Gurgaon RWAs come up with unique initiatives to keep service staff motivated

Various residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) of the city are undertaking activities and unique initiatives to encourage and motivate their staff.

Residents said that the objective is to foster a closer relationship with employees to motivate them to be more productive and maintain a peaceful environment.

In most societies, guards sleep on the chairs or under trees but not so at Nirvana Country in Sector 50, which has come up with ‘easy hours’ for their guards, to ensure they perform their duties diligently.

“We have tried to ensure comfortable working conditions by assigning shifts of standard workday hours to make sure they lead a hassle-free life with good working conditions. You will never see our employees unhappy,” Sandeep Mirakhur, president of Nirvana Country RWA, said.

Twenty-one-year-old Rajeev Kumar, a guard at Cedar Crest society, said, “In one shift, we work for eight hours only. Also, we get better salaries and there is no deduction.”

Also, the RWA has allotted blanket offs for their staff, such as the Tuesday off for the entire housekeeping staff.

“After the weekend, Monday is an important day for garbage collection. Hence, we decided to keep Tuesdays off since there would not be too much garbage and collection can be avoided for a day. Similarly, the horticulture staff enjoy an off on Wednesdays,” Mirakhur said.

“When we get free time, we play cricket matches,” Kokan Bera, supervisor, housekeeping department, said.

The RWA at Fresco in Sector 50 has been setting up medical camps for the staff of housekeeping, guards and horticulture, besides making arrangements to educate the children of their staff.

Until now, three to four medical camps have been held to provided free check-up and treatment for the employees.

Besides, the Fresco school, which started its operations in 2016 with 25 students of the society staff, now has a strength of 60. The school aims to provide them holistic education, residents said.

Also, students who show an exceptional aptitude are provided admission to an English-medium school on Golf Course Road by residents.

Megh Singh, the laundry person for the condominium, said, “My children used to stay home with no education. However, joining Fresco school gave them a positive direction and today, they study in an English medium school. I have heartfelt gratitude (towards residents) as we could have never afforded the same.”

“On occasions and festivals, we make the staff participate in various activities and performances. We also organise sports day for them and gift them the things they require,” Nilesh Tandon, the president of Fresco Condominium RWA, said.

The RWA also organises weekly soccer and cricket matches among the children of the staff and residents.

RWAs have also tied up with NGOs for providing education, organising hygiene classes, opening bank accounts and educating the staff on savings.

The RWA at Suncity has been providing financial aid to the staff for educating their children. “We keep providing them essentials that they require,” VMK Singh, secretary, Suncity Township RWA, said.

The Suncity RWA helps the children of the service providers with stationery, uniforms, shoes, school bags and bottles.

“We cannot afford all this and it’s a big help for us,” a guard working in the township said.

Park View Residency in Palam Vihar has come up with a unique initiative to give children a platform to explore their creativity and has roped in an NGO to hold painting classes for the children of their staff.

“We want to provide children with a perspective that will help them in choosing their careers. What better mode than art, where they feel free to express themselves?” SC Kumar, president, RWA, said.

Some RWAs organise a monthly langar (community feast) for residents and their staff to promote interaction.

“If anyone is facing a personal or professional turmoil, we try and help. Once a guard was robbed of his entire salary outside the ATM and residents contributed his salary amount and gave it to him,” Kumar said.

In Mahindra Aura residential society in Sector 110-A, the engagement between the residents and the service providers is clearly evident. The children of various staff members organise and take part in functions organised by the RWA while the children of residents often teach them reading, writing, drawing, and music. Besides, medical, dental and eye camps are regularly organised for the staff.