The coronavirus lockdowns have meant that the lines between work and family life are blurring, and companies now seem to be adjusting their employee initiatives accordingly.
Razorpay is sending letters to their employees’ families congratulating them on their promotions at work. Nivedita Kushwaha, who works with the product team at fintech startup Razorpay, shared a letter the company had sent to her father on her promotion. “My father received this from Razorpay on my promotion yesterday. He called and mentioned it’s wonderful that you work in a company that values people’s happiness along with OKRs. Years of effort but an amazing culture,” she wrote on Twitter.
“Dear Nivedita’s family,” the letter begins, and lists out Razorpay’s achievements over the past year. “We are well on our way to become a leading player in the country’s FinTech space with a S3 billion valuation, bagged many awards, built a stronger family at Razorpay, and have been able to reach a new pinnacle of success,” it says.
“But none of it would have been possible without Nivedita’s support!” the letter continues. “Nivedita is an integral part of the Razorpay family and has continued to live up to the mission and values that we stand for. Her commitment and determination run deep and continue to set on example for all us. We cannot thank her enough for the impact she creates at Razorpay and take immense pride in having her with the organization,” the letter says.
The letter then informs the family about the promotion. “Nivedita has always gone above and beyond and has demonstrated exemplary spirit which has helped Razorpay achieve greater heights. And now, we feel elated and proud to promote her as the Senior Product Analyst. On behalf of the entire Razorpay family, we congratulate Nivedita Kushwaha on this fabulous achievement and are confident that she will continue to succeed,” it says.
The letter thanks the employee’s family for their role in her success. “Razorpay grows with Razors and their families and therefore, you’ve been an inevitable part of this journey. We thank you for being the support system for Nivedita and look forward to many more wonderful years of our association ahead,” the letter continues. It is signed by Razorpay cofounders Shashank Kumar and Harshil Mathur.
This isn’t the first time that companies have written to their employees’ families. All the way back in 2015, Directi had sent a letter to the parents of their campus recruits, congratulating them on their children’s placements, and telling them to “sit back and relax and watch your child grow towards success.” Globally, Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi has written letters to her employees reminding them to call their parents.
These letters strike the right notes, particularly in India — family ties are strong in the country, and parents and relatives are an important part of employees career choices and successes. It also makes sense for new-age startups to build relationships with their employees’ families — families are often reluctant to have their children work for companies they haven’t heard of, and letters such as these can help build relationships and assuage concerns. And with many people now working from home, letters such as these can reinforce why employees need to spend large amounts of time in their rooms in calls and meetings. Employee initiatives don’t have to be expensive or glitzy — sometimes a simple letter addressed to the right ears can help drive up morale.