London Bridge Is Falling Down...

Engagement is not appeasement. The recent loots in U.K. are a testimony to the fall-outs of a so-called welfare state, which has been for years breeding lazy bones at the cost of hard-earned tax-payer's money. This over-zealous strategy of many European nations to engage its citizens through appeasement has boomeranged. Such moves meant free food, clothes, parties etc. for many. Now these louts are on rampage because they see all these freebies receding. And the hardworking taxpayer, who has shared the burden of these insolent liabilities for all these years, have to bear the brunt.

In India there have been plenty of such appeasement moves that have ranged from government-mandated schemes like NREGA etc. to politically-mandated ones like free rice, free ration, free television etc. So much so that businesses in some states have complained shortage of labour because nobody wants to work. And why would they, if they are getting everything for free. In the process what are we breeding? A generation of indolents who are addicted to free-living; nonproductive and corrupt.
Organizations should draw lessons from such instances and not fall in the trap of becoming appeasing- institutions for their employees. I repeat engagement is not appeasement. Unfortunately many of our organizations have committed this mistake. Some organizations have done this in the past in the name of so-called ‘welfare’ and look what we have today. Except few institutions, most of these institutions have become jumbo-liability for the country (Air India tops this list by nautical miles). Not to talk of the endless miseries that an average taxpayer (the ‘common-man’) has whenever he has to deal with most of these institutions. Some other institutions have done this in the name of retention. Actually in 2008, the Hewitt salary survey pointed-out that ‘the pressure to retain talent has bred mediocrity’. The finding clearly showed that the salary differential between the top performers and the mediocre had shrunk, indicating that hikes have been less strategic and have not always gone to the ‘right’ people. The result – talent-shortage, high attrition and low engagement.

Organizations can continue to appease their employees but remember ‘a London’ can happen someday in such institutions as well. Reward productivity, reward efforts and results, reward creativity but do not breed apathetic sloths and mediocre.