Are we selling our souls for BPO Jobs and the employers making super profits at the cost of health of employees?

Dear Raju, Please do forward for some NGOs or for some Trade Unions Leaders who can help them to assert their rights. 

Dear Amish, I agree with regarding values. But the thin margins is not correct. Please see my research papers mentioned here. The are the disclosures of the organizations themselves.

Dear Raju, The thesis work was published in Germany and i was invited to be  Scholar at University of Padova. The book is available in amazon.com. 

The complete thesis work may be downloaded at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1782424) 

The demographic and economic forecasting may be downloaded from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1857729) Thanks for your interest in the academic research. I wish some organization takes up the issues highlighted in the thesis, which i will be too glad to donate free as a tribute the workers of BPOs. Lal Salam to them.

Yours sincerely,

Dr.K.Prabhakar

A very detailed research Professor. I am amazed at the involvement of the Ph.Ds in their topics of research. I could learn so much about BPO industry with your paper.

Did you send this to any NGO?  They can take it forward and get the necessary legislation enacted.  Asking out of curiosity.

Thanks for the postings, Professor and Kaliyamoorthy. What both of you say and propose seem to make perfect sense.

I know that there is a dating allowance in NIIT way back in 1993 when I was doing my first computer course there.  We were comparing our pay and allowances (I was an officer in a nationalised bank at that time).  I was surprised at this allowance.

Now to enforce this, we need to have some legislation and a regulatory body to enforce these rules.

The Government will not be interested in doing this since this industry is one of the major foreign exchange earning industries as well as employment providing industries.

The employees also will not be interested because, as has been rightly pointed out, if one employee leaves, there are 10 persons to take up that job at a lower salary.

The only option is to approach the Supreme Court with a public interest petition and set down before it the findings, effects and suggested remedies and plan of action so that the required legislation and regulatory bodies are in place.

Now who will bell the cat?

Prat I, the part tow is with a visual. 

Daar Raju, To answer your question why they do that? It is just greed and profitability. The emplyee cost is 35% in India which is the lowest compared to any country in the word. There is no regulations in India as we find in other countries. You can remove any person with out any reason without providing any compensation. Which country on earth can have this type of conditions? The workers are expected to work not less than 12 hours even though the official times are on 8 hours. Please see the research on comparative situation in other countries. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1856952. The employees are high qualified; many times produced by smaller engineering colleges which is being done by a school graduate in foreign country. The jobs are low skilled ( not all ) with a time of 190 seconds to complete his task. He is paid comparatively high to other jobs and he can always have higher self esteem. The annual foreign trips make the parent fell that their children are going up in the social ladder; never realizing that they are going there for shorter time or for a client place. The  typology of the organization makes it highly unstable, with les s of expressive cycle and high of instrumental cycle ( i am here to make money and go )  http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1857386#. 

The latest trend in the corporate world is issuing dating allowance to employees. This is done to encourage inter-personal relationships and even nuptials within the organisation. According to Mr Sanjeev Kataria, group executive VP, NIIT, "The philosophy behind the initiative is to show that the company wants to participate in the lives of its employees. We take on the role of the family and help the employee move to the next phase of his or her life, which is marriage." Please see the visual on the top of the report. 

There is also a practical reason behind the initiative. As per adman Mr Prahlad Kakkar, "With high-pressure jobs, employees spend a lot of time together. They are thus attracted to each other, so this does make sense."

Marriage which intimately personal decision of a person which should be promoted as a sacred event is promoted offices; the reason since they work closely. Do you think that organization should arrange for nuptials for the couple. No where in the world you have see such kind of promotion of interpersonal skills. Why should organizations promote such relationships? The reason is simple; we get a set of bonded labor. Sociologically this is to make the disappearance of factory gate and family. Whatever you do at home you do it at organization in the process you will be doing organization work at home. You will find modern day bonded labor. This kind of labor engagement  practices are not there anywhere in the world. The reason is simple get more than required work done from employees; Pay them least; Earn super profits which are not taxable: you should know that they are not taxable. What you expect from them? Treat their employees for all the organization ills? There are large number of people who are ready to take up the job if a person leave. If relationships are encouraged by organizations what will they do in the long travel that itself at odd hours? One of the driver who saw all these happening has committed an atyachar on a women employee in Bangalore. The incidents are not stray. Due to heavy work pressure some of the employees committe suicide. None are acknowledged not addressed.(Please see, why Banglore is the Suicide capital of India.http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/feb/14spec.htm)  

