|
Challenges
of a contemporary manager
The
changes in a contemporary manager’s workplace may prove traumatic
for some and full of opportunities for others. However, getting
into activities other than one’s profession helps one unwind, or
be less affected by stress, finds Uday Arur
THE
contemporary pharma manager’s workplace is going through a
period of serious change - traumatic for some and full of opportunities
for others. The reasons are not far to seek - the country’s
political, social, economic and technological environment are in
such a state of ferment and turmoil that they have already left
- or are likely to leave - permanent marks (scars?) on his world.
Let
us take the case of the pharma industry in Gujarat - second only
to Mumbai in its pre-eminence. Wracked by disturbed political and
social turmoil, the pharma industry there is trying hard to get
back on its feet. However, for the professional manager, the uncertainty
may be preying on his mind. One hears of managers seeking postings
out of Gujarat and their departures - and reluctance of outside
managers to come into the state is bound to leave an impact on the
management of companies. While for professionals with their roots
in Gujarat this could be just the opportunity to climb higher up
the ladder, for those seeking pastures outside the state it may
be a difficult time in terms of finding suitable jobs and resettling
families.
To
add to the uncertainty of jobs, there are the mergers and alliances
- the latter either being made, or dissolved - all of which lead
to huge amount of stress pre-merger as to who shall remain and who
shall be out. Post-merger, there are the sho-cks and strains of
cultural adjustments to the new environment. Moreover, in case of
golden handshakes, the manager has to go through the agony of suddenly
being spending more time at home - a prospect earlier pleasurable,
but now no longer so, what with having to make critical decisions
on how to handle the future.
In
the case of mergers requiring shifting to other cities, problems
arise for senior managers in their late forties faced with the prospect
of displacement from a well-settled life with their families. For
those with grown-up children, difficulties arise as to what sort
of arrangements need to be made if they are to be left behind. On
the other hand, in case the children do accompany the parents -
school and college admissions pose problems. For the senior manager
again, a lack of suitable senior-level jobs and the consequent feeling
of frustration and uncertainty is a trying factor.
Another
problem for the senior manager (as much for the representative)
in his late forties is the sea change in the attitude of companies’
wherein in the present day workplace, it is fairly commonplace for
a general manager to be in his late thirties. This, in an industry,
that till only recently, valued experience measured in terms of
years and depth of experience! This shrinking of promotional milestones
has its consequences in the backward pressure on every position
down the line. In fact, one company reportedly retrenched all its
medical representatives above age forty. So, where do all the experienced
employees go? The situation seems akin to the army, where if an
officer does not cross the major’s rank by age thirty-five,
he is automatically out of the army.
 Similarly,
a perfectly fit army jawan, retires at age thirty-five. The army
has its logic, and every entrant is well aware of the policy. However,
to the pharma manager unused to the rapid changes, it has come as
an unpleasant surprise.
For
senior managers seeking alternative jobs in smaller companies in
situations mentioned above, there is another danger lurking - what
happens to such companies in view of the promulgation of Schedule
M? Will they be able or willing to make the investment in upgradation?
As this were not enough, the post-2005 scenario for several of these
companies may be grim.
As
for managers in the R&D departments, the new order would require
their familiarity with emerging technologies of proteomics, genomics,
biotechnology and a whole array of new equipment in the field of
drug discovery - a far cry indeed from his expertise in the area
of reverse engineering. As an American scientist in the area of
new drug discovery remarked, the research field is moving from ‘‘pipette
chemistry to computational technology.’’
Consequences
of Change
What
are the consequences of this environment of change on the younger
lot of managers? A recent study conducted on the effects of work
pressure on 120 managers in Mumbai - the majority between the age
of 24 and 40 years - by a professor of Psychology of the SNDT Women’s
University, has some interesting revelations to make. 51.6 per cent
of the managers blamed their stress on short and demanding deadlines
and targets. 21.6 per cent said that their source of stress was
restricted to handling regular tasks like sales, marketing, training,
R&D and accounts of core clients, while 18 per cent was stressed
when they had to convince their bosses, using data. Only 19.2 per
cent of the managers studied, reported not facing any stress at
their workplace.
Offering
solutions for the problem, the professor says, ‘‘Stress
is something which one cannot avoid. By working on one’s attitude
and taking support from seniors or colleagues, one can handle it
effectively. Participating in an activity other than one’s
profession helps one unwind, or be less affected by stress.
Useful
advice well worth following by the contemporary manager!
The
writer is managing consultant, Magna Association, Mumbai Email:
uarur@consultant.com
|
