HR and Communication Fiasco at TCS

I had made plans to go and watch Whiplash this evening, but the solidarity march in Paris ended my plans abruptly. While I was peacefully sitting at home my friend shared with me an article on NDTV about 30,000 employees being fired at TCS and an exit interview recording posted by a let-go employee online. In the next few minutes I traced the file on SoundCloud (http://m.soundcloud.com/fiteorg/tcsliesexposed01). Should the filed be named as HR & Communication Fiasco at TCS?

At the beginning of the New Year I received an image from my mother on Whatsapp; it was a story that had appeared in a weekly Tamil magazine (Ananda Vikatan) about 30,000 employees planned to be axed. When I looked at the image I was suspecting it could be IBM since there were recent articles in the newspapers about lay-of plans , but to see TCS in the Tamil weekly magazine was surprising.

Let's remind you that TCS is the largest employer in the Indian IT industry, they regularly met their market guidance, hold day zero slots in most campuses and are sought after by clients for their cost point and quality. As my friend says "they are the Walmart of the Indian IT industry". Why would an organization like TCS suddenly they let go of 30,000 employees was my first reaction. I'm sure this would also be the reaction of investors, clients and their own employees. I'm not privy to any of their employee communications to make an observation or pass a judgement. Currently on MMS mode (MounMohan Singh mode) and only 3 more days to their results, TCS must working on a canned statement to prevent further embarrassment in the market.

Was the lay-off an anticipation to slow down in the Europe or to keep the organization cost competitive and post healthy margins to investors? Setting aside my initial reactions and speculations, I started to play the audio clipping.

Pause, hear the audio file before you read further.

Unpreparedness: First few minutes into the audio, I could sense the process focus of the organization more than unpreparedness. The HR guy uttered words in a slow pace and for someone who was not present in the room it appeared as though he was reading from a script. He spoke more about the procedural formalities and processes as opposed to speaking the truth and placing the facts. But within in the next 3 minutes the reason he cited for the decision sounded unconvincing and exposed the unpreparedness of HR for such a massive exercise (culling 15% of their workforce). How can one use a common script to fire 30,000 employees? This is a big failure at the end of HR to go with canned statements and without case-by-case date. Why not have an automated machine have a conversation if the HR are asked to read from a script?

Wrongful termination: Soon the female employee confronted the HR guy with her past performance ratings, on site deputation and her maternity. With no facts in his hands the HR was wrapped on his pads in front of the wicket (no DRS needed). A senior HR colleague in the room immediately comes to his rescue and digs herself deeper by saying that the data on the employee is confidential and that she will not be able to disclose any details. Isn't this a wrongful termination of an employee? Shouldn't an employee have access to his/her own file? Are these reasons even valid in a court of law? While HR expect us to speak the truth and share the facts about our skills and qualifications they rarely share the facts when the employee is let-go.

Loss of employee and productivity: It is chilling to hear this audio as a coworker in the IT industry unprotected by labor laws and unions. Imagine what it would be to be working in TCS and not being on their current firing list. Does this audio improve employee morale and productivity? Imagine chickens in a pen that are being culled for bird flu; some uninflected birds may also culled as a precautionary measure, but imagine the fear and anxiety of the surviving birds. Many of them planning to join TCS may be thinking twice and those inside must be waiting for an opportunity to jump boats. Let's no forget that Infosys is still trying to build it lost brand image among investors and trust of its employee (iPhone6 was given to 30,000 top performers to build employee morale, arrest attrition and buy their trust).

In fact, I was commenting to my dear friend a few days ago that corporate India is now getting inspired by the political class and is giving away freebies to buy loyalty. HCL also gave its top performers Mercedes Benz and overseas vacation. 

The real Whiplash: TCS may be an organization that has process strengths, but to treat an employee like a chicken in a pen is not acceptable. As a communication specialist, I find this is a colossal failure of TCS's communication strategy. Corporate Communication whose role is to inform investors, employers, clients and prospects has failed in its duty.

