Officers of various Departments of the Government and those of companies in the corporate sector make a fascinating study of their ambiance. While the scene that strikes an observer in the offices of either Union Government or its counterparts in the States and Union Territories across the country may fall into a common pattern familiar to all, that of the workplaces in the indigenously established companies representing the Indian corporate sector provides a sharp contrast on many counts, particularly the ambiance during working hours. Although the line Government work is God’s work adorns the entrance door of the Karnataka Government’s Secretariat, the army of quill-drivers seem to have taken the message therein lightly, barring a few exceptions among them. The first casualty of discipline on their part, unarguably, is punctuality. Regarding work ethics, including the common practice of absenting from their seats while on duty, less said the better.

Procrastination in attending to the needs of citizens seeking clearances and issuing related official records as proof of complying with the laws of the land resulting in what has come to be described as ‘running from pillar to post’ leaves no option to the public other than bearing the brunt of the babus as it were.

The factors impacting the ambiance of the workplace in Government Offices not only fall into the realm of attitude of the staff to work but also are extraneous, such as diverse castes and faiths, language of interacting, levels of education, social background and so on, not to forget decorum in attiring. The most glaring feature that relates to ambiance in the Government Offices is that individually one doesn’t have to earn one’s wages, the monthly salary being more or less guaranteed. The factor that leaves no option to the staff in the offices of the corporates on their toes as it were all the time is that every employee has to earn his wages, with time is money as the bottom line.

According to a study, the top ten companies preferred by technology professionals in the corporate sector are multinational on the count of both ambiance at workplace and scope for career growth in India. There are no signs of the staff in Government Offices inclined to emulate their counterparts in the corporate sector.