My PR mantra has always been short and sweet: Get up close and personal (all pun intended ;P). Any day, if permitted, I’d always go for a chat over chai than for an inane conversation on the messenger window. Hence, you can imagine my horror when I landed myself into a workplace that primarily uses the messenger window for all kinds of exchanges ;) …
That evening I went back from office and relayed this atrocious convention (still smarting with incredulity) to a friend … “It’s Bangalore my friend”, pat came his reply, “welcome to the IT city!” That is when the reality of it all struck me. Being in all kinds of organizations over the years, I was accustomed to the vagaries of human nature. But never could I anticipate that one day I'd come across such a scenario.
Packed like sardines, resembling a third-world sweatshop, where your co-worker was just an elbow away, this place expected you to communicate with her through a messenger window!!! Excuse me… I’d much rather walk up to her and explain myself … sil vous plait.
“Tut tut, my child”, the grand dame raised her brow in disapproval. “This is the kosher corridors of the IT world. That’s not how we do things here”. “Even if you think that an hour’s vigorous typing in your chat window fails to convey what a five-minute-call can, you still have to make it work. Rules are rules,” the grand dame ended in a huff.
One year down the line, I’m still sticking it out, trying to find a rhythm for my loud mouth into the rap-a-tap of the keyboard. But yes, at times I do miss the storm-over-teacup sessions and the bonhomie of a friendly banter. Maybe some other time?
3 comments:
First time I got shoved into the whole communicate through intranet chat world..i used to type "Get ur ass over here mister, I have a job for you". However, I managed walk over and "psssst" my way through most communications...and in the end corrupted everyones habit. The Boss was very disgruntled o find people hanging walking around and visiting cubicles...untill he figured out it was a great way to walk over the pretty new recruit and chat...and so the story goes :-)
Earlier our office which is spread over three floors used to suffer from this malady, but thankfully over the last three years it has changed drastically. People are always meeting each other over a cup of coffee or tea or simply to discuss minor or major tit bits.
great ... let more such 'virus' corrupt the sanitised corridors!!!!
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