Tatas were poor pay masters.
That was the general perception when I was growing up in the 80s and 90s.
Now that I am myself employed in a fast-growing startup Complinity – India’s leading Compliance Software, I wonder whether the statement was true.
My simple answer to that would be NO.
Maybe it was true purely in financial terms compared to companies based out of metros but there were innumerable other factors that need to be considered when one is considering a company to work for.
Here is a list of contributions that Tatas made to MY LIFE, which probably additional 0s in my dad’s compensation could not buy.
↳ Tatas managed / contributed not just the company but an entire city of Jamshedpur. This included infrastructure like housing societies, schools, hospitals, parks, clubs, playgrounds and even a full-blown stadium (JRD sports complex).
↳ Tatas had a clear policy against corruption and nepotism even though there were various political pressures to induct undeserving candidates in their organization.
↳ When my dad was diagnosed with cancer, Tata Cancer Hospital was the go-to hospital for post-surgery healthcare.
↳ Tatas gave excellent trainings and learning opportunities to its employees to grow in their profession long before it was adopted by the newer age ITeS companies.
↳ Although Tatas felt the heat after liberalization in early 90s and went for restructuring of its main steel, auto and other businesses, they didn’t randomly stick pink slips left right and center. They gave opportunities in the same company, other group companies or offered a respectable and dignified VRS (Voluntary Retirement Scheme)
All this culminated in an excellent childhood considering my father gave more than 2 decades of his professional life to the company.
Not everything can be put in CTC and Offer Letter. Somethings are to be lived to understand their value.
Mr. Ratan Tata joined when I was in my middle school. There was a big internal corporate battle that preceded his taking over as the Chairman of the group but that’s a story for another day.
From the day Mr. Tata joined to his last day as the head of the conglomerate, he has been an inspiration for numerous leaders and common folks like us.
He was a true and deserving candidate for taking the Tata legacy forward.
May his soul rest in peace.🙏
ps. The images are from my 12th standard Sports Day where I was chosen to be the torch bearer for my Panther House (Yellow). Guess where the track suit came from. Tata Football Academy (TFA).
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