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Layoff Tales: 'My dreams came crashing down'
Some weeks ago, we asked Get Ahead readers to send us their layoff tales. We still get a lot of mail from employees belonging to different sectors of the Indian economy, indicating how difficult the employment scenario is out there.
In the 40th part of this series, young IT employee Rakesh Jain* writes about how his company cajoled him into resigning voluntarily and then did not fulfill its side of the promise.
Name: Haresh Desai
Company/Sector: Engineering
Background:
I was working for an MNC involved in civil and interior projects. I do not want to divulge the name of the company for obvious reasons.
I joined on December 17, 2007 with great dreams to make a great career for myself. I had in fact dreamt of working for this company for a long time.
The most important aspect of the job was that for the first time in my ten years of experience I felt proud to be an engineer. The probation period was 6 months as is the practice in all companies. Most importantly, the employer was covering the health of my family members and myself to the tune of Rs 2 lakh. This was important to me because my parents (who are dependent on me) did not have any health insurance.
How I lost my job:
The location of my posting was near my residence as I had requested my manager to give me that posting. Half way through the project, I was shifted to another project for another client. I was transferred to their office in the suburbs. Now the travel to work was very tedious and I took 90 minutes to commute to work daily by train. But I was not perturbed as I was getting international level experience.
As three months were over in my new job, I started making new friends and making new plans for my career and life. I had almost decided that I would make a career in this field after working for five years or more in this company.
Once I completed six months in my new job, it was time to conduct an appraisal. My area manager always kept busy among people with whom he was comfortable and he did not make an effort to make me feel wanted. Whenever, I extended my hand to connect to him he either insulted me or ignored me. My appraisal was conducted and my worst fears came true. My appraisal was conducted on 23rd July 2008 and my probation extended for six months.
I was given a long list of weaknesses and was asked to improve upon them. In fact unofficially my area manager had given me a notice to seek another job as he felt I was not suitable for the job.
However, just after ten days on August 3, 2008, the same area manager who had conducted my appraisal gave me additional work. He said I was being given more work as he felt that I was capable of doing it. I was asked to work for three projects at a time.
Can you imagine what was going through me? Just ten days back, I had received a negative appraisal from my boss and now he was giving me additional work as he found that I was capable of doing it.
As it is I had vowed to overturn my manager's opinion about me and now that I was getting the opportunity to do it, I grabbed it with both hands.
Due to additional work that I was handling, I started developing stress in my upper back and shoulder region. On visiting a doctor, I was told that I was suffering from Syringomylea (a disorder that leads to formation of a cavity within the spinal cord) and I had to be operated within 2-3 months or else it would lead to paralysis in the long run. He said post-operation, I required bed rest for two months and then could join work again.
I felt as if there is no god. On the one hand, I wanted to change my manager's opinion about me and on the other the doctor here was telling me to get operated.
Another aspect of this calamity was that I did not have adequate finances to get operated. I tried for a personal loan with one of the premier banks in India and luckily for me my loan was sanctioned and I could get operated. My loan was taken on the basis of my job with the MNC. Due to the good rating of the MNC in the market, I was offered a good rate of interest by the bank. Then I asked my manager for leave for three months at a stretch.
Also I wanted to start the procedure of using my health cover provided by the employer. However, my employer refused to give me leave for three months and instead asked me to resign as he felt that I was not suitable for the job.
See the turn of events. When the company needed my services for handling out additional responsibility, I was summoned to do my duty. But when I was the one in need the same employer showed me the door. Now would I recommend anybody to this employer? Will this employer get people if I make this public?
Lesson learnt:
Don't be dependent on your employer for anything in life and develop your skills so that the employer is forced to give you what you want.
Do you have a layoff tale to tell?
Have you lost your job? Do you know someone who has lost her/his job recently and is trying to come to terms with the situation?
If you, your friends or relatives have a layoff story to tell, to inform readers about the lessons that you have learnt, please write to us at layofftales@rediffmail.com. Your name and identity will not be disclosed unless you want it to.
Illustration: Dominic Xavier