Feeling Like A Number

It has merely been a few weeks since I am back from my 2 months overseas holiday, and I am already back in the rat race. As if post holiday depression wasn’t hard enough to get over already, my new employer made it worse, making me feel like part of a production line again. Why? Because I have a serial number! Other companies may call it “Employee ID” or “Employee Number”. But at my new employer (which I won’t name), they call it “Serial Number”!

So, on my first day at work, with the usual added mess of things to organise (Laptops, phones etc etc), I called up the corporate helpdesk, and normally I would expect “Hi, I am xxxx, how may I help you?” Instead, this is what I get:

“Good morning sir, could I start with your serial number?”

Yeah!!! I am a serial number, like the one you find on a milk carton, or your typical goods packaging, where you can scan with a barcode scanner and perhaps checkout, and take me home or throw away.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with my new job. But, to call me a ‘serial number’?? That’s a first for me!