•• I. I• I,' t Jj1 ~.

•
se ar a 1 on
nightmare
By Y Ravi

Why should bureaucracy, power

struggles, corruption and politics
,'U ncle, you
also took
voluntary
suiface even more strongly, when an
employee decides to exit an
this was a good
opportunity and even
attended an interview
retirement ... but
everything went
organization? What role can HR with a mining
consultancy firm in
smoothly for you!"
Rajaram Dubey
play to avoid negativity at this stage? New Delhi that had site
smiled. "Don't forget, offices across the
country and abroad. As
Rajesh. When I retired as general manager, l had already luck would have it, he was selected.
put in nearly 40 years, whereus you've just touched 40. A day after he got his offer letter, Rajesh submitted
It's different." his resignation and an application for voluntary
"So, what do you suggest I should do?" Rajesh looked retirement to his deputy general manager,
Mines and
at his uncle quizzingly. Rajaram Dubey put down his Personnel, Hardik Mehta. He stated
his mother's chronic
teacup. "Follow your inner voice." sickness and his career growth as the reasons for his
Life had been steady for Rajesh Dubey, for as long as decision to leave.
he could recall. Graduation in mining engineering from When Rajesh met Hardik the next day, Hardik
one of the country's premier mining institutes had led counseled him: "Rajesh, 1would not like to relieve
a key
to a break as an engineer trainee with Bharat Mining officer like you. You are responsible for so many
activities
Corporation Limilcd (BMCL), a large public sector coal here. Plus, you are due for a promotion this year.
You
mining company which had its headquarters at New must take back this decision. In any case, you are
still
Delhi and units aU over Central and Eastern India, from young. Your case will definitely be withheld at the high.er
,, where prime an<l medium quality coal was being levels."
A
' supplied to major steel plants and thermal power plants. "But, there have been some cases when people at
l
I
During his 18 odd years of experience at BMCL, my age were given voluntary retirement" reasoned
I Rajcsh had worked in various capacities and had Rajesh.
,.i thorough exposure in all areas of mining technology. I-lardik shrugged his shoulders. "I'll put in my
He had taken active part in the company's recommendation. But don't have too high hopes."
modernizatio n. He had acquired professional Four days later, Rajesh learnt that that his application
qualifications and management degrees. He had seen it had still not been cleared. He met Rao, Hardik's
-. •• all. It was time for a change. Rajesh visualized himself assistant. "Why is there a delay in processing of my
as a consultant, either in a mining consultancy firm or voluntary retirement application?" "I have forwarded
as a freelancer, preferably based in New Delhi, where it", replied Rao. "You better keep some people happy to
.. ;.:---t
his brother was employed and they could share the get your papers cleared."
responsibility of taking care of their aged parents. "Arc you joking? Why should I?" shot back Rajesh.
Three months back, I3MCL announced a voluntary "Why don't you meet Shekar Singh," suggested_ Ilao.
retirement scheme for employees who were over 40 Shekhar Singh was the senior manager, HR coordination
years of age and had a minimum of 15 years experience and Rajesh's previous interactions with him had been
in the company. Hajesh was eligible. He decided that disturbing. He decided to ignore Rao's suggestion.

