Ms. SARITA'S DILEMMA
Miss Sarita was employed in a multi-product company and was placed in the payroll office as a Steno. She was intelligent, cheerful, energetic and had pleasing manners, but looked delicate and was somewhat lacking in self-confidence. The payroll officer had asked for a girl who was good at figures, could type with reasonable speed and accuracy and do shorthand. Sarita met all these specifications.
There were twenty girls in the payroll office, and Sarita readily made friends with all of them. She not only adapted herself quickly to the job, but evidently enjoyed the work. She was usually the first to arrive in the morning and was frequently spoken to for her failure to leave work in the evening. She became an asset to the department head and within a year had demonstrated to the employment manager, Mr. Praveen, that she was in line for promotion. Consequently when Mr. Praveen received a requisition for a secretary to one of the sales executives, Sarita came to his mind. He went to the payroll officer, Mr. Vineet and suggested Sarita's release for transfer.
Praveen: I have a requisition from Arun's office for a bright girl to replace Kamlesh who is leaving to be married. I think Sarita is the right choice for the job.
Vineet: Praveen, that girl is practically indispensable to me. She's one of the best girls I ever had: You don't think I'm going to let her go, do you?
Praveen: You can't pay her what she. may eventually receive as a private stenographer.
Vineet: No, of course not. Good girls always go. I sometimes wonder if I'd be better off to take girls that aren't quite so good, so I could keep them around here after I've spent time and money training them.
Praveen: Well, here's your chance to decide. If I take Sarita, you'll need a girl to replace her. Tell me what you want and I'll find just the right candidate for you.
Vineet: Well, I suppose there's only one answer. I've got to give Sarita the break. But you find another girl as good as she is, if you can. I guess I'm better off to hire bright girls even if there is a chance that! may lose them.
(Later in the day, Sarita was called to see Mr. Praveen in his office)
Praveen : Good afternoon, Miss Sarita. Have a chair. I have a suggestion to make which I believe will please you. Do you know Miss Kamlesh in Mr. Arun's office.
Sarita : Not very well, but I know who she is.
Praveen : Well, she's leaving us very soon-getting married- perhaps you have heard ? I have suggested that you be considered to take her place. But whether or not you get the job depends on three conditions. The first is Mr. Vineet's consent to release you ; the second, your own willingness to give it a try ; and the third, Mr. Arun's acceptance. Now I want to tell you something about this job before you make up your mind. If you do well, you would become Mr. Arun's private stenographer, and be the only girl in his office. This is quite a change from your present job and you might feel rather lonely. Mr. Arun's work requires a considerable amount of detail. You would handle his correspondence, keep his files, and run the office when he is out of town. This would involve contact with customers in person as well as over the telephone. If you are transferred to this job, you would receive a slight increase in salary at once, and more later, if you do well. Do you think you would like to try this job?
Sarita : Really, I don't know, Sir. It sounds like a lot to learn and so different from what I've been doing. I'd hate to fail. You know more about it than I. Do you think I could do it ?
Praveen : I'm very sure you can do it if you want to. Sarita: Is there much dictation ?
Praveen : Yes, there's a good deal. But I'm sure you can handle that part of it. And, of course, Miss Kamlesh would be with you for a couple of weeks, would you try this ?
Sarita : Well....it's awfully hard to say, I will think.
Praveen: Certainly, just let me know in a day or so when you've made up your mind.
(At the end of two days, Mr. Praveen had heard nothing from Miss Sarita. He spoke to Mr. Vineet the next day.)
Praveen: Oh, by the way, has Sarita said anything to you about taking the job at Arun's office ?
Vineet: No, she hasn't, but I certainly hope she'll make up her mind about it pretty soon. She's not much good to anybody since you spoke to her. She goes around looking like she's lost her friends. I believe she feels she ought to take a chance, but hates to leave the department and her friends.
Questions
(i) Why is Ms. Sarita reluctant to accept her transfer to the new job? Will you call it
Intra-individual conflict?
(ii) Why should she accept the new job at the cost of informal relations at her present workplace?
(iii) If Ms. Sarita refuses the offer, how would you persuade her to give a try to the
new job?