Now tell me what is the solution? All is not lost. My own study on their values indicate that if you provide them leave on festivals and allow them to be with their families and make a four day a week; you will find better results. If the health of the person is monitored and provided with appropriate occupational inputs you will have a sustainable industry. The present industry is unstable(Please see the Typology of Organizations;http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1857386  not because of market conditions; it is because of not attending to PLUs, People Like Us. For this innovative thinking long term plan is needed, before it becomes an epidemic that will be picked up by manufacturing sector to have younger employees. Thanks for requesting responses from others. I dedicate this research to all my fellow Indians, irrespective of these oppressive conditions work and bring prosperity to country. Lal Salam. The do not unionize as these a phenomenon of individualization which i have dealt in the thesis. I am sorry to ask you to go though the research report as they will provide empirical evidence. If any one of you point our deficiencies i will be too glad to acknoledge and publish the same as Changing Conditions in BPO.

Dr.K.Prabhakar 

Hey,

If Health of Employee is the real concern, then the Corporate needs to formulate a Health Policy , very precisely saying, what it matters for & what remedies are provided to alleviate it. And this policy is to be signed, no less than an MD or CEO so that, what is mentioned in the Policy is practiced & enough resources are provided to meet the Policy frame-work functional.

If the Corporate can not provide a Health or Occupational Theraphist in the site, they can very well co-ordinate with an approved HEALTH CENTER & the required facility can be extended. Forwhich, the expenses can be met by the Company. These periodical checks that they feel mandate, can be carried out without fail & records kept.

For Compensation to work at Night, the financial allowance is to be given as admissible in the Industry(If the money is mis-used, company can not be responsible but can be within a frame work to issue warning letter to prevent these occurrence). Or an agreement can be made with the Employee provided if he does not feel offended that his freedom is not curtailed.

Drinking can not be accepted as a Worksite policy. If found drunk, he can be penalised. Off-job drinking can not be intervened by the Company.

For Security, Surveilance camera can be used to monitore night activities of Employees. Occassional visit by Senior guys will help reduce any undesirable event.

For security of vehicle, remote tracking is to be followed. When the vehicle leaves & till it comes back, monitoring can be done with latest technique. If required fit video cam in all vehicle recording.

BPO is not the only industry where, woman are working in night. There are somany industry it employees.

A mere feel that there is an errosion of culture is not accepted. Because all culture always assimilate nuances & amalgamate it .

Also, there may be a bias on opinion obtained through interview. Because, they may feel a difference in standards of Occupational regulations in their Home country to the Ghost Country. Employee may capitalize it.

Thank you professor.

1. And why do you think the BPOs are acting like this?

2. And why are the employees not concerned?

3. Is the Government not having any regulations to control these BPOs?

4. Do the employees have any trade union to protect their interests?

5. Will these measures help?

6. Can it help if the employees are taught yoga and meditation?

7. What more you think needs to be done?

And dear members, please contribute your views to the above questions.  But please address to the point and do not get personal.

Dear Raju, Thank you for summarizing my way of teaching and presentation. One of the most important things BPO organizations have to realize is they are part of society and support of society is needed for them to attract talent. My own interviews with many of the human resources managers is highly myopic. They need faster results and they do not mind having continuously recruit people. When i am doing my research within a period of one year in one of the biggest BPO the entire employees (100%). The employees are not engaged. They are just recruited. One of the murder accused in Chennai obtained job in a reputed BPO is working on a false identity; I am not telling that all BPOs are like this. If one of the sector that is providing good employment potential for youngsters, the industry has to behave responsibly. This will be a classical case in the world if all BPOs join together and come to a consensus to have policies that are sustainable. No BPO has made an attempt to have doctors or occupational therapists. Survey after survey in the Data Quest indicates the sickness of employees. Since the State has very poor understanding of the industries and nature of employment and as usual being corrupt in not in a position to provide any solutions. The right solution is BPOs join together evolve a policy of dos and do'ts that will make the society better. Thanks for making me think. 

Dear Professor, not able to choose either side of the debate. Guess people join BPOs as an alternative to being unemployed. And BPOs offer all sorts of allowances and perks to retain the talent.

Agreed that there are issues with the kind of allowances and culture.  You have made your point, Professor. 

Now please propose a solution or give your suggestions.  I remember one of my professors in my college days who used to make outrageous statements to kick off the awarenesa and get the reactions.  And finally, he will also propose the right approach or give pointers towards the right solution.

And dear all other members, those who says 'No', please give suggestions to make it 'Yes'.  Any suggestion is welcome - even though they may seem silly.

i also think same as gargi

Indian culture is changed to emergence of software especially due to increase of BPO jobs.we depends in these profession also

Yes Gargi both the sides being negitive I think the at least the BPO's are providing a good number of employment to our youths.

