An Open letter to Nirmal Jain founder and chairman of India Infoline (IIFL) Group

Dear Chairman,
I wanted to write because I never got any chance to see you or talk to you, and I know you are very much busy running your company, traveling and keeping the shareholders happy and I really don’t know what other responsibilities you have but I’m guessing they are enormous.
The role has worked its way into something I never expected, because that’s just how life works out sometimes.
But…… I like it!
I don’t have any fancy title, I’m just a Manager, and I am not seeking to one day have your job. I like what I do, because I went school for it, and selected it to be my career of choice.
Indeed! I don’t wish to complain, I like what I do and the company is good one.
Perhaps we are of little significance down here and don’t want to interrupt the important things happening up.
But…. we do see many things you might not see.
If you will humor me, I have few questions that need some clarification, then I feel that I’ve a voice.
1. Attrition Ratio: Day 1, at the training, we were shown one video of yours, let me tell you the words which got stuck with me, Think, “you work as you are doing your own business” then you will be able to do anything.
But the whole motivation was thrashed away when I wasn’t given a platform to showcase it, when I’ve been ignored for their new ideas. It’s heart breaking.
2. Rah-Rah Meetings: why there is no confidence in a sales pitch even after having one of the best products available in the market so far.
3. Strategies: the folks at our level have never really heard about a new strategy or direction.
Everything here seems to tick along quite the same as it has for the 1.5 years I have been here. Do we really have a company strategy? What does it look like?
I would like to know, it what I do everyday is what the company really wants or my work somehow feeds the “strategy” you all have laid out for us.
4. Value: “I” as a manager understand my role here please don’t get me wrong I really love my job I like what I do, the work is something I selected, but I’m struggling to see where I add any significant value to the organization.
I want to make a difference want to utilize my strengths and skills to really add value to the team, within an organization and for the people I work with.
5. Expectations: just have a look on this inputs we have given and the outputs have been expected to deliver without any guidance.
May be! You have seen the potential that why we have been hired.
Again! I like what I do, don’t want to make any complaint.
6. Root cause: I believe, RMs are the roots for this company if their perspectives have been filtered and then reached to the higher hierarchy, doesn’t make any sense.
BUT I LIKE WHAT I DO!
Fear: A fear of loosing a job which is almost 80% employees are having, why is this so? But still i like what I do, instead of this fear.
Performance: I don’t want to head up the management ladder, I’m definitely happy being good at a specific role.
But I’ve been heard many times, keep doing what you are doing, you are exactly where you should be.
For some people that might be nice to hear, but I want to get better, I want to be someone my manager really needs in his team and I want to know I have a future.
Or am I now a liability?
And those motivational videos: it is the only thing, I get to see you, I want this worst way to believe, I work in the company like the one you described.
Unfortunately it doesn’t feel that way, the other employee I work with are frustrated, angry and disgruntled. No one seems to know what’s going on, the layoffs were devastating and we all are just scared.
How do I remove all the daily negativity of the workplace and bring what you described in those videos into my everyday when management doesn’t lead that way.
Mr. Chairman, I want to be the best employee I want to success for the company because it is the company I know and the work I understand.
I want to see my colleagues happy and clients thrilled to come back for more.
But I have to admit I am struggling to understand why our managers are not trained to help us to get there.
I struggle to know why you see such a different picture of the company than we do.
Please! Help me to find the answer I have the positivity, I’ve already looked for ways I can contribute more and keep far away from the gossip chain.
I support my co-workers with good feedback.
But none of this is sufficient, there seems to be something missing because things aren’t going right at L1 level.
CAN YOU SUGGEST WHAT MORE CAN BE DONE?
Sincerely,
Your loyal employee
Based on the inputs of the employee of IIFL group
Disclaimer: This content has been submitted from an employee of IIFL and Inventiva & its team do not take any responsibility of the content.