Welcome

We've heard this word quite a lot of times till date, haven't we? Welcome is used so often that it seems to have lost its importance.... but then, there are some Welcomes that we can recall even after years later...

The freshers' welcome party in college...
The Seniors' welcome party in hostel...
The wedding welcome party...
Some airport/train station welcomes..
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We also recall a lot of not-so-welcoming tone/note of welcomes... that's something we park aside, never to pick up again.. :)

When I was writing "See where life takes you" I recalled a hearty welcome I had three years ago, on the same day. It deserved a separate post and that's what this post is about.

January 8th 2007. It is a very important day for me.

First, because I am joining one of the biggest companies that my mind could imagine, till then. I mean, I never even opted to attempt a test or an interview in this company till three months ago.

Second: I was hit strongly by a wind of culture-shock in Bangalore for the last 26 hours of my stay in this city and I was not sure till the last minute, if I should join the new job.

Third: I had not met anyone in my new organization till then - All interviews were over the phone and the tests were over email.

The honks, the traffic jam, the dust, the auto drivers, the language, the route confusion, the day long joining formalities, the posh building, the security guards, the play area kind of a vast, and empty ground floor ( I don't understand why all office buildings waste so much of space), the floor confusion and the "Good evening" smile from the security... When I finally reached the floor where I was supposed to meet my team, my face must have shown the reactive responses to all these.... I am sure... I was not definitely wearing my best look on my first day at work...

So, there I was, in the reception desk of one of the best companies I had ever known till then, waiting to be be escorted in. I did not have an identity card yet, so no access to the office. As I walked up to the reception desk to ask for my manager's name, I heard a very warm, bright, and cheerful " Hiiiiiiiiii, you must be Deepa.. A very warm welcome to <<>>" Then, we spoke a lot, but what mattered was just that tone and cheer in the voice.. It was 4:30.P.M and later, I came to know that this manager's day starts at 9:00A.M. So, at almost the end of the day, the cheer that she carried in her voice was unbeatable. It was so very important for me, because I was totally tired of the very idea of a huge corporate and this city that day.

I have not forgotten the Hello, the bright yellow and black saree, the elegance, the grace, the cheer, and the strength in this manager on that very important evening. I don't think I will ever be able to, because, I have heard a number of welcome notes, but not even one of them could match this one. That welcome note made my day.

On this date, when I think of my first day and the welcome note at this place, it still makes me feel good. I guess, that is the trick here. Make your new-joinee feel good and special.

You might have had a 'not-so-good' day, but what matters most is that the new-joinee is just starting her day in your company. The least you can do, to make her day is to Say a Hello and welcome in a tone that would really cheer her up.

Any welcome reminds me of this one, and immediately brings a smile... It is quite an art to welcome someone into your clan - Be it home or Work. And it is an art that can be worked on.

Welcome would remain just a word without the feeling of warmth and joy and cheer that we are capable of infusing into it. Let's remember to give the word a meaning from now on.