The HOME OFFICE … Just Doesn’t Cut Ice!

Last year (Covid) started as a novelty for me, for the “working from home” concept.  With the pandemic just started, hotels, businesses & offices closed, transport largely banned, etc, sitting at home in my shorts & Sadrah (Zoroastrian religious vest) and working on my computer was truly a novelty.

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  (That’s NOT me! 😊
  Image credit- https://images.app.goo.gl/biSnJZgWRBy9CcxQA )

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My wife & I still woke relatively early, as if it were a working day; but instead of going to the office, I made my way downstairs to the dining room with my laptop.

Come May 2020, my emotions got penned in https://dinshawavari.com/2020/05/20/a-case-for-not-working-from-home/.

From May 2020 to end December (businesses resumed around October), our corporate office changed the daily “suit” dress code to “very smart casual” attire (with a tie in our jacket pockets).  In between my brother started coming daily to office; and I started on an alternate day basis- just to keep ourselves somewhat in the “routine”.

Now as we sit in April 2021 and I have come to the realization that through all this time – the working from home concept; the alternate working days; the dress code, etc – took it’s psychological toll on me! 

Even though I was in office by 9am, my productivity actually dropped; I was lazy; day dreaming in office; procrastinating; and waiting to return home, with a glass of some “amber” liquid with ice & water … and then last week, someone brought it to my attention that this effect of the pandemic seems to be a general trend with others too.  GOSH 😱 !  It’s taken over a year for this realization to sink in to me.

… So, to hell with our own office rules; to hell with “working at home”; to hell with the pandemic!  My sanity was at stake – so back to office with full suit & tie 😊!!!!

… and yes, maybe it’s mental/psychological/what-not, I feel a physical and emotional change over my mental health, my outlook to life, my work habits and my productivity & output.

So, whatever the world at large may say about the benefits of “working from home” or the “home office”, my personal believe & experience says IT JUST DOESN’T CUT ICE!

Don’t get into the rut of the “home office” concept – GET YOUR ASS BACK TO WORK !!!

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A Silver Lining!?

December 10, 2020

Corona has brought regulations upon regulations upon regulations … leading to headaches upon headaches upon headaches for hotels!

Can’t complain though- restricted regulations are still better than a complete lockdown, which we faced  April to September.

Now, revised regulations restrict all indoor dining and activities but at least allow activities outside. 

My grandfather’s foresight planned large outdoor spaces for our Beach Luxury Hotel by the sea in 1947; the Avari Lahore hotel in 1978; and the Avari Towers in 1985.  Naturally, he had no knowledge about the calamity that would hit the world in 2020 then but his idea always was for large, green spaces.

Chinna Creek, Karachi

In a city like Karachi, our so-called autumns & winters (whatever semblance of “winter” one can call it in Karachi 😊) make it absolutely outstanding to be outdoors and not cooped up in an a/c environment.

The other day my father and I dropped by for a coffee to Avari Towers.  We made our way down to the gardens by the pool, which have been transformed into an all-day dining- menus from Fujiyama, Dynasty & Asia Live are available there.  We thought we were sitting in some tropical paradise- with the trees, greenery, plants, tree overhangs, etc.  Our Sky Grill restaurant continues operating for dinner on the roof of the Hotel, overlooking the lights of the sprawling metropolis.    

Avari Towers, Karachi

Skygrill Rooftop Restaurant

At Beach Luxury, a full day conference (with social distancing, I might add) took place on our Seafront restaurant- the only open air, floating restaurant in Pakistan – which we use for our buffet dinners.  In the past, we have used this venue for our breakfast and lunch buffets also – it is a sight for sleepy morning eyes to see the seagulls swoop down in Chinna Creek; school-going rowers in the first morning light (albeit being grumpy at having to awake at 5am 😊) on their Sculls, Doubles, Fours and Eights; the first morning fisherman throwing his net out in the dirty, still creek- to get small fish he can then sell to the large trawlers to use as bait … and if you come early enough, one of the best winter SUNRISES you can experience!  Our Casbah restaurant, the freshest seafood grill, has had outdoor dining 365 days.

