Don't lose your job. Grow it.

This is a true story with real names.

Promilla joined us as a Caretaker for my ageing mother & mother-in-law. She’d been looking after another ageing couple, who’d passed away recently and came highly recommended for her patience & empathy.

Around the same time Vinod joined us as a Cleaner.

The mothers took to her well and she’d be running between their rooms, all day, helping them eat, bathe, relax, walk, etc.?

Her reluctance to do anything other than taking care of the mothers was visible and even on occasions when the cook wouldn’t turn up, she helped in the kitchen grudgingly. She just didn’t enjoy doing any form of housework.

We once asked her whether she intended to spend the rest of her life, moving from one aged person’s home to another’s. It seems that triggered something within her and soon we saw her taking interest in other tasks of the house.

She became friends with the cook, she watched her cook and even helped her on occasions. To encourage her, we’d ask her to cook whenever the cook went on leave. Next, we asked her to make a list of provisions that needed reordering, followed by instructing the cook for the meals, as well as laying the table. Soon she had taken charge of the kitchen and what went in and out of it.?

Next, she was encouraged to load the washing machine, put out the clothes for drying and keep a tab on what went for and came back from ironing.?

Once we had to leave the city for a week and left the house under her charge. We’d speak with her every day, to check if she was having any trouble. We didn’t have to tell her much as she’d assumed charge of every activity and of every staff member who performed it. She’d give instructions to the cook, cleaner and the gardener, while she’d send the driver out with a list of what was required. On our return she gave us an account of what she’d spent and the balance money. The mothers didn’t miss us too.

Over the years, both the mothers passed away. However, this time, Promilla did not have to leave us for another family with a set of ageing elders.?

Meanwhile she’s married our driver and does not live in the house anymore. She comes in at 8 AM and leaves in the evening, 6 days a week. Every staff member takes instructions from her, over the phone or in person. Her salary has more than doubled in the last 6 years.

Vinod, who joined along with Promilla, as a cleaner, is still the cleaner and now reports to her. His salary has grown at half her pace. He did ask us for an extra increment once. We said, ‘We shall see’. He didn’t remind us again.

Some learnings:

·??????Everyone is looking for someone reliable, to whom they can handover some of their responsibilities. We need to prove that we are eager and capable.

·??????Ask yourself, ‘What if the job I’m doing today doesn’t require to be done? What would I do?’. Don’t wait for redundancy to happen.

·??????Help those you know, visualise where they’d be, if they continue with what they are doing. Don't worry if it sounds unpleasant. One day they'll thank you for it.

·??????Tell them what they could do to change the course of their lives. If they report to you, give them opportunities to try new skills.?

·??????Find someone who could help you see your future. If you don’t like what you see, ask them how you could change your course.?

·??????Ask your superior for an opportunity to try your hand at these new skills, maybe as a project. It is easier than looking for and adjusting in a new job.

Be like Promilla. Not like Vinod.

?