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PASSAGE
The employer and employee chasm has been growing faster than ever. Former wants latter to spend all the time possible at work and efficiently contribute to the organisation’s growth.
In this, some see growth and prosperity of the nation. In the fast-paced race to modernisation, we are leaving behind our rich culture of caring for life, respecting work and high spiritual values. It’s time for us to revisit the timeless teachings of saints and the ancient Indic approach towards work.
In ancient Bharat, work was never seen as a burden or mere duty; it was an offering – a way to align oneself with the natural order and contribute to the well-being of society. Since the work was intertwined with one’s spiritual journey and aligned with one’s inner nature, it was a source of joy rather than fatigue.
People did not differentiate between personal and professional duties; instead, they saw their tasks as extensions of their existence and fulfilling of purusharthas – dharm, arth, kaam, moksh. Work was worship.
It was done with devotion and offered as a service. Today, humans have been reduced to mere resources in the name of efficiency and scalability. Strict time management, rigid structures, and unreasonable demands have become the norm, often orchestrated by human resource departments to maximise resource utilisation. However, such practices are unsustainable.
Discipline, when taken to the extreme, becomes misgovernance. It goes against our inner nature and disturbs basic tenets of ‘being human’. For instance, enforcing strict time constraints or unreasonable performance metrics would demotivate and frustrate employees and lead to a ‘dragging’ mentality. According to the Tattvartha Sutra (7.25), “Bandha vadhachedatibhararopananna-pananirodha,” overburdening is a form of violence.
Ancient wisdom offers solutions that are more relevant than ever. Bharat must lead by example, embracing and exhibiting the principle of ‘Parasparopagrho jivanam’ – all life is bound together by mutual support and interdependence.
Employees must follow their dharm, and employers must honour their raj dharm. Rather than viewing employees as cogs in a machine, organisations should treat them as living, breathing contributors to a shared purpose.
They are like the various organs in the body, each having its unique role and yet all of them working cohesively. For the body to be healthy, it should treat all of them with respect, love and care.
Individuals should be nurtured and empowered to connect with the larger purpose. This helps them respect their work and connect emotionally and mentally. This would promote a culture of ownership, innovation and efficiency.
Individuals should be performing duties aligned with one’s swabhava, nature. Workplaces should allow individuals to engage in roles that resonate with their strengths and interests. This autonomy would foster creativity and commitment.
Employees must not be seen as mere resources. Their emotions, personal time, and well-being must be respected. Undue pressure can harm individuals and organisations.
If we only manage time, we will not be able to manage individuals’ holistic well-being, productivity, and efficiency. This gradual shift from time management to mind management would ensure that time is also well managed.
Question 1
What does the passage imply about the modern employer-employee relationship?
- Employers and employees are working collaboratively.
- Employers expect employees to devote excessive time to work.
- Employees are highly motivated by current workplace practices.
- Employees are satisfied with the current organisational structure.
Correct Answer: 2. Employers expect employees to devote excessive time to work.
Explanation: The passage discusses the growing chasm between employers and employees, emphasizing that employers want employees to spend all their time working to contribute to the organization’s growth, which reflects the current imbalance.
Question 2
According to the passage, what has replaced the ancient Indic approach to work?
- A system of high spiritual values.
- Strict time management and efficiency.
- A culture of holistic well-being.
- A balance between professional and personal duties.
Correct Answer: 2. Strict time management and efficiency.
Explanation: The passage contrasts the ancient Indic approach, which viewed work as a source of joy and spiritual alignment, with modern practices focused on rigid structures and efficiency.
Question 3
How did people in ancient Bharat view their work?
- As a burdensome duty.
- As an offering and part of their spiritual journey.
- As a separate entity from personal life.
- As a way to achieve financial prosperity alone.
Correct Answer: 2. As an offering and part of their spiritual journey.
Explanation: The passage highlights that work in ancient Bharat was intertwined with one’s spiritual journey and performed with devotion, contributing to the well-being of society.
Question 4
What is the central theme of the passage?
- The inefficiency of modern workplaces.
- The need to revisit ancient Indic approaches to work.
- The importance of strict discipline in professional settings.
- The inevitability of time management practices.
Correct Answer: 2. The need to revisit ancient Indic approaches to work.
Explanation: The passage advocates returning to ancient practices that prioritize spiritual values, mutual respect, and alignment with one’s inner nature over rigid workplace practices.
Question 5
What can promote a culture of ownership and innovation in workplaces?
- Strict time management.
- Aligning work with an individual’s swabhava.
- Increasing employee workload.
- Enforcing rigid structures and discipline.
Correct Answer: 2. Aligning work with an individual’s swabhava.
Explanation: The passage advocates allowing individuals to work in roles that resonate with their strengths and interests, fostering creativity and commitment.
Question 6
What does the author propose as a solution to modern workplace issues?
- Enforcing stricter time management policies.
- Adopting the ancient Indic approach to work.
- Increasing employee efficiency through rigid structures.
- Ignoring employees’ emotional well-being.
Correct Answer: 2. Adopting the ancient Indic approach to work.
Explanation: The passage emphasizes returning to the ancient Indic approach, which values mutual respect, spiritual alignment, and emotional well-being.
Question 7
What is meant by the term ‘dragging mentality’?
- The motivation to excel at work.
- A sense of emotional and physical fatigue.
- An innovative approach to work.
- A harmonious workplace environment.
Correct Answer: 2. A sense of emotional and physical fatigue.
Explanation: The passage describes how extreme discipline and unreasonable demands lead to frustration and a dragging mentality among employees.
Question 8
Which factor does the author believe is often ignored in modern workplaces?
- Time management.
- Employees’ emotional well-being.
- The need for innovation.
- The value of strict discipline.
Correct Answer: 2. Employees’ emotional well-being.
Explanation: The passage argues that the focus on efficiency often neglects the emotions, personal time, and well-being of employees.
Question 9
Why does the author compare employees to organs in a body?
- To highlight their dependence on external factors.
- To emphasize the need for collaboration and mutual respect.
- To show that employees function independently.
- To suggest that employees lack individuality.
Correct Answer: 2. To emphasize the need for collaboration and mutual respect.
Explanation: The passage uses this analogy to illustrate that employees, like organs, have unique roles but must work cohesively, with respect and care, to maintain a healthy organization.
Question 10
What does the author mean by “workplaces should allow individuals to engage in roles that resonate with their strengths and interests”?
- Employees should only focus on tasks assigned to them.
- Employees should have the autonomy to choose roles aligning with their swabhava.
- Employees should prioritize organizational goals over personal strengths.
- Employees should avoid engaging in challenging tasks.
Correct Answer: 2. Employees should have the autonomy to choose roles aligning with their swabhava.
Explanation: The passage advocates for workplaces to align roles with an individual’s nature (swabhava), fostering creativity, satisfaction, and commitment.
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Ruchika Mohapatra
Contributing author
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