"When solving issues always remember, what's important is issue, not who is right or who is wrong"
Moving out from a smaller Ferromanganese company to Kulti, a subsidiary of IISCO was unpleasant for me and I always felt it to be a punishment. This was primarily as I knew that this small unit in SAIL was always disliked by the Corporate Office and all treatments were meted out with this undertone. Even the Director in charge of this unit was considered sidelined. Generally this unit was cash strapped and orders were limited, and were under firing line. But this unit was regularly facing IR problems which kept it under active political consideration, and at least Chairman was always tense due to constant ministerial interference, mostly from opposition parties. Some relaxation came when a favorable party was in power, but the pressure for giving financial aid and constant caring of employees were never attended. This also changed significantly when I joined Kulti Works as Head of Personnel, as SAIL practically disowned the unit and order was to earn and pay employees. I was back to the day when I entered MEL under a similar condition. One person who must have been happy was the Director (Personnel), who always thought it as an act of revenge, and his sarcasm prevailed in HOP's meetings. I decided to keep low before finding a mooring for a stable stay. Many times I decided to quit and also applied for jobs, but very mention of the working organization was enough to ignore my candidature. After one or two efforts I decided to hold this position and wait for my turn if I was not to end my career at this level. I sold my own industry to build my career. My family responsibilities were compelling and I finally decided to continue.
The General Manager of the unit was a known person from Bokaro where we two worked under the same boss, and I was in a superior position being closer to the boss. He sought advice and ideas in Bokaro and always expressed his seniority in dealings, and never failed to speak against me if there was resistance in matters of quality. He quarreled with his Superintendent and overruled him on administrative matters. He was transferred to head Kulti and gained power and position. I remembered when he tried to impress me with this success and pat his own back on my quarry how he managed. Later I came to know that he managed through a highly undisciplined employee of Kulti who hardly attended office and mostly indulged in political lobbying with assistance of INTUC leaders of national stature located in IISCO. Naturally the General Manager was under his grip and allowed him to do whatever he desired. Also GM was in the habit of misusing his power for personal gain which was noted by the man and photocopies of documents were collected by him. This was vulnerable to blackmailing the GM and his coterie and many junior officers suffered through undue favor to selected few. In brief, staff and workmen suffered together and this culture prevailed for long increasing difficulties of the company.
I tried to keep in touch with the family as his wife was an old acquaintance and found the couple was not having a strained relationship. There was a typical bureaucratic culture which prevailed in this Industrial Township. I felt very bad about this and once on enquiry GM said that local people were better controlled in this manner otherwise they could create more problems and must be subservient to seniors.. This was a typical check and balance system of working. I felt in a " frying pan to fire" situation and many times found myself in an "out of wits" position. My Personal Assistant was a senior person and he could understand my straightforward way of working and came forward to explain many things which were beyond record. I accepted his help willingly to understand local people which helped in walking out of difficulties as he explained to employees realities and my limitations. This gave me breathing time before I started challenging and opposing many unwanted and irrational decisions. I was a different metal altogether as an HR man different from my predecessor who was corrupt and habitually misused company property and facilities. I could not stop malpractices by GM, but certainly the number of incidents was reduced and confidentially I was appreciated by the Vice Chairman.
On joining Kulti I was given a room in the guest house for a few months as no quarter was available. This was good for my wife which satisfied her egoistic needs. She felt comfortable and enjoyed the hospitality of the company being paid. I was given an ordinary room with an attached toilet and a table to serve as dining place and two chairs for receiving visitors while not in use for dining. Many ladies started coming to see my wife who was easily befriended by her. We had nothing to do after working hours, and hence started taking long strolls within the township. We became close to the company Doctor and even made personal visits to his residence and enjoyed hospitality.
I used to walk through shops and other working areas inside works and inspect different offices and hospital facilities listening to grievances if any. The GM asked me to keep away from such practices as staff and employees may undermine my position. But my experience in Chandrapur was helpful and brought me closure to employees. I preferred walking instead of travelling in a car. Within six months I started getting positive feedback through my PA and I was happy.
The GM told one day after returning from the Delhi tour, "It seems the Director, Personnel always talk against you".
I said "Yes and that is why I am here with you despite my good work in MEL." He expressed his astonishment and became highly critical. But I didn't feel happy as it might be in response to his complaint against me knowing the nature of GM. This is how people played in that place.
I picked up a bungalow badly kept on a hillock which was declared a haunted place. I asked the Town Administration to clean and white wash. My wife took interest and the house was made ready in two weeks time, a record as per working standard. The truck arrived after my clearance which took about seven days. We organized a house warming where all senior officers joined with their wives and got greatly surprised with the shape, which was never imagined by them. I complimented the officer for the pains taken who was Township in charge reporting to me. He informed that GM sought explanations for several things including money spent. He reported this harassment and I assured him not to worry and give details without any fear, and it took some time to settle down the matter when once I questioned the GM about his behavior and threatened him" You are too much questioning a genuine work done. I am aware of all misdeeds of yours here which are not being reported, and if the situation demands this will be reported to the Vice Chairman directly from my position as Head of Personnel".
He softened and said, "You don't know these idiots who are in the habit of misappropriating funds and such ruthless questioning keeps them in control".
I kept silent and got busy with my normal activities. Later the officer informed that GM, smilingly asked him, "Get a sofa set by company carpenters for his new bungalow in Ranchi and asked him not to be aggrieved".
My wife made the bungalow attractive by planting new decorative plants and both side flower beds where blooms in different colours and sizes came up. One got almost bewitched with the beauty of the place when passing on the road below.
