Musings on Work From Home
Despite having Worked From Home (WFH) for 3/4th of my career - till around 5 years back - this time it really feels different & difficult. Kids have grown up - no exams - no idea of when schools will reopen - keeping them engaged is an issue. Another reason is that you get used to an Office routine & start taking things (like support staff - data speed - pantry - little chit chats etc.) for granted. Office also instills some discipline in you especially with things like (a) wide prevalence of biometric attendance, (b) trying to be a role model for juniors especially the young recruits, etc.
However, once you get over the initial disappointment of again having to go back to the old routine which you thought you had outlived/ outgrown, it does feel a bit easier to adjust.
WFH may be a recent fad for many companies, for Oil Marketing Company like ours (IOCL) & especially its Marketing Division, it has been a way of life for decades. Out of a team of 13 Officers in my Office (handling Indane marketing in 18 districts of Bihar); 9 are based in upcountry locations operating from their Residence-Cum- Office. In normal times they are required to be more in the field (visiting/ inspecting/ meeting - Distributor Network/ Customers/Public Representatives etc.) then at “Office”. Our role at the Area Office at this juncture also includes keeping the team motivated, especially as they have to maintain services at the distributor network without actually visiting them & with little clarity on the road ahead.
As per the Circulars issued by various state governments, LPG has been declared an essential commodity and the entire network (Refinery/ Bottling Plant/ Tankers/ Trucks/ Distributors/ Delivery Vehicles & the related manpower) has been exempted from lockdown. This is a great responsibility for us and we are working towards meeting the requirements of the society.
No doubt the situation is unprecedented and none of us including the authorities have any prior experience. We do however believe that we need to bear this short term pain for long term gain. Together we will overcome this situation too.
#IOCL #INDANE #INDIANOIL #WFH