A responsible organization should have 

- explained the rationale behind the exercise to its employees

- shared the news with its investors, general public and future investors or at least postponed the firing exercise if they were afraid stock price falling ahead of their results

- followed a logical process to terminate employees and be seen as a ethical employer and a organization with social responsibility

In marketing and communication we say that the word of mouth is the most powerful marketing and more so in the digital era. Look at the number of blogs and digital pages set up by such wrongfully terminated employees on the internet, read their trolls on the social media platform. How will TCS explain failure of their talent recruitment and skill redressal strategy? Why should a prospective client or investor look at TCS given the treatment meted out to their long-term employees? Why should an existing client renew their contract with TCS? Why is TCS not another sweat shop? There is more for TCS to explain given their communication fiasco at the beginning of the year. 

Every wrongful termination, every minute of silence continues to erode their trust (prospects, clients, investors and future employees) killing their brand value of TCS. It is going to be an uphill task for TCS to rebuild their trust internally and externally. 

My heart goes out to all those terminated and soon to-be terminated employees of TCS and their families. Sadly, we've all learnt that loyalty is one way traffic and employer loyalty is an abstract concept. I hope you will remember your lessons and be able to find a next job soon and hope your EMIs will not take you down. Best wishes!

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— 
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— 
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

MARTIN NIEMÖLLER

On the Journey Back...

I would like to come back to India and attract people back to our villages. UN survey predicts that we will reach the tipping point in 2020 where rural to urban migration will be skewed- 51% of our people will live in urban areas and 49% in rural. Will we be able to feed 1.5 billion mouths then? I would want people to start producing for their own needs and this is one way of keeping their needs to a minimum and stay self sufficient. While attracting food producers we will also attract people from other vocations to keep atmosphere healthy and intellectually charged: doctors, teachers, artists, etc. my objective is to move people away from currency in the age of bit coin. Is this possible? 

Man started his journey as a food gatherer before he learnt the art of producing food. During the industrial era man moved into food processing and packaging them for longer shelf life and possibly export. From food production as an activity for self consumption, we've slowly turned it into an activity for mass production setting our eyes set on profits. Mass production has created efficiency and economies of scale, but unknowingly other demons come along with it. 

An activity that began as a need has now become an activity for greed. What began as organic farming soon turned into fertilizer based farming and now corporations like Monsanto are feeding on their greed by asking people use the genetically modified seeds and pest resistance seeds for high yielding crops.

Today biologist are revolting against tampering with the ecological pyramid with genetically modified crops and doctors have been raising alarm about the use of fertilizers on plants and antibiotics on animals that cause irreversible damage humans and the ecosystem. 

Agriculture was the earliest industry that was started by humans and other industrial set-ups and software parks that include assembly line, design, r&d, production control, etc was born from it. Human greed to produce more and consume more gave birth to the Zamindari system that held agriculture workers like salves and kept them deliberately poor to ensure their sustenance. Call it remnants or inspiration, we can see reflections of Zamindari system in sweatshops across China, Vietnam, Bangladesh or software parks across Bangalore, Gurgoan or Chennai. 

Cost of borrowed capital is causing stress to both industries and its workers. In the last decade, we witnessed a million farmer suicides in India and we've read stories about software engineers caught in EMI traps and on the other hand we are hearing about shortage of farm labor and ever increasing demand for agriculture produce. One can find reports on our living conditions in medical journals that show early onset of diabetes, cardiac and mental health issues due to extreme stress. What have we turned ourselves into? 

Late last year, I took a step back to look at where the real opportunity lies: is it on the supply side or is it in the demand side? I didn't look at it from a capitalistic point of view but more from a spiritualistic point of view: do I want to be a humble producer or a greedy consumer? With "Make in India" gaining momentum at seminars and industrial gatherings; I felt there is a need for youth to return back to villages and explore the opportunity for self production, consumption and sustenance. Yes, Gandhian way of life. 

To those who are comfortably living in big air-conditioned homes, self-absorbed in their world of luxury and comfort this may sound unacceptable, but for those who would like to experience the joy of being produce your own crops with your own hands, live a simple life without being afraid of power cuts and finding happiness in a small palm leaf hand fan: seize the opportunity and return back to where you came from a few hundred years ago. There is no currency in the community and we go back to the days of barter system where we exchange produce or time satisfying each other's needs. Once money is taken out of the equation life becomes simpler. Doesn't it? Live, enjoy and discover! 

