Tuesday 7 January 2014

I miss the Uniform

Working with one of the largest corporate giants with departments spread like the branches of a banyan tree, it's hard to get out of your shell, explore the other branches and stay connected with the other limbs of the organization. Honestly, I don't know the operations that my adjacent bay on the floor manages. I wonder if this is by design or a problem that needs serious analysis. You just can't identify who is the operator & the manager.

Would it make a difference if everyone knew what everyone does, their roles & responsibilities? Would it help retain the right talent for the business? Would it encourage the employees to build a career map of their own? Would it drive productivity?

My school had an uniform and one could just name the school by the uniform. The school uniform sent out a message that everyone are equal irrespective of what your parents are, where you come from and the color of your skin. Further divisions of the uniform to color houses only helped us sync with the theme of our house, it drove the spirit of competition and to this day, I carry the pride of belonging to the Blue house. You self learned the disciplines of what not to do when you're in the school uniform.

The vocational training in BOSCH helped me set goals all by the color of the uniform. There were different uniforms according to the grade and it was easy identifying the roles & who does what by the color. I knew if I continued as an employee of BOSCH, I would one day want to wear the white overcoat.

Working with Indian Railways as a Diesel Assistant, everyone knew who I was by the uniform I wore. And, I knew what their role was when I looked at their uniform.



I don't remember any conversations revolving around your wardrobe or the jewellery. Work meant work and I could approach anyone in the similar uniform as mine to render help. Team work was not driven, instead, it was displayed by everyone wearing that uniform. Your social status corresponding to your financial status meant nothing once you wore the uniform. Uniform United Us in achieving the common goal of the organization.

The above observations are my experiences in Uniform and having said the above interesting things, I feel it would be a waste of my time as well as yours reading, if I wrote what the dresses are doing in an organization...

I for sure, miss being in an Uniform :( knowing that you cannot win battles if all were in dresses.


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