Dinesh Divekar
7879

Dear members,

The news about the suicide of the 27-year-old woman who was an employee of Axis Bank has been published. In her 5-page suicide note, she has given horrifying accounts of her torture. The link to the news is as below:

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/noida-bank-employee-kills-self-5-page-suicide-note-says-colleagues-harassed-called-her-bandariya-dimag-se-pagal-11721206918373.html

The report by Times Now goes further and says that her family members have alleged physical assault by her colleagues as well.

The news is saddening and makes one sick. Like millions of others, the woman was just an ordinary person from a lower-middle-class family. They need employment as their livelihood depends on the salary received from the job.

The dire need for employment makes these people helpless. Otherwise, what would have been classified as exploitation in Western countries or the US, the helplessness of the ordinary workers normalises the excesses by the seniors in Asian countries in general and India in particular.

The news report says that the woman employee's manager tortured her. The managers need to be empowered, they need to be given sufficient authority to get the work done, but when the authority is weaponised, such incidents occur.

Will the Axis Bank take accountability and disclose what led to such an incident? Why did the woman employee suffer silently but not approach her seniors or the HR department? Why there was a disconnect? Will the higher officials of Axis Bank wash their off by making the manager whose name is mentioned in the suicide note a scapegoat?

In certain companies, the inducement of fear is a part of their culture. The managers' authority to terminate their subordinate is the ultimate weapon at their hand. The managers are reduced to godly entities when they start wielding this weapon.

While the world over the GDPs of the countries are decreasing, India is being appreciated for its GDP growth and growth in the size of the economy. Yes, we the ordinary citizens of India want our country to become a 5-trillion dollar economy. But the pursuit of growth should not leave some families devastated. Justice is the foundation of the society and the business owners have to create an environment of justice in their company. The same environment also should give freedom to the employees to raise their voices against oppression.

The news report did not have any impact on the share price of the Axis Bank which shows that the shareholders hardly care about the employees of the company whose shares they own. Even when an employee takes the extreme step out of frustration, it is not a matter of concern for them. Their concern is limited to the profit figures shown by the companies and the multiplication of their investment thereof.

Lastly, about the HR organisations like NHRD, NIPM, etc. It is high time for them to take up the cause of the employees and take a firm stand. Toxicity at the workplace is increasing but they never raise their voice against it. They cannot be muted spectators on the one side, and give lectures on emotional intelligence or leadership in the seminars.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

From India, Bangalore
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