The Other side of IT

The authorities say that the computer industry has given our youth “pride and dignity.” Has it? These are individual traits and it is hard to make such a sweeping statement about thousands of people. However, one counter argument can blow away the authorities’ claims. A typical call centre job requires its employees to work graveyard hours when the rest of the world is sleeping. Any doctor or website can explain the problems that a person faces when his/her circadian rhythm is disrupted. Problems such as bipolar disorder, cardiovascular problems, and perhaps even cancer, are some of the possible side effects. Yet the call centre industry continues to extol the virtues of working in such jobs. What can be dignifying about a job which requires our youngsters to take on a false name and speak with a false accent? Isn’t our sense of identity our most important asset?

Secondly, there are various kinds of jobs in the computer industry. They include customer support, back office operations, product sustenance, research and product development. By and large, most jobs are concentrated in the first three areas. Product sustenance involves supporting products that are no longer the latest in their field. In fact, when I try to have a closer look at the much vaunted and hyped IT industry is doing, i am a little apprehensive. BPO, Call center, Maintenance, Documentation, low-end Sustenance, Customer support form the vast bulk of the business. There is very little innovation in technology. How many software products have come out of India ? What new technology have we created ? The Industry here has essentially created assembly line workers out of intelligent minds. There is no long-term technical career path and brilliant technical minds are clobbered into stagnation.

Several companies in the service sector, including some of the largest in the field, keep hundreds of their employees “on the bench,” sometimes for months, waiting for new projects. Is this an effective use of their talent? Is this enhancing their pride or dignity?

Having said that, I do not try to be judgmental. The situation is not same everywhere. The situation may even be better than I am talking about. There exists organization where you have a purpose to work but I am still trying to figure out the other side of IT.