Tech Bitch!

See if this makes your stomach turn! It did mine!

A new KPO (knowledge process outsourcing, if you didn't already know) is being staffed. The job is writing content for a US-based website. Initially all writers are treated equal, since the company is only getting the feeling of the work, playing around, seeing who can lead and who can be led. They all lead perfectly normal lives like college sudents, ribbing each other, joking, and seemingly equal.

A few weeks later the leader of the team is announced. Let's say Mr. X. All girls in the team switch allegiance immediately, as one, to Mr. X. The other senior member Mr. Y, a serious contender for the post is stumped. He doesn't know what hit him.

Mr. X how do you like my new hair style?

Mr. X how are you this morning?

Mr. X what sort of music/movies/books do you like?

Mr. X how is your wife's cold? ad nauseum.

When Mr. X brings his son to the office, he is pampered, mollycoddled, stuffed with eats and drinks and warm hugs from the girls, as if their survival depended on it.

Mr. Y is ignored, ridiculed, side-lined, ribbed, cast on a lonely island, but carries on. He has every reason to feel that he has been short changed. In the end he leaves.

******

The BPO office party is on. The game is "dumb charade" and the staff is divided into two groups. Let's say group A and B. As the division is under progress supervisors in Group A which has no managers in their ranks are seen surreptitiously crossing over to Group B, which has the CEO leading them.

As the game progresses, there is an altercation about the rules, as the CEO is seen to be cheating. A member of group A, let's say Mr. O, a natural leader protests. Due note is taken of the protest.

The game is over, the party disperses after the food is eaten and drinks, well, drunk. A few days later Mr. O gets a call from the human resource manager. Need to meet, he says. Mr. O goes to the meeting fearing the worst. Yes, they want him out. Reason given? Performance has been bad.

All these and more are live examples from India's hot new technology companies.