Our stay became pleasant and enjoyable. We invited many relatives to visit this place and none came. To my mind they were all unlucky and grossly engaged in the daily nitty-gritty of life. The Kulti Club, a historic entity from the days of Britishers who worked in this plant, enjoyed evenings. I became a member which was almost mandatory. My value as Personnel man increased and all sections of employees sought solutions to their problems individually and in groups. I was careful not to come in conflict with the GM and many times expressed clearly not to increase expectations. This style helped me in tracking through all difficult companies where I worked later on and added to my professional learning making me more practical and acceptable. It became easier for me to build a team on personal strength and work a long way in my career.
I also became a member of the local Rotary Club and became an active one and won some laurels for this club. This was my long cherished desire after I retired from Apex Club's organization on completion of forty years. I was proactive and experienced in Rotary functioning. Even in Chandrapur Rotary club I was a guest speaker in many meetings. This also gave me an opportunity to be closer to some other officers and important people of the place.
One day a new face came to our place. He was a tantrik and fortune teller. He talked lucidly and at the end of our meeting pronounced my early movement to Burnout IISCO Plant. I didn't take it seriously.
Working in this problem laden plant was still more difficult, perhaps my tenacity was under testing or I was destined to go through this core. This prompts assumptions which are generally misleading and in majority cases turn out to be false. We spend our life working only on half truths and get into mess bothering more than anything else. We waste time and energy on these extraneous issues and regret later.
My wife also stated, "You are egoistic and consider yourself superior to others. You don't mix and have open talks. In other words you are unsocial and living within yourself."
These wise words made some impact and I changed somewhat but basic nature remained. My only strength was straight forwardness and honesty and these rescued me from many odds and problems. I started looking around and made an extensive tour inside the plant to every department unlike conventional personnel men and this was disliked by managers on the shop floor. I wanted to understand working at ground level and also talk to workers and staff who were ignored by their supervisors and heads of departments. Naturally my popularity graph rose and they all felt comfortable in my presence.
GM spoke to me, "Your visit to shops daily is a production control method and treated as interference. Shop managers feel that this activity is undermining their importance. You may think about this."
My reply was, "These visits are totally people oriented to appreciate human issues so that I could be proactive in my work. I do not pass on any technical instruction which was possible with my technical background shop floor working for more than two decades. Of course I make suggestions on their safety and improved working manners and health which are a broader perspective in HR working."
My interest in plant working had some positive effect on absenteeism, general discipline in time keeping, revelation of theft and misuses of resources which helped in productivity improvement. Also attention was paid to hospital working and misuse of services by fictitious patients in the name of employees' dependents also stopped. The Chief Medical Officer of the plant started regular visits to maintain upkeep and cleanliness along with better supply of medicines which was stopped due to misuse. This gave me satisfaction and my respect in the eyes of employees increased as I didn't only talk but also acted. My personality surged and I started enjoying this job and past malice was lost somewhere.
Durga Puja was celebrated like other places in West Bengal and dozens of puja Pandals were erected, markets became crowded and people thronged continuously which moved on streets and roads from afternoon till early morning for a week or more. Families hardly cooked food in the house and ate in market shops but for some morning snacks with tea. Bengali family did all this on huge credit paying back in almost six months or more. Shopkeepers and merchants entertained this practice as this formed a major part of annual sales and earnings and even wholesalers were part of the chain.
Contract labor was a prevailing issue in the plant and they were exploited by contractors in connivance with managers and, hence, remained unresolved. Working labor got paid less compared to collection from plants and disbursed in a manner confusing them and intimidation was practiced. Once a strike took place and I resolved the issue listening to both contractor and labor and deputed personnel representative for proper distribution. Smooth working was again disturbed when a contractor labor got injured as the contractor didn't provide basic safety gears telling that rates quoted by him for the job didn't include the cost of these. The practice was adopted to supply these accessories from the plant and make deductions from contractors' bills ensuring quality of products and availability whenever required. This was a statutory need and discussed at ministerial level where the Personnel Head was to reply. Streamlining of the system brought peace and the working of the plant improved when we started thinking in terms of new product development and managers in majority became happier and enjoyed their jobs more. I carried this satisfaction everywhere. My success spread and someone was planning to pick me up but my detractors were not amused.
The Kulti plant ignored HRD and Training activities which were not only important for employee learning but also general morale enhancement. This was a way to improve interpersonal relations in organization through informal sharing of views and experiences. I initiated some EDPs and MDPs for junior managers and senior managers respectively where top level managers were asked to train including GM. But the GM interrupted the programmes by calling participants during the session. Many senior managers jeopardize the development of juniors as they lack planning skills and remain highly dependent on juniors for decision making, maintaining a hidden agenda of passing on the blame to them in case of any failure. How could such an organization be healthy and prosperous?
New ED (Growth Division) joined and Kulti became part of this new Division. Office of division was in Kolkata. ED was from Bhilai Steel Plant. I vaguely remembered eating a late night snack in the SMS canteen. He could recall and we became family friends, a culture nurtured in Bhilai. His love for singing made our family close.
ED moved to Kolkata by some wiser person making another man in charge for Kulti Works. Such chess games are quite common in government corporations which also give chances to desiring persons to evade responsibility and serious job performance causing only damage to company none else.
Some improvements took place with strong intervention from good managers and government corporations have improved performance. But another serious ailment has set in of manipulations in all parameters of performance; physical output and financial projections causing many hay ware situations. One can safely conclude that each person in such an organization proves to be a cog in the wheel of machinery unless one intentionally makes a hard effort to be different and work differently. This lesson became a guiding factor for me in the coming days.