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he coul d cry.
ditin g his so well" flajesh was so disap poin ted that
_Des~ite Raje sh's best effor ts in expe He came hack to his office and foun d
Rao. "If you
the Man powe r
resig natio n, the appl icati on reach ed meet Shek ar Singh , thing s will go the way you want them
mitte e met. The
Secti on a day after the Scre ening Com to". Instead, flajesh went to the hosp ital
that cven in?.
at least a week. The new out why h1s
next meet ing was not due for He had to meet Swat antra nay and find
d expir e soon . He was runn ing shor t of eld. He was not admi tted.
job offer woul • relieving orde r had been withh
time. atten dant and hosp ital staff told him that the patie nt
antra Ray. The
Rajesh met the General Manager, HR, Swat was not to be distu rbed .
I have put in my pape rs. The Fina nce that
"Sir, you may be awar e
on. r requ est Rajesh came to know from a friend in
pape rs have reach ed the Man powe r secti he had put in his pape rs, a note was
as soon as the one mon th after
you to kindly acce pt my appl icati on g MD P.K.C hate that
move d by f-lardik to the actin
pape rs reach you." tly acqu ired quali ficati ons and expe rienc e
I have my Rajesh 's recen
Ray said, "Yes Rajesh, I know abou t it. But mad e him indis pens able and that his case shou ld be
t mini ng engin eer like Chate,
reser vatio ns for relieving.a brigh cancelled. Rajes h tried to discu ss his situa tion with
recon sider your decis ion. I will on the matt er.
you. I sugg est you must
not to get carri ed who said he could not take a decis ion
not appr ove your case. I cauti on you
Rajesh was now getti ng desp erate . He.was read y to
all attrac tive' but you may be taken for a sugg ested that he
away. It looks try alJ poss ible optio ns. Som eone
in this comp any
ride. Ther e are many advantages staying shou ld use polit ical sourc es, so Rajes h met two local
work envi ronm ent. If you are inter ested , I will them did talk to Ray, but
and the
nal office in New influential politicians. One of
arran ge to trans fer you to the regio ed. The other -said that he coul d talk
noth ing mate rializ
i or anyw here else but do not to leave the company." Ra:je sh felt disgu sted that
Delh
the one or to MD only when he retur ned.
One week later, due to the abse nce of he had to depe nd on polit ician s to help him leave the
g volu ntary
mor e of_ the mem bers for scre enin organization wher e he had serv~d with
dedi catio n for
impa tient and
• retir emen t appl icati ons, and a long, two deca des. •
n was appro ved by the
appr ehen sive wait, his app.licatio That weekend, Rajesh mad ~a trip to his
hom etow n
put up to,Sw arant ra Ray. But beca use was atten ding
comm ittee and to see his moth er. The mana ging direc tor
sick leave for a few days
Swat antra Ray hims elf was on a series of meet ings there and R~jesh man
aged to mee t
n was appr oved and subm itted by the woul d be able
the appli catio him and put up his case. The MO said he
it was time for
actin g gene ral manager, I~R. And t;hen to decide after reaching the Mine~. Mean
while, the actin g
agin g direc tor's final appr oval. Due to the stati ng that there
the man MD sent back a note to Shck ar Sing h,
9cup ation in view ofthe Safe ty retir emen t
mana ging direc tor's pr~o was no basis for canc eling Rajc sh's volu ntary
hy judg es visit, there wa:; a furth er delay for three elf earlier. lt was
Trop as it had been appr oved by MO hims
the Man powe r
days. Finally, the approval was sent to getti ng too comp licate d.
on and a list of empl oyee s whos e appli catio ns for sent a note
Secti
released. The day 1-Iardik was supe rann uatin g, he
volu ntary retir emen t been acce pted was stati ng that Rajc sh had earli er aske d for volu ntary
o, signe d by
Thre e days later Rajesh received a mem but was actua lly
the assis tant man ager , HR, in the retire ment due to his moth er's sickn ess
Vina y Dew an, also men tione d
relieving order. going to seek bette r empl oym ent. He
Executive Cell, askin g him to coJlect his as a key perso n-tra ined and pote ntial ly utilized in
_'s office, he that
Around lunch time , as Rajesh w~nt to Vinay rativ e that Rajes h was retai ned.
h instr uctin g Vi, 1ayto hold the relieving many areas, it as impe
sawS heka rSing
was mark ed to Mali ni Shar ma the assis tant to
• The note ,
I

