Collective Integrity V/s Individual Ambition

Collective Integrity V/s Individual Ambition

A certain sense of complacency and entitlement is a direct result of what the ‘work from home’ approach has opened doors to. While one may argue that change and the post-pandemic culture is here to stay, it would be wrong to assume that all change is a change for the better.
Get in Touch

How much is too much?!

The adage change is the only factor that is constant and may be applicable in most dimensions of life. But wisdom is in understanding where and how much ought to be embraced and most definitely in the right balance. The world went into a tizzy during the phase one can rightly refer to as ‘The Times of Covid’, and would only be wise to accept that the world was never to return to what we once knew as it was. A lot has been speculated about how technology saw a surge of unprecedented growth in making life sustainable over the course of the pandemic with most changes occurring in the corporate space. Terms like ‘remote working’, ‘Zoom meets’ etc. became a permanent addition to people’s vocabulary.
 
Many would agree that companies big and small played an important role in maintaining a strong bond with their employees albeit the upheaval of a whole new system that was put in place. Be it allowance to work from home to pay salaries or conducting business at strange hours owing to different time zones and respecting the whole ‘work from home’ phenomenon. It is often seen as employees and their needs are put in the center around which much is written and advocated. When most companies offer great incentives to promote employee satisfaction and retention, very little is seen as being considered by employees when their needs and ambition precede commitment.
A certain sense of complacency and entitlement is a direct result of what the‘ work from home’ approach has opened doors to. While one may argue that change and the post-pandemic culture is here to stay, it would be wrong to assume that all change is a change for the better. The key here is to find a balance between what one needs to embrace and which one should continue to hold onto. A much-needed balance must emerge with a win-win for employers and employees alike. Core values serve to constantly guide both the employees and the company in achieving their mutual goals, in a manner that is based on an ethical and ideological framework. Without dedicated employees, a company is nothing. Period. So, instead of expecting a one-sided adjustment where companies and HR adopt measures to support employment sustenance, there also has to be an equal amount of involvement and drive from the employees to prove they are a worthy and valuable resource fit for the company. This is essential in order not to tip the balance.
 
What one needs to process at this juncture is the potential possibility of age-old policies being overthrown to embrace new ones begrudgingly. But the question to ask oneself is how valid and largely acceptable is this change? Moonlighting, for instance, has taken the IT industry by storm with major companies coming out strongly opposing the practice, calling it unethical and a violation of integrity. When considering this scenario, the best possible solution seems contractual terms. Granted the side hustle is an informal way for the young tech workforce to multitask albeit not at the cost of doing it on the sly. “Integrity’ in having the laws drafted in a contract that mutually benefits the employer and employee would perhaps offer it a somewhat ethical status and a much-needed balance.
Take ‘Fast Growth’, for that matter; the greed and need to grow in leaps and bounds by switching jobs in order to secure bigger pay may seem like a profitable move. Again, the downside is not nearly as calculated as it should be. Premature growth is only that, temporary; as it deprives one of the opportunity to learn and grow in the specific job at hand and in the time frame that it usually takes to master all aspects of the profile and role one is positioned at.
 
Now, based on the contextual relevance that we have surmised, it will only be fair to deduce that organizations are looking at amalgamating the ‘old normal’ and ‘new normal’ as the comparative benefits have well been established. Also, the sense of responsibility for developing mutual benefits has to be shared as much by employees as much as the organizations. Then, be it remote work, job integrity, optimum commitment, or moonlighting- all of the aforementioned factors can find a bridge where the ends of both spectrums meet halfway.
 
In order to enjoy a healthy and sustainable life, it is imperative to develop a workspace model that is mutually beneficial and respects the integrity of both the major players and the workforce.