After reaching office, as soon as I settled down on my work station, the phone started ringing. The caller ID was indicating the extension number of our HOD. Date and time on the phone was 4th May, 2011 and 9.50am respectively. With in seconds, several thoughts ran through my mind. If he wants to know where I have been for so many days or Is he curious to know about our project progress? Does he want any kind of assistance from me in some department activity? Amidst all the queries and confused I picked up the phone haphazardly, answering the call,” Good Morning, Sir.” He greeted the same in return but without the subject “SIR”. “Come to my office and collect your letter”, were the words he uttered. Oh shit! That was the reaction in my curious mind. How I could forget about this? I have been informed while I was on leave by my Lead through a phone call that along with all other eligible employees, my INCREMENT letter has also been prepared based on my performance of last financial year though I have not served the year fully in the company.
For ten days I had taken leave from the office to prepare for my GRE exam which was scheduled on 3rd May. During that period, one day when I was having my self cooked lunch, my Lead called me to inform that they all have got increment letters which they were expecting from last one month. He was quite happy the way his performance was appreciated this time or for that matter of all the employees ‘coz this time company had shown generosity towards everybody by giving many promotions and good hikes in the salaries. He continued and told me that HOD was also searching of me reason being, my letter had also been prepared. At first I told him not to joke at this time as I was involved in study mode diligently but then confirmed the news and congratulated me. I was quite happy and was feeling PROUD of myself that observing my performance in the last 4 months only, management has decided to take this step.
As soon as I put down the phone, I gathered myself for the big moment of my life. After all it was the first time in my 3 years of career that I would be getting an INCREMENT letter. The reason is, instead of increment letters I have many resignation and appointment letters. I was in dilemma of PRIDE or SHEER LUCK. It was already 10.10am. It’s been 20 minutes since he called me and I was still at my workstation. For these 20 minutes I was guessing my increased salary. “Whether it would me a meager increase or a decent one” was the debate. Without wasting much time, I went upstairs to his cabin. He was busy on the phone. After having a glance at me standing at his door, he nodded his head to grant me permission to enter his cabin. Without disconnecting his call, he pulled his drawer handle and his hand went in to come out with a white envelope bearing my name. He shook hand with me and without saying a single word, he handed over the letter. A bit surprised, I also made a quiet exit.
I was studying, in evening when my roomy returned from office. He also confirmed the news about my increment letter. Once again adrenaline was running through my body parts. I asked him about his status as we both joined almost in the same period except the fact that I had joined 10 days earlier. He replied with little reluctance giving the notions of not getting it. Upon asking the reason, he explained the fact that increment letters has been given to all the old eligible employees and the new ones, who joined before 1st Jan, 2011. Since I joined on 20th Dec, 2010 and he joined on 1st Jan, 2011 and thus, just because of 10 days, I was feeling lucky. But the feeling of PRIDE got converted into SHEER LUCK as I was not only the chosen one based on my performance. Nevertheless, I was happy with the fact that I some days I would be getting my first increment letter of my life.
Upon reaching my workstation, I opened the letter in excitement to find out the net increase in my salary. Reading, through the contents of an A4 sheet, had never been so amusing, thrilling and shocking. First some lines had the distribution of my revised salary in tabular form. Apart from a new component called “Productivity Incentive” all other categories seemed familiar. The figures corresponding to Basic, HRA, Flexi Pay were also same as that of my joining letter. That meant ZERO increase in my base salary keeping in mind all the similar distribution of various components as it was in my previous salary distribution. All hopes shattered except a few pertaining to the new component which was a decent amount. But how it would impact my earnings was explained in following lines. “Based on your performance in 2010 financial year, your salary has been revised as above and a productivity bonus is being allocated which will be the part of your monthly salary”, were the lines that I could read. But the main surprise was still to come.
After a 4 month preparation, it was the time for me to perform. Finally 3rd May came and I went to take my GRE test which would be deciding my fate from now onwards. I was pretty confident about my preparation and was ready to strike the hot iron. The test center was in GURGAON. I reached center on time and was bit nervous before entering the examination center. From 9.00am to 1.00pm, I was busy in writing my own destiny. As soon as I finished with all sections of the test, computer screen blinked with the most difficult question of the entire test that,” Whether I want to report my score or not?” After analyzing my performance for 5 minutes and quite confidently I clicked on YES option. Annoyingly, it again asked me,” Whether I am sure or not?” This time I just ignored it and clicked on YES option once again keeping the confidence intact. Within less than a blink of an eye, my score was displayed on the screen. It read as “510- Vocabulary and 790- Quantative Section” which made a total of 1300 out of 1600. “Yuppie” I made it, was the feeling that overpowered my emotions. Now, at least, I could think of becoming a graduate from World’s top ranking colleges.
Ahh!!! I took a sigh of relief. I was quite relaxed and happy that, at least, there is some increment in my in-hand salary. As I read further, I was shocked to an extent that I was numb for sometime. It was only few moments later that I realized I had been gullied by management. “Thus the bonus which was promised at your joining, stands covered”, were the lines which took me into gloominess of DISAPPOINTMENT. Same dish was offered to me but in a new wrap. The bonus which I was entitled to get after completion of one year of service will now be given in my monthly salary only. I was the cursing my HOD, Management, HR people and all others related to this act of treachery. For almost ten days they played with my emotions and in end they handed over an A4 sheet bearing my reason for sadness.
We all must have seen and enjoyed the mails with zero increment or less increments but it happened to me in reality and Trust me! it was not funny at all. In the end I had to console myself with the fact that now I need not to stay in this company even for full one year. Company itself gave me the reason to continue with my faith in Resignation and Appointment letters rather than in INCREMENT letters. But this time hopefully, the appointment letter will change to an I-20 letter. I have no liability pending now and moreover increase in my take to home salary would certainly be helping in my applications to the universities. If everything goes as per plan, I would soon be flying to get admission in some good reputed university.
Regards
PARUL GOYAL
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