Dear Prof. Krishnamoorthy,

Obviously, my contention is Health issue. I said let us share our skills to the people who demands it. But, when offering that demand, see that there is a compensation for the lose- be it mental or physical. If the package is acceptable & the employee is fully agree on it, only then he choose to offer the demand otherwise it is negative.

Now where is the problem?. The employee-community accepts the conditions & also, the compensation package. How does it affect you or the society? Amplifying a few odd occurrence can not prove the fact but only fulfill the discussion.

Any business is organized with an intension of making profit. Accordingly, its strategies are aligned with the available social set-up, resource available, Govt regulations prevalent there. To enhance it, corporate allow the pay & perks so that, its target is achieved. When employee found fit & happy to dwell on it, come forward to work. Or else, they are at liberty to go away. So totally, it is not targeted to spoil a community or section of people. It is the community to get out of constraints & to make use of it , for their betterment.

occupational health concerns are to be addressed with Occupational health regulations whereas, the safety & security of employee is to be seen through Safety regulations.

Society is to see whether to accept it or not. If not, these business can not survive. The survival of these business is a clear indication that, there is no major set-back in operations.

On the pretext of protesting of violation of social norms; health hazards; damage the cultural set up is all only a minor issue that can be appropriately overcome by adopting REQUIRED REGULATION.

MNC are no enemies. Technological expertise are mutually shared through out in the World. No country in the world stands ,absolutely, on their own leg. It is always a compromise among nations. Even in our Armed forces , you will find all the allowances I mentioned. It is not alien to us.

Thanks,Gargi.i am in full agreement with your argument.

Dear Prof. Krishnamoorthy,

You mean to say that "Dating Allowance" spoils the BPO employee. Are we not having a Cigarette allowance, Rum allowance, Family separation allowance.? Dating is called as Family separation allowance.

Big well established companies provide pay and perks as per their corporate standard. Say, an UK company operating in India, may be the salary structure & allowance different to the other National company. Similarly, when an Indian company go to Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sri Lanka their offer may be lucrative to the National companies existing there. It is meaningless to consider that material prosperity spoils the people.

Company gives the requisite working environment, the system to deliver the goods with adequate safeguards. Whats the problem a few defaulters who are unable to maintain their social / family life in a balanced way. How is the company is going to care about it? As per the regulation whatever is supposed to be offered to an employee will be taken care of. Other things to survive on the earth is not a company responsibility.

Due compensation is to be provided for any loss due to job performance. Be it physical or mental, as long as the company takes care of it . It IS OK.

You mean to say that there is a "Blood money" in compensation, people kill each other to go for that. Not acceptable by the system & the society.

Dear Sai, I am not finding fault with you. I am finding fault with the employers and the state that has not taken this issue at all. While all countries in the world has taken action. why not India?

Dear Prof. Krishnamoorthy,

I do agree that, a few odd incidents we hear, not only in TN but also else where. But, what I feel is that we do not exaggerate thing too far than from reality. Mean to say that, Risk level of acceptance. If the risk posed by various, unforeseen factors, are minimal, & is negligible / acceptable, then the business need not worry about. Whereas, the business perceives & the employee community is threated by the very act, then it is worth to be considered in depth. Mean to say that, a Cause -Effect analysis can be conducted & findings to reduce it , can also be implemented.

Hazard exists everywhere, irrespective of the industrial domain, what a business corporate needs to see is that, they need to devise a system so that these things are to be minimized. In developed countries, there are scores of regulations to protect employees working in the night, not only in ON-SHORE activity but also in OFF-SHORE activity. A similar steps are to be ensured to facilitate employee to carry out the task. A few odd occurrence, non-confirming to social norms, should not preclude the employee working or the the employer to foster the business.

Mitigating measure to alleviate hazards to be stronger so that, these kind of problems can be reduced. Altogether, neglecting it just, for the sake of loosing the social norms by few individual does not look promising. Whatsoever the system is strong, there is always a black-sheep, you also take this into consideration.

I ,personally, feel that there is nothing wrong in selling the skills that one possess. Thats the very basis, on which, the business starts either to utilize the skill one possess or multiply the resources through human beings. While doing so, it is mandatory that corporate needs to compensate the health hazards one is likely to face at work-place. Ills available at workplace need not pose a problem for employee & also the employer. Rule always says the proper corrective measures to be adopted on such conditions. By following the proper working standard, I do not think that one will loose anything there. Rather one will accrue money- the basis for livelyhood.

Thanks for referral Ms. Garhi.