Hello my readers! So after a long time, here I am, again writing about office statistics. Office is a weird spooky home. Some enjoy and some not. Maximum people work for their living and some work for their love for work. Love for work? Huh? Yes, I have met just 1 person who said that he loves to work and doesn’t care about salary and he is not doing this for his living. Well, that person is rich and hence I feel that must be his attitude. Well, a very good attitude though. He is learning and also experiencing office life. So what’s there in experiencing office life? Just to learn how to work? Well, other than work we learn politics, bitching and most important color changing relationships and rising attitude towards our colleagues.

When I started with my job, I was told not to keep any close relationships with anyone. Not to make best friends. Just be neutral to all. Well, I didn’t work much there but in my second company, I somewhat made personal friends. Because my seniors used to get involved in everyone’s personal life. I felt that good because he helped not only in a professional way but also in a personal way. I even saw him helping financially when one of my colleagues got shocking news. And hence, staying with him, I too got involved personally with all other colleagues.

But the days were not good, when my senior resigned. He literally picked up only those people who were not married and took them along with him in the new company. This left me sad and angry because I was not on that list. Since I was getting married that year. Those chosen colleagues slowly took a step back because they didn’t want to reveal that they too will resign. This turned the relationships into just “Hi” and “hello.” That evening, I traveled back home holding my tears back. Soon, I too resigned from that company. That time I realized that keeping personal relationships with colleagues was totally wrong. Because I was not getting any excitement at work. I was not at all enjoying my work. Three things I learned. First, You help but see to it that you get your returns. Second, You help but don’t expect at all and third, Don’t help at all.

As it is rightly said by Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, “Love your job. But don’t love your company. Because you may not know when your company stops loving you”. Same is the case with your colleagues as well. Don’t love your colleague. You may not know when they will start changing their attitude because of work or appraisals or resignations. Well, In one of my company, I suddenly got someone’s handover and when asked upon, he said, “tomorrow is my last day”. Well that guy used to sit beside me. We used to go for tea everyday, almost 2-3 times a day. We laughed, cracked jokes and this is what I came to know just before his last day. I was like, “why hide from me? Though we are in one team yet your work is different from mine”. And his reply was, “Just like that.” I was, what is this “just like that?” What do you mean by “Just like that?” Aren’t we friends? We share a good relationship. If you are getting a bigger opportunity then obviously I will be happy. Then what is this “Just like that?”. So his last day and of course last day of our friendship. Till date, we are not at all in touch.

I have even seen colleagues changing their attitude just on appraisal. Truth is, back in those days our salary used to be less. I started working for 10k per month . But now freshers get 30k to 40K per month. So obviously when the appraisal comes, the older employees, who started with a low salary, even if they get a good hike, their salary is always low compared to freshers one. and here, the attitude changes. Sometimes the attitude of the senior changes and sometimes the junior changes. But when the attitude of junior changes then the whole team suffers because of the professional-turned-personnel fights.

So? What’s the solution for this? Well, we all have this solution in our rules or contract of joining a company. That DON’T DISCLOSE YOUR SALARY TO YOUR COLLEAGUE. We always ignore almost all the rules and regulations of the company. But if you think in a different way, then you will come to know the reason why this rule is implemented. When your colleague asks your salary, tell them politely that you don’t disclose your salary to anybody other than your family members. Even If you get appraisal, don’t show your appraisal letter, don’t disclose how much percent hike you got and don’t show your happiness. If you maintain this throughout your professional life, you will be neutral to all your colleagues. Some companies even have this rule of not sharing computer passwords. In any case, if you had to share then change your password next moment and keep all your work in some secret folder. Don’t keep that folder on the desktop. And never keep login details on the office laptop. If for some reason, you had a personal talk with your boss, please don’t discuss that with others. Colleagues will always take this in a negative way. So only important things should be discussed with your colleagues.

And last but not the least, work should be communicated through official E-Mails only. Not by talks. This is the most important thing. When needed, you can show it as evidence. 

So, try these things. Be neutral to all. Happy Work life. Happy office. Prayers that the needy get a job.