Respected Mr. Prime Minister,
There will be many letters to you, drawing your attention to issues like corruption, crime against women, dowry etc.; issues that arise from years of social conditioning and conventional thinking; things that require more than mere laws and sustained efforts to improve education and thinking.
I on the other hand, take this opportunity to talk about a very doable thing.
Allow me to draw your attention to the menace of workload in the advertising industry. Late nights and 15 hour work days are common in companies. It’s taking a heavy toll on people working in this industry. I have lost two dear friends to this menace. I have heard of 5-6 people die from work pressure in the last 2 years.
I am sure that this is happening in other industries as well. One way this issue can be solved is to check the working hours in offices. Make sure people work for only 8-9 hours a day. If there is more work to be done, companies can recruit more people and have two shifts, as most industries require continuous work to be done. It will also help more people get employment.
The other benefit is that kids will get to see their parents more often and grow healthier, mentally and emotionally, and not grow up to be alcohol and drug addicts and abusers.
Ensuring a better balance between work and personal life will also improve the productivity of the companies, as exemplified by some European and Scandinavian countries.
This can be done very easily. Initiate a system to get information from guards and watchmen as to the opening and closing times of the offices and the entry and exit of staff.
One would argue that hard work is important for personal growth, especially in a country on the go. But growth also means having a better quality of life, better balance in life and also better quality of work that only comes from balanced, relaxed minds, especially in the so-called creative industry like advertising.
Regards,
Rajesh Sinha
Image Courtesy: [The Viewspaper]
Disclaimer: The above article is the personal opinion of the author and not of the publication.