K. Balachandar:A legend and his epics

I started writing this blog 3 weeks ago and I had no idea Director K. Balachandar (KB) was unwell. When I shared the outline of the blog with a few friends I had a strange feeling that I may complete this blog only after his death. I'm not a clairvoyant, but I was sure I needed time to watch some more of his movies and do some research to write about this legend and genius. A week after his death so many eulogies have been published in newspapers and magazines; I only read a few of them, but didn't alter my initial outline.  

Speaking about outline, where does one start to draw an outline for KB? Should one begin looking at him as a director capable of identifying talents and turning them into stars, a storyteller with a strong social message, a script writer who held a big mirror at the society, and an activist who made women characters emancipate themselves in a society plagued by inequality, social evils and male chauvinism? 

Father of a dozen Kannagis

As a script writer KB is very different from Vyasa and Valmiki. Both Vyasa and Valmiki (script writers of Mahabaratha and Ramayana) narrated injustice done to women who had no power to liberate themselves, whereas KB gave birth to a dozen Kannagais who had the power fight social evils, create a new life and also remain a beacon of hope to many others. A bold Krishna in Kayiyath Thalaivi (starring Sowkar Janaki), a pragmatic Anu in Avargal (starring Sujatha), a Brahmin prostitute Lalitha in Arengetram (starring Prameela), a responsible breadwinner Kavitha in Aval oru thodarkathi (starring Sujatha) and Nandini in Manadhil Urudhi Vendum (starring Suhasini); the list goes on. 

Holding the mirror 

Women issues aside, he portrayed economic evils such as poverty, frugality and unemployment in Varumayin Niram Sivappu  and Bama Vijayam; highlighted political issues in Thaneer Thaneer and Acchamillai Acchamillai. With rape taking over the headlines of our newspapers today, he raised alarms about the evil in Noolveli and Manmadha Leelai; bravely showcased other side of love and complex relationships in Aboorva ragangal, Moondru Mudicchu, and Sollathan Ninaikiren; and also the evils of bigamy in Irukodugal and 47 Naatkal. 

Message on all formats 

When we missed him on the large screen KB made a comeback on the small screen with Rayil Sneham, Kai alavu manasu, Kadhal pagadai, Anni, Jannal, etc. If his movies were made to highlight social evils, including nepotism, bureaucracy, and male chauvinism, his TV serials dealt with human relationships, institution of marriage and family. He also intelligently constructed characters and injected mannerism into them that not only remained as prefixes for actors (Fadafat Jayalakshmi), but also an identity for life: Sindhu Bairavi for Suhasini, Kalyana Agathigal for Y. Vijaya, Angi Saatchi for Saritha, Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal for Geetha, Renuka for Kadhal Pagadai etc.) who remain inspiration to woman. 

Spotting and turning talents into stars

KB had a knack of identifying young talents and getting the best out of them and in return offering them a great future. Sadly the film industry only talks about Kamal and Rajinikanth, when it comes to KB, who stand like twin towers in the industry expressing their gratitude on every occasion. How can one forget actors introduced by KB? From Sowcar Janaki, Sri Vidya, Sujatha, Jayasudha, Prameela, KR Vijaya, Saritha, Geetha,  Jayapradha, to an army of male actors Nagesh, Chiranjeevi, Vivek, Prakash Raj, Ramesh Aravind, etc. Let us not forget that he also introduced a long list of television actors: Renuka, Venu Aravind, Krishnan, Deepa, Preetha Raghav, Deepika, etc. who've established a place for themselves in the industry. 

Made forever

Let us understand that Valmiki and Vyasa are not real scriptwriters of Ramayana and Mahabratha, whereas KB as a original scriptwriter sculpted his characters with precision and building a strong social messaging and may be this is why I feel his movies more relevant than the two epics. 

We live in an age where movie making is more of an economic activity than art. Unlike directors of today, who put together scripts for actors or sometimes rope in star cast to make movies sizzle in box office, KB responsibly portrayed issues relevant to women and larger society despite not always winning a jackpot in the box office. We will miss the creative genius, but his epics will live remain forever and continue to inspire women, directors, actors and larger society.