As I see IT -2
It’s been such a long while since I posted that I had almost forgot about this space!! There were many incomplete posts in draft status and while checking on something else, stumbled on them. So… here we go again.
I’ve been all of admiration and astonishment about IT industry for, basically, this is the only industry my career has been associated with all throughout and secondly, the rapidness with which it changes. Probably the one industry that boasts of so many process changes and revisions and upgrades which it recommends for every other domain and yet, is woefully short when it comes to its own self. We have service providers who delivers the world for decent compensation, for their clientele having lot less employees than their own, but when it comes to in house projects, tighten their purse strings. Some of the biggest service providers, themselves have employee headcount over min.150K. One look at their internal service setup would make you wonder how much do they really grasp the enormity of the task on hand. For ex. Take the case especially of the PF, Pension and other finance related admin services in any of the top 5 firms in India. I am more than sure, each of those departments would be grossly understaffed and carrying backlogs of several months, if not years of ageing tickets. Personally, I’ve gone through hell in almost every single company where I’ve worked, when it comes to dealing with these departments and in some cases the knowledge level of those involved itself being questionable. More than personal grudge or vent, this area is something that is neglected and skeletal support is what is provided on best of days.
When companies take stock of employee welfare, admin services are the least bothered and worried about area and for obvious reasons as well. These are never revenue generating and are cost functions that require optimization. As much as we train and focus our employees, who are the revenue generators, into learning and updating their skills about other country payrolls, finances, its highly imperative for people to understand their own salary. How many IT employees bother to even view their pay slip, unless its required as a document by banks or any other institution. How many times in a year, they even access their pay slip? Understanding one’s pay slip is probably the first step towards reigning in your expenses I believe. Or as the name proverbially says it would rather be pay “slip”.
During my formative years, one phase that use to scare the hell out of me was bench period or in between project time periods. Typically, one is expected to sharpen their axe, upskill/cross kill themselves, invest that time for improvement and you can fill in the rest of the management catch phrases accordingly. But in simpler terms, it used to scare me like anything. First and foremost, when will I get my next project? where it would be? Will they ask me to transfer? If I reject will I be laid off? And on a somewhat positive note, what should I study? Something that would help me grow in my career or fine me my next project soon? Somehow the people higher up tend to forget that the majority lot of people whom they’ve inducted have all been procrastinators till few months earlier, pushing their studies till the last moment or the day before exams and if the expectation that one offer letter will shook them off into becoming more responsible.. well, we all have our own versions of fool’s gold. Will ponder a bit more on this bench window and how it shapes or doesn’t someone’s career in the subsequent posts.
I’ve been all of admiration and astonishment about IT industry for, basically, this is the only industry my career has been associated with all throughout and secondly, the rapidness with which it changes. Probably the one industry that boasts of so many process changes and revisions and upgrades which it recommends for every other domain and yet, is woefully short when it comes to its own self. We have service providers who delivers the world for decent compensation, for their clientele having lot less employees than their own, but when it comes to in house projects, tighten their purse strings. Some of the biggest service providers, themselves have employee headcount over min.150K. One look at their internal service setup would make you wonder how much do they really grasp the enormity of the task on hand. For ex. Take the case especially of the PF, Pension and other finance related admin services in any of the top 5 firms in India. I am more than sure, each of those departments would be grossly understaffed and carrying backlogs of several months, if not years of ageing tickets. Personally, I’ve gone through hell in almost every single company where I’ve worked, when it comes to dealing with these departments and in some cases the knowledge level of those involved itself being questionable. More than personal grudge or vent, this area is something that is neglected and skeletal support is what is provided on best of days.
When companies take stock of employee welfare, admin services are the least bothered and worried about area and for obvious reasons as well. These are never revenue generating and are cost functions that require optimization. As much as we train and focus our employees, who are the revenue generators, into learning and updating their skills about other country payrolls, finances, its highly imperative for people to understand their own salary. How many IT employees bother to even view their pay slip, unless its required as a document by banks or any other institution. How many times in a year, they even access their pay slip? Understanding one’s pay slip is probably the first step towards reigning in your expenses I believe. Or as the name proverbially says it would rather be pay “slip”.
During my formative years, one phase that use to scare the hell out of me was bench period or in between project time periods. Typically, one is expected to sharpen their axe, upskill/cross kill themselves, invest that time for improvement and you can fill in the rest of the management catch phrases accordingly. But in simpler terms, it used to scare me like anything. First and foremost, when will I get my next project? where it would be? Will they ask me to transfer? If I reject will I be laid off? And on a somewhat positive note, what should I study? Something that would help me grow in my career or fine me my next project soon? Somehow the people higher up tend to forget that the majority lot of people whom they’ve inducted have all been procrastinators till few months earlier, pushing their studies till the last moment or the day before exams and if the expectation that one offer letter will shook them off into becoming more responsible.. well, we all have our own versions of fool’s gold. Will ponder a bit more on this bench window and how it shapes or doesn’t someone’s career in the subsequent posts.
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