DISCIPLINE PUNCTUALITY AND TRANSFEREE OFFICERS ----- LIFE OF A BANKER

 

“Delhi Janata Kithna late hai”? As Anil asked over phone this question with a simpering face, many others in the branch used to snigger. If the train is late by more than two hours as it often used to be Anil will be jubilant. Anil was from Mumbai posted to Surat on his promotion as officer. As a newly married, forced to be away from wife who too worked in the same bank, Anil was a weekend husband as many joked and he used to counter saying not a weakened husband. All this almost four decades ago.

 

The dilemma of Anil was similar to many other officers who came from Mumbai to south Gujarat on promotion. First it was a fight among friends to get a posting nearer the railway station, then finding a place of stay normally a cot in a room accommodating six persons and find food again normally from a lady caterer addressed as mousie. Thereafter it was waiting for the weekend and looking at the clock to sneak out if possible earlier than office time.

 

Unfortunately the bank remembered work ethics almost after a decade as high indiscipline, poor punctuality and low performance levels messed up with profits and the bank decided to wield the stick. The bank saw punctuality as the biggest culprit as it bred indiscipline which in turn affected output and performance. “See this letter” the manager showed Anil the one from the higher office which said, “the Bombay officers are coming late and going early on weekends and holidays affecting the discipline and setting bad example. Also quoting them, others particularly clerical staff too come late affecting discipline and work in the process”.

 

The letter brought pall of gloom to commuting employees more so to Bombay officers whose weekend was brought to one from two. Though many sympathized, the locals felt that they took too much advantage and the burden of work fell on them though they too were quite unpunctual for their own comfort. It also became clerk Vs officer giving a new dimension to the issue. Performance improved no doubt but with lot of pain and agony and strain in relationship.

 

The most affected Anil took the initiative to handle the matter.  “I stay in a room with the dirtiest of floor also in the bathroom. Hence I reach office by 9am and leave by 9pm on weekdays. Only weekends I go to Bombay. I compensate my weekend bad punctuality on rest of the days. Because your members are objecting I am facing problem. After all I too was your member as a clerk” he told the corporate union leader. Much to his surprise the message percolated down the ladder and he received apologies from some clerks for troubling him. Anil who during his outburst lamented “So you people want to decide, I stay one night or two in a week with my wife” felt humbled as he was otherwise very amicable friendly and was also studious at work.  

 

 Punctuality continued to be an issue, but discipline and work improved though misuse-rs of benefit did suffer among both local and Bombay employees as the bank too learnt to use different weapons of motivation to discipline indifferent employees differentiating them from persons amenable to discipline and work ethics. People who were divided as clerk and officer as also local and outsider reconciled to the fact that after all normalcy in relationship and overall contribution in performance is superior to punctuality.

 

Anil was keen to reciprocate the gesture of the locals and he announced his going to become a father with a box of sweet to all in the branch and inviting them to the traditional ceremony related to pregnancy of his wife as was the custom. His stay of three years at Surat is considered most memorable and best in his career by him after decades as he often recounted how appreciation of his difficulties by the locals made him bring his wife and child to Surat for a day just to match the gestures of understanding that he received.

 

After all it was not one or two but at times three days a week at Bombay with his wife whenever Delhi Janata helped him on Wednesdays by being late by more than two hours. Hence Anil ever thereafter  was greeted by the Surat colleagues even after years with a chuckle “Delhi Janata kitna late hai”.

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