy tries to showcase its capabilities to the civilian public by holding a series of combat demonstrations, live displays, parade drills and events like band concerts. 

Sometimes  Naval Families, Navy Veterans and prominent civilian citizens are taken out for a day at sea as guests of the Navy to observe “shop window” exercises which demonstrate salient aspects of the Navy at sea.

In a nutshell  as far as the Navy is concerned: 

The Aim of Navy Day and Navy Week is to showcase the Navy to Civilian Citizens (especially Civilian VIPs/VVIPs)


NAVY DAY and NAVY WEEK – A Sailors Perspective

This happened around 40 years ago  in the 1970s.

A few weeks before Navy Week  responsibilities were allocated to various ships. 

Our ship – a frontline warship – was selected to present the “continuity drill” display to be held at the Gateway of India in Mumbai.  

The sailors on our ship started their drill practice one month earlier – and they practised very hard  at least twice a day – even when the ship was sailing at sea.

As Navy Day approached – the sailors rehearsed day and night for the “continuity drill” display to be held at the Gateway of India during Navy Week.

continuity drill is a most precise and difficult parade drill since the entire parade drill sequence and movements are to be performed without any words of command.

That is why it requires rigorous practice and repeated rehearsals before it can be perfected.

The sailors were practising without break for over a month  during working hours  and also in off-working hours  including on Sundays and holidays  in order to perfect the continuity drill.

The sailors long hours of painstaking efforts paid off.

The continuity drill” event was a great success.

The Navy Top Brass congratulated our Captain on the excellent performance of our ships sailors.

After the event  I came across one of my newly recruited sailors who had taken part in the continuity drill” event.

I congratulated the young sailor on his performance and I asked him:

“Do you know why Navy Day and Navy Week are celebrated...?” 

The sailor answered nonchalantly: 

“To impress the Civilians...” 

“What...?” I asked surprised.

The sailor looked at me and said: 

“Sir – this whole Navy Week Tamasha is just to impress Civilian VIPs. 

And  Sir – they make us Sailors slog so much for this Navy Week.

We have been practising this continuity drill day and night – even our shore leave had been stopped because of Navy Week Continuity Drill practice. 

I am so happy the whole Navy Day and Navy Week Tamasha is over...

At first  I was surprised  and taken aback by the sailors answer.

Then  I saw that there was wisdom in what the raw young sailor had said.

The entire Navy  all of us  were slogging away for weeks  to put up a show for civilians.

Yes  we uniformed Navy Officers and Sailors  we were desperately trying to impress civilians – especially Civilian VIPs  the same civilians who frankly did not give a tinkers damn about us  although they seemed to be enjoying the spectacle we were putting up for them. 

I remember a friend of mine  who was in-charge of organizing Navy Week Activities  heave a sigh of relief once it was all over.

The Naval Officer remarked in disgust: 

“This Navy Week Tamasha must be scrapped. 

We screw ourselves for many weeks – to put up a show for these Civilian VIPs – who just don’t care for us... 

Sometimes  I wonder whether it is worth in putting in so much extra effort to try and impress Civilians who don’t care two hoots about the Navy and Naval Sailors.

I wonder whether Civilians understand the sanctity of Navy Day and similar Military Occasions, Parades, Combat Demonstrations, Ceremonial Events and Displays...?

Or  whether they treat them as spectacular extravaganzas and gala spectacles for entertainment and enjoyment...?

Be that as it may  do spare a thought for our Navy Personnel on Navy Day  and during the Navy Week.

Dear Friends: 

On the the 4th of December – on the occasion of NAVY DAY  do think of all the Navy Sailors slogging it out on Warships and Submarines guarding the Oceans, Seas and Coastlines  so that you can sleep in peace. 

Rather than the Navy trying to impress Civilians – how about Civilians trying to impress our Sailors on Navy Day and during Navy Week...?

WISH YOU HAPPY NAVY DAY and NAVY WEEK 2017 

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:
1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.
2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:
No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.
Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)
     
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
 

This is a revised version of my story posted online earlier by me Vikram Karve on November 28, 2014 in my Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve Blog at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/11/navy-day-and-navy-week-sailors.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/12/navy-day-musings.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/12/navy-day-sailors-perspective.html etc