Gapshap Yan Gyaan - Humble Nature

Lately, we have been reading discussions about increasing working hours in formats like “9–6–6” — that is, 9 AM to 6 PM, 6 working days a week.

But apologies, because due to our humble nature, we never show off — yet we have silently been following this pattern for decades.

Corporate jobs offshore have rarely been less than 9 to 10 hours a day, and let’s not forget the weekend work (that we supposedly “choose” ourselves) to complete mandatory company trainings, fill timesheets, update daily progress, record meeting notes, and what not. Correct?

I agree that extended working hours may be required for a country’s progress, as suggested by some corporate giants.

But apologies again — due to our humble nature, we never highlight that our extended working hours have contributed immensely to the growth of another country, the client’s nation, and not ours.

We have leaders, unmatched talent, people willing to learn, innovate, and work tirelessly. This hard work is definitely paying off — when we build products that make everyday life easier for clients. Whether it’s a simple vacuum cleaner, an AI robot, or a rocket — everything becomes affordable for the people of the client country, but not for the ones who actually built it. Correct?

I fail to understand the difference in treatment between an offshore and an onshore employee working on the same task.

A person working onshore deserves work–life balance, holidays, and raises — but their offshore counterpart has to work extra hard, stay in a constant rat race, and compete fiercely just to earn the same basic privileges.

We know there are issues like corruption, nepotism, politics, and more. But if we are smart enough to solve complex challenges faced by client nations, we can certainly find solutions — or at least workable approaches — to half the problems in our own country.

This is a shout-out to both public and private companies:

If you want to progress, think beyond just the work.

If you want your employees to treat the company as their own, then the company must think about the employee’s family in the same way.

I’m sure that with just a few changes, you won’t have to look back.

Give employees proper roads to reach the office on time, and ultimately help them maintain a real work–life balance. Understand that spending 9 hours at work and 4 hours in travel ruins both health and life.

Give them flexibility and family time, so they can recharge and return to work with fresh minds. A happy mind doubles productivity, reduces errors and discrepancies, and helps complete work even before deadlines.

Give them trust, recognition, raises, and respect — not just reasons to compare themselves with their onshore colleagues.

Most of us leave our families behind to build a brighter future by doing the same work in another country. But this deeply affects our mental health. Meanwhile, the economy and GDP of the client nation grows, because a new person entering their country pays taxes, buys groceries, eats at restaurants, and circulates money — all there, not here.

Understand that offshore employees also have festivals, not just the client.

If it’s a client holiday, offshore teams adjust everything — but why is it not the same for our own festivals?

Why can’t we assert that our beliefs matter too?

Why is celebrating our culture considered a privilege, and why must we apply for official leaves? Festivals are what connect us to our heritage.

The list is endless, but these are just a few ways things could improve.

Implement even some of these, and your country will flourish immensely.

If not, we remain humble enough to continue working in the 9–6–6 pattern — without ever showing off.