Seafront Restaurant, Beach Luxury, Karachi

At Avari Lahore, our large lawns (which houses a small aviary too) now host our outdoor restaurants – Tollington combines Kims, Lakhnavi & Tollington menus; Dynasty & Fujiyama are combined at an adjacent garden venue.  With ample space to spare, the other parts of the lawns are used for weddings & related events.

Avari Lahore, Lahore

I may be proudly boasting but we are really happy of what our GMs & teams’ have created within the parameters of these Covid regulations & restrictions.

So, I tell you friends, we don’t look at the glass as “half empty” … rather, look at it as “half full”; these days shall also pass – maybe slowly, but pass they shall !  As my father quotes “Smile, & the World Smiles With You … Cry, & You Cry Alone”.

(End note: fat lot me giving such advice … by nature I’m one of the world’s greatest pessimists 😊 😊 😊)

Avari Lahore

Avari Towers

Beach Luxury Hotel, Karachi

Avari Lahore gardens

The Bad Eggs!

July 30, 2020

(photo credit- ar.pinterest.com)

COVID-19 struck and we did not lay off our staff or executives.  We did this openly, with our hearts in it, and fully mindful of the economic impact to our family & group.

Our reasoning … where will these people go, how will they live, eat, buy medicines – especially our Associates – as there’s no social network or institutionalized setup to support them.  It was (and is) our responsibility to look after them and their family.

We didn’t do this expecting anything in return – because that’s not what “helping” is about.

Trust & a helping hand is given implicitly – one should not do charity expecting anything in return. 

Little did we know, there always are the bad eggs … the back stabbers … those few people who would take advantage of this good will ☹ … and “stab the hand that feeds him”! 

After several months of this closed period, we decided to call back team members in batches from their homes & villages so as to continue – if nothing else – training programs so that people remain more productive.

What excuses did we get when we started …

• Some pretend to be ill and don’t submitting any medical proof so as to skip training;
• For some, they or their “dependant” were ill – for the last 2 months! – and so could not attend the job;
• Some responded that they are out of the respective city or in another province and due to Covid they can’t get transport … (hmmm, last I remember, Inter-province and Inter-city transport started before last Eid);
• This last one is classic – “schedule our duty for a continuous 2-3 weeks and then let us go back to our village”!  So, not only do we pay them their salary but, it now seems, they will even schedule their own work hours while on our payroll.  I’d like a job like that 😊!

My point is, why do we give our trust to others, our hearts to others, our energy and resources for others, only for these “others” to stab us in the back?

It’s sad actually …

it does shake the trust we put in humanity and in our team members

(photo credit- english-the-easy-way.com)

Is COVID, Thanos’ Snap?

(…and Yet Further Tirades of a Layman [COVID] – 4)

June 12, 2020

(Do you follow Marvel Cinematic Universe?)

(Photo credit- https://images.app.goo.gl/ceGmi8qAB9ZarsTbA)

With one snap of his fingers, Thanos eliminates an arbitrary 50% of the world’s population; according to him it was to correct Nature’s imbalance … he was “trying to save the universe from itself”. 

Yeah, right!!!!

Compared to any other living being on Earth & the seas, humans’ capacity to harm & kill each other, and exploit & destroy the world’s resources, is unlimited.

Is the Coronavirus pandemic nature’s way of correcting our exploitation of the World?

               Is the Coronavirus pandemic a lesson to humans about the value of Life?

               Is the Coronavirus pandemic here to give mankind a taste of its own Medicine?

Whatever the reasons, we need to sit up, learn and rectify our ways.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe this is going to happen in this lifetime!  As I said, our capacity to harm others gets in the way of all the good that we, as a human “community”, can potentially do for each other.

In spite of this global pandemic, which continues to rise, these last four months have shown that we continue with strife, war and conflict; instead of banding together as one community regardless of nationality, creed, caste, religion, colour, gender to solve this threat.

In spite of this global pandemic, most countries continue to approach this threat with internal strife, no unified policy and no cohesiveness.

In spite of this global pandemic, politics and “big” business still comes in the way of human life and morals.

Few countries, like New Zealand, seem to have overcome these obstacles & been successful …

For others, is “Thanos’ Snap” imminent?

