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Article – Indian Express – May 2004

The IT Industry has undergone a tremendous transition in the last quarter of century. There have been three distinct waves; the first being the box wave, the second- the Networking wave-wherein the emphasis has been on getting connected and the third wave that we’re witnessing is the combination of Network Security and Convergence.

This transition in the industry has witnessed a sea change in the market being catered to. Earlier we were only talking of the India Customers, but with the advent of the Open Market Economy, though partial, the Clientele to be catered is from across the globe!

All this transition has thrown open lots of issues, which are of immense significance and have bearing in the context of Indian culture and ethos. This is the challenge not only for the HR Managers but also for the Business Leaders across the spectrum. In this article we’ll try and highlight a few of these issues being confronted currently in the IT industry.

Biological Imbalance:
A professional who was traditionally working from typically 9:00 am to 5:00 pm is now required to be flexible in his office hours, depending upon the support expected by the client, especially so for people working in the Call Centers. Lots of articles focussing on the dire consequences of working against the body clock and the affect it has on the biological clock have been appearing in various forums. The common complaints that we’ve come across in these youngsters are lumbar problem, Spondolytis, Pain in the forearm, wrists, shoulders, Insomnia, Sinusitis and gastritis.

Social Imbalance:
Majority of the people working for call centers is the ones who have just crossed 18! They give up their education lured by the quick buck and craze for the goodies they can show off with this money earned in real hard way. Hardly do they realize that double the monies earned will be spent on health related issues 2-3 years down the line!

Secondly, their career is in a jeopardy as they’ve stopped education after PUC and now they can neither go back to the college, neither come to terms with the fact that every month, they’ll be strapped for cash!

They do not have ‘”normal friends”, for the simple reason that while their friends enjoyed the college life he/she was trying to make up for the sleep!! This further aggravates the psychological trauma.

Cultural Imbalance:
As the customer to be catered is stationed somewhere in the US or some European Country, they demand that the person whom they call for support must be speaking English with their accent! So, we have the accent trainers teaching our youth how to twist their tongue and lips in order to get the accent correct, so that some foreign customers’ ego is satisfied. We take pride in being independent from the clutches of the British yoke; unfortunately their language is still our master, and with this emphasis on talking with their accent, we are foolishly creating amongst our youth a complex that if you speak with a particular accent, “you are in”! The same accent creeps in to their day to day communication too, thereby eroding their own peculiar way of speaking! Aren’t we breeding a generation, which is “Na Ghar ka na ghaat ka”?

Development, at what cost?
We are not trying to imply that we are against development or prosperity. Our only concern is, the development must be holistic… there must be balance between health and wealth. Our youth is the wealth of our Country and it is they, who will determine the health of the Nation in the years to come.

The development needs to be sustainable and rooted in the culture of the society that we are living in. There must not be scope for some backdoor invasion on the health of our youth and erosion of our traditions, language and culture. Let’s not be taken away by short term gains, but rather take measures to keep balance in our lifestyle.

It is under these broad concerns that one must look at career options. One must ask a question as to whether I’m looking for a job, or a career. Long term Career focus, with the guidance of Career Counselors or elderly in the family will help an aspiring young IT professional not to get caught in this vicious “early and quick bucks” trap.

Courtesy: Vruksham Talent Group