Last week, Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS) made headlines with its nine-hour work day rule for all its India-based employees.
The move was part of some tactical alterations being brought about within the organisation, to reduce utilisation in India by a point or two. However, now the Union of IT & ITES Employees (UNITE), a Chennai-based body representing IT employees has raised its voice against the same.
The first grouse UNITE has is that the decision was taken without consulting the employees or taking their opinion. This increase in daily hours will translate into more revenue for the Company, which the employees will not get to share in.
In addition, increased work hours will affect the health of the employees and adversely affect their mental and physical wellbeing.
The employees in the IT sector are rarely able to utilise their leaves fully owing to tight project deadlines and schedules. So, although CTS does say that the paid leaves will be increased to 36 per year, there is very little likelihood of the additional working hours being made up for with extra paid leaves.
Employees in the IT sector across the country are already overburdened with work under the work-from-home approach. With hardly any boundaries between personal and professional life, employees have been struggling to balance their domestic and official work. Those with children to handle are barely able to keep their sanity. At a time when organisations are looking at bringing back employees to office, the general opinion is that work hours should be reduced and not increased.
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