(Photo credit- https://images.app.goo.gl/92txtDavR37rkGtW6)

“Lockdown or Not to Lockdown – That Is The Question”

(Further Harangues of a Layman [COVID]- 3)

(photo credit- webmd.com)

May 30, 2020

(This is a long article)

Since my last “diatribe” on this topic (https://dinshawavari.com/2020/04/19/imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery-further-ramblings-of-a-layman-covid-2/), we have opened a lot of our lockdown sectors, retail outlets, business, etc. 

Now comes the question- has lockdown helped or not.

Personally I believe that lockdown was an important strategy at the outset of this pandemic- however, it should have been all encompassing and stricter.  Our businesses have been closed for last two months instead of 2-3 weeks – and that is due to a “hybrid” system instead of “total” lockdown.

However, dynamics have changed.  Two months without income cannot sustain any economic band of society- it’s just not possible.  Giving credit where it’s due – to the State Bank and the Federal Government for supporting companies and businesses – is important but it isn’t enough for someone to feed 4-5 mouths on a daily basis in a population of 250 Million!

(1) Part of the problem lies in partisan politics. 

Australia, with its diverse political structure and strong provincial autonomy, banded together like no other in this crisis.  Partisan politics were set aside for a country-specific policy.  Consensus-based decision making was the norm.  The PM and the coordination committee with representatives of all provinces made JOINT decisions.  This is not so in Pakistan!

(2) As long as citizens of a country do not cooperate with the government, no amount of the “stick” or “carrot” will work.  The administration can beat their head against the wall creating SOPs but if in our own heart we don’t follow them, then it’s as good as a failed policy.

Sweden’s “partial lockdown” system worked due to the Swedish people’s sense of responsibility in social distancing.  They took it upon themselves to ensure they followed the government’s policies in return for a more open society.  This is not so in Pakistan!

(3) Successful countries have followed the advice of scientists and doctors.  Government policies, politics, [maybe] some personal freedoms have been set aside to listen to, and implement, actions recommended by “virus experts”.

Here again, Australia, Korea, New Zealand, etc followed what experts in this field advised them.  It may have run contrary to their own thinking or policy but they listened to people who knew what they were talking about.  This is not so in Pakistan! 

(4) I do not support pollution or lack of hygiene & sanitation!  However, can a fair case be made that in countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, while there is a high Corona Virus count, the death rate [to overall COVID cases] ratio is not as high as in the developed world?  Why?

Let’s look it like this- the pollution, smog, vehicular emissions, sewerage, slums, lack of sanitation, etc in the general populace is the “norm” unfortunately; food is prepared over open sewages; generations are born and die in slums in the center of our cities; 50% of the population drink polluted tap water directly; flies are our regular lunch & dinner dates; mosquitos thrive on our blood … whose immunity will NOT be built?  These are the living standards in Pakistan!  However, this should not be the case in Pakistan!

All these factors and more – cash economy, daily wagers, population density, public transport, education levels, etc – play their share on a macro basis in determining whether to lockdown a country or not.  We lack in so many of these areas that I do not believe Pakistan can afford to lockdown the country further. 

Smarter policing is required – political partisanship has to be shunned – geographical and economic aspects should be accounted for – and based on these aspects an all-inclusive, sustained policy be devised.

Can Pakistan please band together!?

(photo credit- sciencemag.com)

A Case for … Not Working from Home!

May 20, 2020

Yawn … Yawwn … YAWWNNNN

It’s almost two months for our lockdown in Pakistan and working from home.

The first month went well, working from home I mean.

Started waking up at 7am, instead of 6

You find the time to exercise more

                              Lounge in your shorts and socks

                                             No shirt, just your vest (in my case, Sadrah)

                                                            Come 5pm, put on your shirt and shoes (stay in your socks) and sit in the garden

                      … It’s fine as long as you keep working, keep at it, stay busy!

But now, now, now …. YAWNNNNNN ….

^{(Photo Credit- thelabradorsite.com)}

               (forgot what I was thinking!)

Oh yes, I’VE TURNED LAZY!

Today, as I write these words, I realize that working from home is NOT AN OPTION.  There is no such successful concept as “an office at home”.  The novelty wears away.  So does one’s creativity.  Office interaction.  Office dynamics.

Actually, now to think of it, it felt good going to office – sometimes even being first to open the doors – sticking to a ROUTINE.  You then actually enjoy your weekends at home more. 

Go figure