"There is no budget." Or Is Something Else Not There?

Understandably, when a company's profit is under pressure, the company will think a hundred times before incurring any cost. Even if some expenses were sanctioned earlier when budget decisions were taken, companies will 'strongly advise' against spending. Or, they may ask people to reduce costs by certain percentage. Companies may even cut down the sanctioned expenses. These are all a part of the game of running a business.

When such things happen, it is common for people - particularly those in the support functions (like HR, Facilities, Quality and IT) - to lament, "There is no budget!" The lament may be valid. Or is it, at least always? Is this an excuse to hide something else which is not there - other than budget? Let me share an incident.

The other day I went to a company and heard that they were celebrating "Kids Day." (Predictably of course, it was an 'HR initiative' and a part of 'employee engagement' activities!) Employees were encouraged to bring their children to the office and some events for the children were organised. I saw a couple of young ladies at the lobby, and they were on their knees starting to draw a rangoli. They had drawn a flower and had started filling it with colors. I suggested to them that they create pictures of cartoon characters (like Mickey or Donald) that the kids will love. They looked at one another and one of them said, "Ma'am asked us to draw a rangoli."

I met "Ma'am"and repeated my suggestion. I was completely floored by what she said, "Sir, we don't have budget." I told her, "We are anyway spending on the rangoli color powders, and the time required for the rangoli. Instead of making a rangoli of flower, I am suggesting that we make some pictures that the kids will love." She said, "Good idea!" and left me to mind my business.

When I went to the lobby after an hour or so, the rangoli was done - it was the same flower that I saw the ladies on their knees starting. I have no idea about how much the kids who came for "Their" Day loved it.

(Rangoli is typically Indian. It is a picture drawn with hand on the floor. While originally rice flour was used, these days any white powder - chemicals and even chalk powder - is used to draw the outlines. The insides are filled with various colors. Pictures are usually geometric patterns of straightlines or curves, almost invariably symmetric. Nowadays, non-geometric patterns are also drawn. What can be drawn as a rangoli is limited only by one's creativitive imagination. Search for "rangoli" in Google Images and you will land up in tons of these!)