Things to do on the work anniversary of your colleague

I am turning another year old at my workplace. As I turn grayer at work, I realize there is a lot of company in this matter. All of them are getting congratulatory emails on the completion of the milestone. As I brace myself with anxiety and anticipation for a similar email, I can't help wonder. Why do congratulate someone on their work anniversary?

Take a good look around your workplace. There is always demand for doing more with less. It has always been there. When we think we had squeezed the most to attain this objective, there is yet another demand to perform a miracle. While we try to get the best out of ourselves, there is the sword of Damocles. It is in the form of machines. They are rising. Or did I miss it entirely? Have the machines taken over? These are minor when compared to other challenges. As you age in the organization, the wisdom you have gained acts as a deterrent. The wisdom tells you not to jump to conclusions. This characteristic is interpreted as risk aversion.

With all these worrying facts, it is easy to give up anytime. If a person has stayed on for another year, it means that he has stayed on despite the challenges. Giving up is easier than staying on. So you should not be showering him congratulations. You should be thanking him. So the next time you compose a congratulatory email, please think it through clearly. Try to find something nice about interaction with the person and thank him for that. If you can't remember a beautiful thing, then keep it simple with a thank you. Smileys are acceptable and a perfect ruse for covering up your ordinariness of the relation.


Picture Courtesy: chriscom

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