Our home grown IT company, Infosys Technologies Ltd., which is the most active IT and BPO company on Twitter and Youtube, is no alien to using social media to its advantage. But recently, social media has become a bane for them. Its own employees have been venting their frustration and anger on social media.
How it started was that earlier this year, Infosys had introduced a new HR initiative called iRACE (Infosys Role and Career Enhancement) as a means to optimize its human resources in the times of recession. The company defined it as a novel way to measure performance linking it to growth of the company, showcasing roles, proficiencies and discrepancies. The employees however had a different view. iRace has been responsible in some employees getting a cut in their paycheck and also imposing strict rules on promotion and perks.
This led to employees voicing their opinion on social networking websites and also blaming some Infosys personnel. Also, some of the employees started posting information about the projects that they were working on. Sensitive company information was leaked, sometimes unknowingly.
In response to this, Infosys is planning to introduce a new social media policy that will allow it to take legal action against such employees leaking confidential company information on Facebook, Twitter and Orkut. This will make Infosys the first Indian company to come out with such a policy, which is expected to be implemented next month. Breaching this policy would lead to warning and in worse cases, termination from service. The company is looking at social media as a fast way to communicate with its employees. A recent example would be to communicate effectively the news about the bandh.
Social media and company employees have a long history. It has been shown that employees discuss their jobs and also waste time on social media. This is detrimental to the interests of the company and has resulted in corporate world banning social networking sites. Just ask Kimberely Swann who was fired for referring to her work as “boring” on Facebook. Now, Infosys employees will think twice before posting anything work related on their Facebook Wall. What do you think of this development?
They started to block “last day ” “quitting infy mails” in public forum in the infy network , so they went to social networks and blogs. By placing too many restrictions they are just doing much more damage.
Instead of blocking communication and forums to vent frustration , they can concentrate on listening genuine ones and clarify them .
If you dont listen to your child’s issues and problem and work on it, they are going to complain to every classmate or teacher or anyone he or she comes in contact with. Beating them up or making them shut their mouth everytime they open their mouth is going to attack and affect their morale and going to just work against you.Already you had moved away from employee-friendly , non-hierarchial organisation to most-hated, indian-government like organisation and left “quitting” as the only option. HR dept had become against employees and started to work like mouthpiece for middle management’s dictatorship.
Work on your HEAR and other forums and make it efficient .
You are running a service company unless your employees are happy your clients are not going to be and if no clients – NOTHING.
Check these blogs
http://www.adityanaik.com/infosys-powered-by-intellect-driven-by-what/
http://proudprasad.blogspot.com/2010/07/dog-eat-dog-or-survival-of-fittest-my.html
If the Management fails to understand the employees concern for the organisation, then the employees are likely to come open on social networking site to attract the attention of the management and media. Its employee’s democratic citizens right of freedom of expression. Its up to the management to address those delicate issues at the initial levels by forming a core committee to handle such issues internall. If not addressed on time than the frustration level among employees will increase and it will harm the organisation and that is why there is a high attrition rate in infosys, as most sincere, knowledgeable, loyal and hardworking employees are saying ADIOS. This is not only in Software companies, but also in Banks like Axis Bank, and it happens when HRMS policy fails to push the right talent at right position.
Sanjay Prabhu
sanjaymprabhu@gmail.com
Ex Employee & Share Holder of Axis Bank