The Corporate World- swanky glass-fronted buildings, CCTV’s and security guards, luxury cars and SUV’s gracing the parking lot. Marquee IT companies, big name consulting, MNC & Indian private sector banks and insurance companies, sprawling industrial complexes and OEM’s. The Aura and Smell of Success. Ticking all the boxes in the corporate report card- stock prices, market share, profits and branding.

What about the employees who inhabit this world, especially at the middle-management and junior levels. Obviously revelling in their success, thanking their stars and counting their blessings, right? Not quite. There is some starkness behind all the glitter.

Even a few years ago, corporate culture was reflected by a Mission statement. To be the trusted partner for customers: the preferred employer for employees: to protect and advance the interests of the shareholders. Some sense of balance was achieved for all stakeholders and this profoundly influenced the work environment.

Yes, the promoters have invested money in the business and expect a good ROI. They are not here for charity. But the pendulum has swung so much that it is now all about enriching the share-holders. In a competitive market, the customers do figure prominently in the narrative. But it is the employee who actually makes things happen on the ground who lurks insecurely in the shadows. Pause. Some may shrug and say change is inevitable as the Corporate grows big.

It is the time of hands-off Management. Targets are assigned for the various business verticals. Monitoring is done on a daily basis. It is common to get WhatsApp messages at 10 pm at night demanding the day’s results. Workdays are structured around review meetings , con-calls and video-conferencing. There is a cascading effect of pressure on the front-line team. They become the TARGET. The language used can be colourful and intimidating. The middle level executives off-load on them after getting roasted by their bosses.

Perhaps People Management is now looked upon as a weakness. An unproductive area to invest time and energy in. They are being paid well and are expected to deliver always. Never mind that it is these people who have strived to build the brand, joined in the daily grind to ensure the Company’s success. Of course, no Company or even an office can afford to carry dead-weights. The inefficient and the incompetent, the trouble-maker or the unethical will have to go. All this, in the context of normal times.

Listening is no longer the norm. It is a one-way traffic down the line. Not so long ago, leaders used to tap into the ground realities. Find time even for a fresher employee. Go on joint calls. Discuss problems. Find solutions. Encourage. Motivate. Be there during difficult times. Leaders have now mutated into Bosses. They take their cue from the top man and nobody wants to step out of line. Voices of Reason have been drowned out by the noise and rattle of this passing bandwagon. Except the inner coterie, no one knows when their time has come. It is a Catch-22 situation. It definitely gnaws at the souls of the well-meaning professionals.

Where everything is reduced to hard-nosed business numbers, politics and sycophancy thrive. Reliable sources told me about an organisation where the top honcho liked to be addressed as the Supreme Leader or the Great Leader in mails and adulatory speeches. Even PPTs made by the senior management were buttressed with his quotes. Shades of North Korea, what? The world is really getting smaller.

There are Bosses who openly take pride in being ruthless. Survival of the Fittest. Any wonder, that the survival instinct kicks in? As the old nursery rhyme goes, “Yes Sir, Yes Sir, three bags full Sir.” The good men and women within an organisation who are still respected and can make a difference have also thrown in the towel, for now. Their energy has been sapped. They cannot take on the System. The days of think tanks and brainstorming on good ideas and initiatives have long gone. And the sad thought is that many youngsters imbibe these trends and attributes as the lessons of management.

Employee No. XXX has to reach office before the appointed hour. Out-Time is very flexible especially if you are saddled with a bad-boss or are down the food-chain. Not good for your professional health if the Chief thinks of you as a work-shirker. Including travel time, many spend a good 12 hours plus on the job. Add business tours and travels. With very little quality time for family and friends, work-life balance has been reduced to the classic corporate Lip Service. Stress at work plus less time with family makes for a toxic mix. Kids can easily grow up as strangers and it takes a heavy toll on a normal married life.

A fair number of such workers pride themselves on being workaholics. Sincere, dedicated- with whole-hearted involvement. But workaholism is a disease, an addiction which does a lot of harm to the individual. Other than the bad impact of Stress on health, this misled person can never evolve or grow- missing out on many slices and joys of life. Dr Abdul Kalam’s observation is pertinent for the current corporate climate, “Love your job but don’t love your company because you may not know when your company stops loving you.”

Some of the more savvy Corporates are tinkering around without rocking the boat. One hears of good initiatives like mandatory leaves, work from home facilities, cultural events, yoga sessions and the like. But the broader narrative remains unchanged. Monday Blues have become very common. Enjoying work – a disappearing experience. Things have become very clinical and mechanical, impersonal and a tad cold. It is all about NUMBERS. The human touch has been lost.

The advent of technology, innovation and disruption has added to the woes and the grim picture. We have to accept the inevitable. Technology will reduce costs significantly and bring efficiency and convenience of service delivery. The customer also stands to benefit. AI, Bots and Blockchain will dramatically change many of the routine operational processes across industries. But the manner in which some Industry Chieftans, whose words matter, are projecting it is both immature and insensitive with no regard to the collateral damage. Use and throw. The thousands who contributed to making a Company a brand are reaching their shelf-life. No plan B, no up-skilling, no re-deployment, no re-structuring. Tough times ahead. However, the Board is only fixated on market share, valuation and profits. Not on the Greater Good. Not on adding the blessings of their own team to the Balance Sheet.

I remain optimistic that the pendulum will swing back. Good Sense will prevail. Creative CEO’s and CXO’s will buck the trend and revive the balance and fairness embodied in the Mission Statement triangle referred to earlier. Also, a Salute to the few who are not scrambling onto this gravy train. The OUTLIERS. Who continue to acknowledge the contributions of their Team Members. Knowing that a good work environment itself guarantees productivity, consistent results and success.

But for now it’s SHOW ME THE MONEY. Surely a big consulting firm can be persuaded to bestow on the Company- “The Best Company to Work For” Award.