You know how people keeping saying ” You are married to your job man” without really comprehending the undertone. I decided to dig a little deeper to understand if there indeed lies a real relationship equation between you and your job and if it is equally complicated if it’s a girl and equally sorted if it’s a guy.
So taking inspiration from the social networking king, Mark Zuckerberg‘s “Facebook” relationship status list, I will try to relate as realistically as possible,our relationship with the organization we work for.
Disclaimer: The characters (if any), names and events in this blog are entirely fictious. Any reference to any person, living or dead is entirely coincidental. However, the hurt and humiliation are quite intentional.
Please scroll below to select your appropriate relationship status with your current organization:
SINGLE: You have currently applied into your dream organization and while you are waiting for the call or to be interviewed or the interview results, enjoying your last few days of unemployment or freedom (as you may choose to see).
The equation: Here in relation to the organization, you could be Single by choice or by force. It’s by choice if you decide to just delay finding a work or find an alternative in the form of further studies. It is by force if you have applied into multiple companies and are still jobless.
IN A RELATIONSHIP: You are recently working for an organization, it could either be your new job, a new role, or your first job.
The equation: It is like the initial two months of any new relationship where everything is wonderful and you refuse to see anything as being wrong or bad. This is where you sing “Life is wonderful, la la la”…. But don’t forget this is where the seeds are sown, for what you will reap later.
IT’S COMPLICATED: You are in a love-hate relationship. One which you can’t live with and neither can live without. You are pretty sure of where you want this relationship to go but at the same time don’t want to stop looking out for that perfect job, the one made just for you.
The equation: This is a situation in which you are happy where you are but are still searching for that one thing that is amiss. The thought what if this is not ‘the one’ for me, what if there is something better out there for me, just what if… Questions for which we seldom have a definite answer for untill we take the risk of loosing what we have and find that one thing that will supposedly complete us.
ENGAGED: You love your job or people you working with or for and find it hard to look out of this relationship for something new and exciting.
The equation: You have been officially enticed by the pseudo MBA’s and their jargons like, growth opportunities, strategic role, you make a difference and my personal favorite, you are important to us. This is the beginning of the road you choose to travel, you stop searching and start settling with what you have and dream the dream to go a long way…
MARRIED: You have finally made the commitment, taken the plunge, sworn to be together in sickness and health, forever together.
The equation: You have weighed the pros and cons and finally decide that the known devil is better than the unknown (replace it with Angel incase you truly happy in your current organization). This is where things only go up for you – promotion, salary hike, partnership, COO, royalties, loyalties, the works. You have finally decided to settle down and finally reap the benefits of all the hardwork you put in.
WIDOWED: You are the victim of an unfortunate event recession, insolvency, fraud or closure. For no fault of yours you have no choice but to move on.
The equation: A situation for which none of us are ever fully prepared even though we know that the health is deteriorating rapidly, we always see a hope, feel that it will revive untill it collapses right in front of you. You have no choice but to gather your memories and move on.
DIVORCED: You have given your heart and soul to this relationship but whatever you did or do is never enough. So you amicably decide to go your separate ways.
The equation: This situation is inevitable in today’s world, where there is so much competition and expectations, it is difficult to remain loyal. You always have the unfulfilled feeling that makes you look out of the relationship, in search to find a better living, so that both are happy apart instead of being miserable together.
As you can clearly see there is no real difference between the relationship of a man and a woman and that of a man and his organization. Each go through atleast one of the above stages and face similar turmoil and heartache as any other real relationship. Hence, I suggest think before you get into a relationship with an organization, it could either bring you a happily ever after ending or just a heartache that you will need to get over sooner or later.
Some may get fired from their jobs, some may decide to leave in search of something better, some may silently suffer in their current job and grow bitter while some courageous may decide to just get up and leave without calculating the risks and consequences. I ask you today, whoever you maybe, is it time to change your relationship status yet?
Walk of Faith 