Neel Jadhav

It's tough being a middle-class salaried employee in India.

Your salary is your only source of income and yet you have little control on how quickly it grows.

In the years when the company does well, the owners and investors make money.

And when it doesn't, you lose your increment, bonus and sometimes even your job.

If you try to make some money on the side, you get fired for moonlighting.

If you get fired, there no protection nor any social security to fall back on, you are completely on your own.

If you are lucky to hold on, the salary you get, you pay tax before and many times after.

The tax you pay, pays for subsides and loan waivers for those below you and for tax breaks for those above you.

While you, the core driver of our nation is forced to stay in cities you don't belong to, pay rents you can't afford to, breathe air you are not supposed to, and endure, this thing we call modern urban-life.

To say that the middle class is neglected by policy, politics and all parties is stating the obvious.

Hoping and praying that this budget will be different.

#india #budget #tax #econony #finance

I once suggested an idea to a colleague. For his area, not mine.

Then I completely forgot about it.

Months later, my manager applauded me in a meeting for coming up with an idea that had helped solved a longtime issue.

My colleague had specifically told our manager that the idea came from me.

He didn't have to. No one else was present during our conversation. I wouldn't have asked for credit anyway because the implementation was the real challenge.

But he did it anyway.

In a world where office politics and credit-grabbing is common, having such colleagues is rare.

If you are working with such people, know that you are blessed. Also let them know :)

#culture #employees #corporate #team #management

Woke up to an SMS of money credited.
It was from my 75 year old father.

I thought it was for his grandchild.
So I called him up to confirm.

It wasn't.
It was for me.

With the baby, our expenses have gone up and he wanted to help me out, as per his own capacity.

I am 40 years old now. But knowing that there is still someone looking out for me, is the most comforting feeling in the world.

Dads are just so special! ❤️

#love #family #life #happiness

My 1-year-old can now open doors. This means, he will barge into my home-office, smile broadly and loudly say “Baba“.

Sometimes, I am on calls or even to clients when this happens.

As a rule, I always acknowledge him, no matter what I am doing, just for a few seconds. So he knows he is the most important thing in my life.

I used to wonder how the people on the other side of the call might react to this 15 sec interruption. Surprisingly, the reactions are overwhelmingly positive.

Some told me its fine.
Some told me it's important to do what am doing,
Some even told me wish they had done this when their kids were growing up.

We hear all the time about how corporate culture is becoming trascantional and heartless. But I feel at a personal level, most people are still kind, understanding and supportive.

PS: Baba = Dad in Marathi & Home-office = Bedroom with a desk.

#balance #family #careers #corporate #management

Small towners struggle in Metros.

They leave their homes, friends and family behind, in the hope of,
- Better salary
- Better profile
- Better opportunity
- Better infrastructure

Instead what they get is,
- Pollution
- Stressful jobs
- Unaffordable rents
- Chaotic environments
- Back breaking commute
- Little savings, eroding any hope of returning home.

Unless someone is earning far higher, allowing them to save a sizeable % of their income, the entire reason to move to a metro doesn't make any sense.

Allowing jobs that can be done remotely, to be done remotely can,
1. Immediately improve the overall quality of people's lives
2. Help grow the rural and small town economy.
3. Take the pressure off the big cities.

A more open conversation on this topic can make a huge difference for everyone involved.

#india #remotework #careers #jobs #economy #growth

If you have been ghosted, and you are feeling sad about it? Stop!
You have dodged a bullet.

Ghosting is a symptom of a culture that does not respect other people's time, emotions, and values.

Why would you want to work for or with someone like that?

Move on. Move forward. Let go of the need for closure.

#people #hr #recruitment #jobs #culture