OVERWORK

I have observed that many Private Companies as also some Government Organisations tend to overwork their people. Some people work for about 16 hours everyday, all six days in week. True, There are some workaholics who revel in working for 16 hours every day.  It is perennial overtime in some Private Companies in the Country. The middle Management cadre in such Companies are made to work much more. In some of the Government banks in the country, it has become necessary for a few people in every branch to put in more than 12 hours of work due to tremendous workload.  It is also true that some people tend to log in more working hours just to while away the time and some for the extra pay they get as a result. Apprentice workers in Accountancy and sales people for eg., are typically made to work continuously without break for 4-5 days or more at a stretch to meet deadlines. This is particularly during the financial year ending and half-yearly closings in finance and marketing departments.

What I want is to give some thoughts for the readers to dwell into the merits and demerits of overworking and find a solution to this.

World Health Organisation specifies 45 to 60 houirs of working hours in a week depending upon the Country and Region. This clause is inducted into the Factories act of countries, as in India, though such an Act is old, may be, more than 100 years old. France, for eg. has ruled a maximum of 45 hours of working hours per week for a working individual. It is also specified that making an individual work more than 60 hours may have dire consequences on his physical and mental health.

Merits of working more may be getting things done earlier, more productivity, more earnings & rewards. Tireless working can a great virtue for those who are in the public & charitable services. This may be advantageous for some of the professions such as politicians. Such work, however, is undertaken only for a limited time such as time of calamity, elections etc.

The consequences however are many and in some case not easily discernible. These may include;

Daily fatigue. Unlike the professions listed above, a Company workers’ work is ongoing and therefore tend to get regular. Fatigue over a period of time may have lasting effects on individual health.

Long hours in front of computers, machines, factory heat and in closed circulation rooms may be detrimental for one’s health in terms of many of psychosomatic diseases.

For a person who has worked long hours in a day, will he be fresh and alert the next day and expected to give his best?. Does not his effectivity reduce?. In my opinion, there will be much less productivity which is the primary aim of working long hours.

Travelling to & from home to workplace may not be safe and can cause accidents due to excess fatigue.

Working more hours mean less time for the family which may result in less tollerence, more irritability, a common problem nowadays.

Working more hours also mean less time for community work and quality recreation which are regenerative forces for one’s health and well-being.

Irregular working hours alter sleep patters, food intake and consequent digestion whose effects are long term and very damaging.

It is a well-known fact that our Country is on the forefront of the people with cardiovascular  and diabetes as compared to the world. These may be proof of the demerits listed above and if left uncorrected may lead to a catastrophe. Government has to act with necessary alteration to the legislation and people movement has to rise to contain the damages. 

VEDIC VS MODERN MANAGEMENT

The difference between Vedic and Modern Management.

Management says DREAM, but Vedas say dreams only can make you more unstable, create unease, a false sense of the world. According to the Vedas, dreams are not real and reflects an illusion. Can one expect to live under illusion?.

Management says, KILL COMPETITION. Every Company tries to be one up on the other and terms it healthy competition. But in reality it is is absurd. Spirituality says, competitions are not necessary. Just do whatever you do with dedication and perfection. We all are humans and have equal rights and responsibilities to live and let live.

It is mostly greed which makes a Company resort to overworking of employees to maximise their production figures. On the other hand Vedas opine that Companies exist for the welfare of its employees and the society for which it provides goods and services, and a quality material provided to the market shall suffice. Employees must spend equal time for duties towards their family and society.

Advertisements in the modern world attempts to increase the wants and needs of the people as against Vedas which teach that increasing wants and needs only lead to more of them and less of peace and happiness. After all does the satisfaction of a want lead to happiness?. The same medium of advertisement will not allow the individual his due happiness and will goad him to his next higher want. This does.not mean that Vedas advocate no wants at all. Wants should be limited to fulfilment of one’s circumstantial needs.

AGGRESSIVENESS is given a lot of prominence in modern management. But this is a negative trait in Vedic management. Instead humility is insisted upon. This is because aggressiveness leads to arrogance and destroys the fabric of the society.

Modern Management says that men and women have to be motivated in order to make them work. The motivation may be in the form of Monetary incentives, praise, public recognition, rewards and such. On the other hand Vedic Management has a completely different view. Like the constitution of a Country, it proposes that men and women are duty bound to work ( because they cannot sit idle). And remuneration is paid as a compensation for performing one’s duty so that his immediate family needs are taken care of.  Working is voluntary with a feeling of contributing to the welfare of the society. This way there is an auspiciousness in one’s working, the selfishness being absent. This feeling must exist at all levels in an Organisation, the employers being particularly magnanimous. This eliminates a motive for exorbitant profits and greed.