I got down from the cab, with the tag around my neck, and people were looking like I was from some management college, and trying to make the guess which college leaves students so late. I remembered, a bio metric system was placed in college to record the attendance, and students took all efforts to break that. I never understood the reason, but chewing gums were put in the bio-metric machines to spoil them. At times, the glass was broken using sharp things while trying to put the attendance. I used to wonder why?
30 minutes was left, I left early to complete some work in another building of the office, and catch the cab on time. It so happened that work got over much earlier than expected. I decided not to go back to seat and decided to explore the office. It was a year before that I had reached the Chennai office, 30 minutes before the induction was to begin. I entered the training room and trainer said, you are 30 minutes early. I was kid out of college, who was very punctual, looked and smiled and said “I am sorry, as I am new to the place; I preferred to start early, to avoid any kinds of delays”. He was still engrossed in his laptop, looked up and said “you can go and catch up breakfast, if you want”. Well I wanted to say I had already had, but I found it would be exciting to explore campus rather than to sit and talk to this trainer.
Well reaching much before time, is a problem which I face even now. After exploring the new campus today after being transferred to GNDC location, I finally went and sat at the reception, as I had to swipe out to record my attendance. My eyes were at the swipe out machine and I found very amusing to see people to perform that activity.
A person came and hit the identity card in the swipe out machine in the in-side, which is always on the left side of the machine. I was trying to understand the attitude and thoughts of the individual by the way he used the tag and identity card in the recording machine. No doubt that frustration was reflected, as he was swiping in when people were swiping out. It’s normal in Wipro, a place where life goes on 24hours of the day. In my bay also, by the time people come in, it’s time for me to leave. I hardly say a bye to people there, they might find that I am not social, but I feel, they would feel bad that I am leaving when their day is yet to start. At times few of them who would come early, would ask at what time you come and leave, and when I would reply, their responses have been same “ lucky yaar” .
I continued to watch people to judge their attitude now, more with passion rather than casual observation. One person lifted card from bottom, turning it upside down, swiped out. I wondered, what would upside down mean? May be he is an analyst who would analyze the situation upside down and take the decisions, and no doubt the red color of the tag(signifies that he had been Wipro for more than 5 years), proved my observation.
Another person came, and looked into his card, maybe he read his name and saw if his card looked ohk and swiped out. He confirms things before doing any work. Perfect supervisor he would make, I wondered.
Well the activity was faster than I was analyzing. Another person covered the card fully within his hands and swiped the machined. I wondered if he is a kind who would give complete protection to his wife, kids and parents. Giving them a back-up support.
Another person came and took the card, holding at the two sides, as if he is displaying that he from CBI and have come for some interrogation swiped at the machine. I smiled, but felt good. He felt proud of himself and him being a part of the organization. A person who would do the work and take the credit.
Another person didn’t hold the card, but the top, at the tag. I couldn’t resist smiling. The person behaved as if the card was from untouchable cast and he is not supposed to touch it. I analyzed,he was still conservative in thought process and looked down upon people may be.
Last came a gang of girls, who started searching their identity cards, one was hanging it at the back of her jeans, another was vigorously searching her bag, and another was searching in the dupatta she was wearing. All I could conclude was, they are here in search of their missing identity, which they ever cant find as they still were lost in the worlds of gossip.
So how do you swipe your card? My observations may not be right about the attitude of the person, but you would certainly watch your action, when you would use the swipe recording machine the next time.
