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Do we know each other: as family, as friends, as work colleagues/teams, or even as fellow homosapiens? I am glad people are getting to know me better through my articles, for while I have serious concerns about things: educational, social, financial and spiritual, I also want us to enjoy the lighter side of life.
They say laughter is the best medicine, after all. Talking about the lighter side of life, a friend of mine recently introduced me to this comedian, Trevor Noah — Oh man, my rib cage is still aching after watching the crazy-normal DVD. It is totally hilarious and absolutely killing. BB, you are a friend indeed, for you care about my stress levels.
You are skirting today’s topic columnist, can’t you see, a reader seems to be saying. Not a chance, phela there is what is called establishing a framework — more like putting bed-sheets before you put your prized two in one type, blanket. Talking about the two in one concept, last week we touched on the three in one; the social man, the work man and the Sunday man, yes three in one.
The question we posed was how is it possible to reconcile this, given the different settings on the one hand, and the need for consistency, on the other?
Most people struggle (hate) with things conceptual, yes they do. I also now have an idea as to why some people do not like going to church — it is the idea of being asked to account for one’s ways and to introspect for 52 weeks a year.
It ain’t easy, they will argue — lest one is tempted to lie for the entire 52 weeks!. The church calling certainly requires a measure of discipline, integrity and commitment, otherwise one is bound to suffer mid-season fatigue.
However, it is worse at work, where the employer is breathing on employees’ necks daily, literally (unless the employees decide to go on leave or fall sick!). Where a pastor is only able to (sometimes) watch in disbelief and spiritual concern at the wayward member(s) of the flock, an employer might be forced to discipline them.
How many times have we heard employees say “so and so is a bad manager/supervisor”, or “I could do better than this or that manager/supervisor?” Managers/supervisors also sometimes have nasty words about their subordinates. How many times have women been overheard say, “mina ngihlalele abantwana kuphela, ngoba owangakwami ungathi ngumntwana, when it comes to running the home”.
This represents a catch 22 situation, I say. This article is therefore premised on the word in the great Book that says “we should not see specks in other people’s eyes, when there are logs in our own eyes” and also the great commandment that says “do unto others as you would like them to do unto you”. I am almost there pastor, I say.
A friend of mine recently gave me some data obtained from a questionnaire administered to male employees in their dual role as managers at home and employees at work. The question that needed to be answered was, how they fared, viz. the two Biblical teachings alluded to above, which teachings are major cornerstones in life ( social and work).
The friend obviously has faith in the columnist’s ability to analyse and interpret data! This is action research at its best — the problem solving mode that I am always advocating. Let us meet at the data analysis and interpretation stage.
Results and interpretation thereof
Situation at home
From the table it can be seen that the home front situation is very positive indeed. However, some passing comments are; there would be no divorces if men loved their families like this particular group, really! Fantastic, I say.
Yes, you would expect families to love breadwinners, especially at this time of the year, it being bonus time!
However, the only way to double check on whether these male employees were being truthful, would be to administer a similar questionnaire to their families. Oh no, you do not want to go that route columnist, I seem to hear one of the male respondents saying!
Let us now look at the responses by the same group as they relate to their bosses/teams at work.
Situation at Work
Very good results, over-ally, with a slight tilt to the left, compared to the home front ones! Although the employees love their teams, the team members and the managers/ supervisors do not quite reciprocate, hence the tilt to the left. A slight measure of the “speck in the eye of the neighbour” phenomenon ?
Comparing the employee responses under the two situations, a few observations are readily made. The group comprised of mature individuals who are used to completing questionnaires.
That there were no outrageous responses relating to the work situation is reflective of the dynamics in that company — very positive indeed.
This balance between the home front and work situation is desirable, to say the least.
What then is the take home from this action type research, dear columnist?
Employees in companies come from homes. That’s quite obvious, columnist.
What I am alluding to is that you cannot expect, ordinarily, an employee with a disjointed home-front to perform at his best at work.
Put another way, whatever happens at home should be talking to the work situation also. A company worth its salt on the stock market, will from time to time check this alignment.
The autocratic manager at work might overshoot and start kicking all and sundry at home. The employee who is given to not giving suggestions at work, might eventually turn barren (idea wise), at home!!
Now this is serious HR business, dear reader. The message is, what we do at work must talk to what we do in the home front.
In other words, do not take your stresses at work and off load them at home, and visa – versa, hence the borrowing from the teachings in the Bible, for this article!!!
Are you about to go on leave columnist and why are you being nasty, you are tempted to ask??!!. Yes, many of us are about to. Let us go on well-deserved breaks and enjoy with our families, pretty much like the interviewed guys portrayed.
On this positive note, I rest my case on this action research type article. Send views to e-mail address hecandbe@ gmail.com or sms 0777556081.
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