Is Your Boss Exploiting Your Time? How to Handle a Cunning Manager's Tactics

If your boss makes you work for several weekends in a row with the promise that you will be compensated with leave for the work put in on the weekends, but after you finish the work, he says it is a policy to grant only 2 days of leave for every 3 days of holidays worked, and asks whether you are okay with it. It is not so much about a few missed holidays, but it says a lot about the boss's mentality, doesn't it?

As another example, last November he called every one of his subordinates to a room and said we are running behind schedule, so please work on Saturdays until the holiday shutdown in the last week of December (and you get the 2/3 compensatory leave). What no one knew at that time was that he had already made plans for his own holiday starting from the 3rd week of December and kept it a secret until the day he was flying away. There were many other incidents from which his cunning mentality is revealed to me.

Instances of this kind are plentiful in every industry and every company. No company is an exception to this. That is why the famous quote circulates: "People join companies, but they leave their managers!"

Another factor as to why such managers are tolerated is due to the weak organizational culture. I don't think your management conducts Employee Satisfaction Surveys (ESS). Secondly, in your company, it appears there is a weak grievance redressing mechanism, or no redressal takes place at all.

Try approaching the HR department. However, from what you have written, I can deduce that HR is not empowered much in your company. That is the tragedy of being in HR in India!

Ok...

Regards,
Dinesh V Divekar
Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.

Not every employee dares to communicate their problems with their superior or HRD due to a sense of helplessness. Even if employees express their dissatisfaction in their ESS, management often reviews it with their own perception, stating, "We have very little job satisfaction in our organization; hence, we don't have to worry about it." But what does this statement mean?

Yes, this is common in most organizations. You must understand that there are managers capable of getting things done from their subordinates or team members by giving them false promises, which serve as a motivational factor for an employee to invest their efforts. Hence, you may fall prey to such a typical kind of manager.

Once you have learned the attitude of your manager, kindly try to be assertive. Get everything (commitments or promises) in writing, duly signed by an authorized signatory. I would suggest you disclose and discuss this with your HRD and escalate it to the top management. You will come to know the facts about the way your organization's culture functions.

With profound regards.

I will not consider leaving the job for such a reason. Nowadays, such things frequently happen in most companies. HR in India is very weak. Many times, we have to accept unacceptable things as well. It's a part of life. Accept the pain and move on. Wait for the right opportunity and then fly.

Regards,
K I R A N

I feel almost all of us are sailing in the same boat. I accept the last two points of Manjay. Moreover, HR being 'Weak in India' is a majorly accepted truth, and it is still treated as a support service, not fully considered as support as well. If you intend to raise your voice against your manager, you'll be adjudged to have a poor attitude. It's a million-dollar question when these managers will understand they have to change their perception and attitude first.

Theoretical Concepts vs. Practice in Organizations

Open door policy, empowerment, flat organizational structure, decentralization, and delegation of authority are still only in theory and in no way put into practice in today's organizations in India. Long way to go, dear friends!!!