Working where your husband , father or brother works ?

September 1, 2009 at 4:32 pm | Posted in Introspection | 37 Comments

Whats your take about working in the same company where your husband , father or brother works ?

I had a debate about the same with a colleague at lunch.My take is I don’t ever want to work in the same company for which my husband , father or brother work. And its not about men , I did not mention sister and mom because I don’t have a sister and my mom is a home maker.

I have atleast 4 reasons, though you may choose to disregard all of those like she did.

One is a simple and practical reason , if me and hubby are in same company and if the company crashes both of us will be in soup. Though this is a very pessismistic thought ..its a valid one.

Another and more important reason (atleast to me). I do not want to live like a shadow or be a shadow to someone. I want my individuality.

I graduated from a college where my father was a teacher. I was not considered “Swati” there but as “his daughter”. I was a kid to his colleagues and a “teachers daughter” to my classmates.Today I do not have any friends from graduation. And thats not my fault , since I have friends from school and from Post Graduation. But for 3 years of my graduation, I could not win any friends , except the ones that came over with me from school , since no one ever considered me a part of their life.

After my post graduation my father asked me to join his college as a faculty and I told him that I would prefer to stay at home than do that. I told him , I want to work because I want to known by who I am. I do not want to be known just by my surname. I am not sure if he got what I told , perhaps he might have thought I want independence..but frankly it was not at all about independence, I just did not want to be a kid all my life. And so I joined a different profession with my parents consent ofcourse.

Same applies to (atleast to some extent) with having husband / brother/ sister / any close relative as my colleague. I don’t want people to think I am like them , not because they are good or bad , but because they are different.

Also because I don’t want them to advice me with what I do I work , how I walk/talk/behave at work. I share every bit of my work life with my husband. He is such a good listener that he remembers every bit of it. He shares and advices also ..when I need it..yeah when I need it.He knows the things as I put them , he doesnot have his own prejudices attached to the people I talk about. So his opinion is fair and not biased by his personal prejudices.

Third is because I need a break. We all do. Life is not just me and my family
, its beyond that. And I wish to experience that too. I want a life outside my house…not as literally though as it sounds. And I do not really know how to explain this also 😛

And last but not the least , I do not want to bring office to home and take home to office. I wish to keep prfessional and personal lives seperate. I cannot imagine fighting over an office issue or person in my living room or bedroom 😉

———

My colleague though said that she doesnot mind working around close family members. She would rather like a guidance and support round the clock. She would not mind taking benefits of his contacts and she would love a daily pick and drop to office.

——–

My take on her views : We are different in so many ways 🙂 May she get a life partner in this company only 😀
————-
You are on which side ?