papers. ers.
was movi ng the MD for I-IR and non- oper ation al matt
"What a strok e of bad luck! E·-,erything
 T~ e ne xt day, Rajes
Singh asking to see h go t a message fro
him. Rajesh reluctan m Sh ek ar was to be se nt
"Look Shekar, I am tly we nt to him, to Sw ata ntr a Hay's
losing my ne w job M an po we r section office thr ou gh th e
do ne to me . I wa for wh at is be ing But Shekar an d the HR co or din
s to joi n today. I Singh ha d taken lea ati on 's office.
ex ten sio n an d it is ha ve so ug ht for ins tru cti on s no t to ve tha t da y an d ha d
unlikely tha t it would take an y ac tio n un given
Shekar quickly sugge be ac ce pte d." Sh ck ar Singh rea ch til the ne xt day.
to un de rst an d tha sted, "T hen stay back. I am given ed off ice on ly at ab ou t 110
t you ha ve be en tel Rajesh checked up ,0 hrs.
ha ve sta lle d yo ur ling oth ers tha t I instru at his office to find
rel ea se . W ha t ca cte d an yo ne to br ing ou tha t he ha d no t
ma na ge me nt ha s no n I do ? Th e we nt to t his relieving or de
i; t approved of it." the acting MDs off r. He
"But it was approve Un til ice ho pi ng for so me
d by MD earlier. How 1:3 0 pm , no th in g ha d mo ac tio n.
i be ap pr ov ed now?
" Rajesh fel_t tha t it ca n it no t ho me to co ve
nta ct a pe rso n he kn d. ffajesh re tu rn ed
was no t logic an d
\ facts, bu t en vy an d
of affairs. "I wo uld
interview with my
jealousy"that were
drivin
at Kolkata an d co
nveyed to th
like to tell you some g this sta te relieved ·yet. Th e MD ins tru e MD th at he wa s no t
thing. In my Kolka
ew in th e office of

cte d Malini Sh arm

MD

\I.. I am br ing ing BMCL

not like to sta y in thi
And th e rea so n is th
ne w
I was lea vin g BMCL employer, when I was asked why me et
, I sa id tha t I am no
along with me. Bu
t leaving BMCL, lea
t no
ta to ge t th e or de

ving instructions. M
s organization for ev w, I would 5:30 pm , a co py of his rel
r ou
he r immediately. Sh t an d Rajesh wa s tol d to
ek ar Si ng h ha d lef
alini als o followed
ieving or de r was br
a from

t th e office
suit. At ab ou t
i! at over the pa st coup en a mi nu te . the MDs office to be ou gh t to
so me pe op le have le of mo nth s, de ma nd an d Rajes faxed to hi m at Ko
ma de me ch an ge my lkata on hi s

\I You ca nn ot ev en
thr ou gh " sa id Rajes
Th at aft ern oo n wh
employer, Rajesh wa
h an d walked_ out.
en
im ag ine th e tra um tire outlook.
a I ha ve go ne
en he was to have joi ..,
ne d his ne w the
It was finally do ne
ex ha us ted to feel an
he was leaving the co
h co lle cted it.
, bu t by now, Ra
y relief. He ha d mi
mp
jesh wa s to o
xe d feelings th at
an y th at ha d br ou gh

'I
ited in the office of co mp ete nc e he ha t him up to
reac~ed th er e str aig the MD wh o the d now. He vis ite d
ht from the ae ro dr last tim e with his fam the M ine s for
from New Delhi an om e on ret ur n din ily to ex pe rie nc e th
d de of e du st an d
his ca se to be pu t up spite oth er priorities, asked for em thi s pu lsa tin g giant. He wa s ne arl y ch
. He ad de d ce ns ur ing otions. ok ing wi th
!I
a the no te an d ins tru rem arks on
cte He left the next da y
and Rajesh be reliev d the case be processed quickly his an
ed immediately. He family to New De lhi d on e mo nt h lat er he mo ve d
~olkata th at evening th en left for .
\I Rajcsh found tha t
note ha d no t be en
for a conference the
until 11.30 am the
ne
next day.
dispatched from the xt day, this decided to write
Rajesh co uld no t ge
was unfairly me ted t over th e tre atm en
ou t to him on hi s
t th at he felt
se pa ra tio n an d
I When he asked Ma M D' s office. the a let ter to th e ch air ma n of
lini the reason, sh e se qu en ce of events
I it would be se nt aft
er the customary da
casually said tha t
be
so th at ap pr op ria te IlMCL on
ac tio n co uld
k entry. Th e no te tak en on th os e wh o ha d m
nightmare. ad e his se pa ra tio
. n a

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