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Work hard, party harder
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Here is the new mantra for success in the corporate sector, says S. SHIVAKUMAR
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Work is a party: Fun is part of work for these employees of NIIT — Pic. by R. Ragu.
Everyone is talking about how IT professionals are having a party. It really is a good time to be working for some of the big names in the industry. Here's why. There are not many brick and mortar companies that give you a dating allowance, a chauffeur driven car and all expenses to celebrate wedding anniversaries, a compulsory holiday on birthdays and huge surprise bonanzas.
Of course, it is an open secret that IT companies cannot really afford to have grumpy staff because they will quickly migrate. The companies are therefore forced to rework strategies and office culture to retain employees. The result is a refreshing atmosphere at the workplace and goodbye to stifling hierarchy. There is fun even during office hours if there is no work, though work-free days may be the exception.
Chennai may still retain its traditional flavour in many ways, but it is a city with a truly international feel now as the IT machine expands. The recipe of life is no longer just fun only on weekends. The metro now ticks to a 24x7 beat as IT professionals are at work through the week for a global clientele. As the famous line goes, the city never sleeps. But this means that your Sunday is probably the busiest, answering queries across time zones, says Kalpana Bellarmine, executive, Hexaware.
"It is 365 days of fun for us," says L. Balasubramanian, president, K12 Business, NIIT. "There is emphasis on fun in the work environment. We want our employees to be razor sharp with highly competitive players in the market."
There are unorthodox ways to sharpen your senses. Young computer professionals took off on a treasure hunt on the city roads recently. Switching off their computers, these professionals were scouting for landmarks in the city, based on photographs. This event was followed up with more games and, of course, a party. That is all in a day's work at Hexaware.
"It is no longer a contractual relationship. We work towards creating a strong sense of bonding between the organisation and the employee. We also provide a lot of individual freedom," says David E. Nallathambi associate vice president (HR), Hexaware.
From the employer's perspective, this can lead to greater staff retention and markedly increased levels of productivity.
From the employees' perspective, it boosts their sense of progress and effectiveness.
Stretching out at office
Switching to tracksuits from formals during office hours is nothing unusual in many offices. "We understand the importance of fitness and employees are encouraged to work out during their free time. There are also exclusive timings for women to encourage more participation. Rushing to office, working out in the gym, a quick shower and getting to work before the computer screen are common," says Anandhapriya, senior executive, Sify.
Young IT professionals fresh out of college want the feel good factor apart from a good compensation. Providing them with healthy food and facilities to work out at the gym are now part of work culture. "Working hours have changed. You are accountable for what you have to deliver," adds David Nallathambi.
Staff retention is based on a lot of factors and fun at work too. There is a sense of bonding between the employee and the organiser, says Sridhar of GAVS Information Technology.
Some of that bonding develops from the surprise gifts that come their way on birthdays and wedding anniversaries
"Importance is also given to families. We offer a `dating allowance' for every wedding anniversary," says Balasubramanian. One-day field trips, adventure sports and innovative games are organised by professionals to meet the challenges of the techy generation.
"It's not just dance and food, it's a real party during employee get-togethers. The games are tailored to suit the tastes of all employees and their children," says Anandhapriya
There is a cross functional team that focusses on building fun at the work place. The emphasis is on improving the employee experience in the organisation, says Sridhar.
Human capital-key resource
It would seem Chennai's HR managers have embraced the lessons delivered by management researcher Frederick Herzberg, 40 years ago.
In a memorable Harvard Business Review article in 1968, "One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees", Herzberg contended that satisfaction and dissatisfaction at work were not opposites, but resulted from completely different factors. Herzberg had a famous description for it "If you want people motivated to do a good job, give them a good job to do."
Acknowledging the wisdom of that thought, M. Ramakrishnan, general manager, HR, Loyal Textiles Mills, says in the modern economy, human capital is the key resource for organisations. Studies have established a direct link between performance and job satisfaction. Employees perform their best when they can manage family commitments amidst their work commitments, he adds.
"Sify believes in building a strong associate-organisation relationship so that the employees are engaged with the company and identify with it at all times," says David Appasamy, Chief of Communications of Sify.
"We work towards enhancing employee experience in all spheres so that we develop and sustain a long term relationship," adds David Nallathambi.
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Shopping with tax free coupons
Going shopping? Forget the purse, get the coupons. After credit cards, it is meal and gift vouchers that have changed the shopping behaviour of many professionals.
The increase in the tax exemption on meal vouchers from Rs.35 to Rs.50 per meal had sparked a boom in 2001. Most IT companies now offer either Sodexho or Accor services (Ticket restaurant) meal vouchers as a component of the salary as a tax-free benefit.
Employees can use these coupons for food and beverages. It is common to find customers having a great shopping experience with these vouchers at prominent outlets in the city.
Gift vouchers are also part of the deal and these are usually handed over to employees on special occasions. The happy news is that this allowance could be increased.
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