A business enterprise comprises of employees and workers pertaining to different level of command. The employees occupying the higher level in the hierarchy of authority are basically the top- level executives, directors and technicians, those in the middle of the chain of authority are the departmental managers while the workers belonging to the lower level in the chain of command constitute the supporting staff involving the peons, sweepers, factory foreman and other lower- level workers.

 

 It is an approved fact that all the employees and workers coming from different hierarchy in the authority framework jointly work for the success of a business organization and therefore, the contribution of any of them towards the smooth progress of the enterprise cannot be ignored. But very sadly, the supporting staff belonging to the lower grade in the level of authority is not paid as much respect or appreciation as the top or even middle- level employees usually enjoy.

 

 When the sales manager is able to achieve the annual target or the directors of the company frame a very profitable and fruitful policy, scores of compliments and financial incentives come their way. But the same never happens when the sweeper of the company pulls his heart out in keeping the floors clean and shiny or the peon efficiently serves the clerical and directorial staff with refreshments like juice, tea or water. 

 

If all the three groups of employees and workers work honestly and efficiently in the organization, then they all should be treated alike, at least in terms of valuing, appreciating and rewarding their humble services.  But the main factors which debar people from adopting a fair attitude towards the supporting staff members are as follows:-

 

Firstly, the responsibilities attended by the supporting staff like serving orders, cleaning or guarding are considered to be very low and negligible. So, the well- educated group feels itself to be way off- standard in complementing the workers for these so- called low jobs. The status difference between the higher or middle- level employees and the lower- level workers also prevents the former groups from even interacting with the latter. 

 

Secondly, the members of the supporting staff do not come from a refined or educated society and therefore, lack the element of politeness and etiquette in their behavior. So, whenever they speak out, their unrefined tone or speech displeases the upper- level employees and creates a bad impression in their mind. Hence, they do not like to interact with the supporting staff members too often. So, the hard work of these workers also goes unnoticed due to their spoilt reputation. 

 

Thirdly, the services rendered by the supporting staff members do not directly benefit the business entity in raising its revenue or production or even in decreasing its cost of operation. But a business enterprise is generally concerned with these very purposes. So, no matter how hard and efficiently the supporting staff works, their efforts can only serve the organization indirectly by ensuring a clean and well- protected environment. Thus, their good and helpful services often get neglected.

 

Lastly, no business organization on earth, however reputed it may be, possesses the element of morality in its administration through which it can recognize the humble and efficient services of all its employees and workers functioning at different levels in the chain of command. An organization only measures the performance of its employees in terms of target achievement or a rise in any of its business variables like sales or profit or a decline in other variables like cost. As such, it only analyses or evaluates the performance of its higher and middle- level employees. But the services rendered by the lower- level supporting staff are never paid much attention.

 

Because of the above mentioned reasons, the supporting staff is never given the kind of respect or appreciation which it deserves to get after serving a business organization so efficiently and honestly. A business enterprise needs to realize the real effectiveness of the duties discharged by the supporting staff members. Had the supporting staff not been there, the refreshments, mainly tea and coffee, would not have been served to the employees in time. 

 

There are a number of people in each and every organization who have the habit of drinking tea or coffee in the morning. But owing to the early office timings, they might not be able to drink it at home. Such people need this invigorating drink as soon as they come to the office, otherwise they will not be able to cope with the heavy work- pressure for the whole year and will be down with headache or other irritations. This will harm the organization itself if the daily work is not dispensed off in time.

 

Moreover, in the absence of the supporting staff, the office environment could never have been kept clean. Tidy floors and clean work tables and chairs could not have been allotted to the employees had there been no peon to take care of these aspects. It goes without saying that no employee can work efficiently in a dirty and unhealthy environment. Instead, they will start catching diseases one- by- one. So, in order to ensure a clean and healthy work environment, the services of the supporting staff are absolutely necessary.

 

Therefore, one can clearly conclude that the supporting staff must be treated with the same degree of honor and appreciation which the other employees of the organization have been experiencing since they also play a giant role in determining the success of the organization.

 

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