5 HR Lessons to learn from Chai-wala!

Hello there, hope you're enjoying the Bombay monsoons, which I definitely do only and only when I'm home and NOT while I'm on my way to office, which is literally 'Ughh'! 

So, be it any season, the burning summers, refreshing monsoons or the soothing winters, chai is something that is no guest of a particular season, but of course, monsoons make the chai sessions at the beloved tapri, a very endearing time to spend with yourself or with your group of peers!

Curiosity is another word that describes me, thus, while I was enjoying the morning cup of tea at the designated spot, I observed the chai-walla and things somehow clicked for me to draw comparisons and learnings that could be applied to the Corporate HR Practices. Believe me, there are 5 valuable lessons that not only an HR but everyone should observe and learn from the chai-wala!

1. Know your people:

This is perhaps, the most valuable lesson that not only a chai-wala but every person you come across teaches you. But, the thing that this chai-wala master's in, is the the fact that he not only knows his employees (the usual chhotus and pappus), but also his customers very well and you would have definitely seen this because even before you order anything, he is ready with a cutting / full cup of tea. Hence, if you know your people, half the game is already won!

2. Simple things always work:

Our minds have a funny habit of over-complicating things and taking the tough route to get what we want in life. But, think about this, the main aim of the chai-wala was to earn money and now have a look at the means with which he is doing so, they are basic things: utensils, the tea, sugar, stove and few other things! So, it's not that simple things don't work to overcome hurdles, they always do in some or the other way, and for any HR person, imbibing simple practices, after taking each & every person's opinion, will always be fruitful.

3. Believe in your own Forté:

Okay, I'm sure your 'status' demands having your morning dose of coffee or tea only from Starbucks, but hey that definitely cannot match the chai that we have these tapris. Hence, it is the belief that these chai-walas have in their forté that they aren't really afraid of setting up shop right outside one of these high-end Cafés. So, always believe in your own strengths and people practices, without comparing it with others, because that is what will set you and your firm apart from others.

4. Building trust is mandatory for the long-run of the business:

The everyday customers of a specific chai-wala never pay him on the daily basis, its always monthly or weekly hisaab that they follow. Now this wouldn't have been possible if the chai-wala ignored putting in efforts to gain trust of his customers. And.. for the HR practitioners, the employees are as good as the customers, so trust becomes crucial in all matters.

5. Unfair means won't take you a long way:

A chai-wala is unfair in terms of legality, meaning, 80% of these stalls, definitely don't have any license and guess the price they pay for it: the good-old hafta or the indirect dues they pay to set up their shop. What's more, even if they pay these weekly dues on time, there is no guarantee what-so-ever that they can continue business smoothly. Guess what you can learn from this HR People? It's simple, be just, even if it doesn't make you happy, because that's what a good HR representative does. Injustice by a HR or any Manager for that matter can only happen if he / she puts his / her likes and dislikes above what is just and fair, that's what won't take you a long way. 

So... these were the 5 lessons that I observantly learnt from these mighty and endearing chai-walas that have set up shop in every nook and corner of this country, its cause of them office is somehow bearable post 5:00 pm right?

PS - These amazing Illustrations are by: Raghu Kamath

Comment down below to share any more of such learnings from the most unusual observations that you have made. Thank you for following my posts every weekend, its real motivation for me to keep on writing and sharing my views.

Much Love, Positivity and Gratitude.

-Binal R. Chitroda

(#TheHRConnect)