IT employees and the society​

I am a witness to the silent suffering that many IT employees choose to undergo as against raising their voice and lodging formal complains using the available avenues. Yes, there are a few who make it a point to get what they deserve, with salutations to them I am writing this.

I am also a witness to no dharna, no protest and no expression of disgust by the IT employees to urge the local govts to take immediate actions. The best example is the ROB near hightech city rly station in Hyderabad. This work started in 2006 and completed in 2013. Another recent example is the pipeline laying work started on Road no. 1 in KPHB. The road was dug in late 2013 and still it is to be made good.

When it comes to Bangalore the scenario is worst. Ananthanagar phase II near Electronic City is a classic proof of our civic sense. The Govt Babus have given approvals to build apartments with no space in between. This resulted in creating night mode flats as there would be no natural light. The roads are the worst. This is a locality where many IT employees live due proximity to their work places, affordable rents or prices to buy flats. There are residential areas where mobile signals do not reach inside the flats.... This is too much of a civic sense!!

Suffer silently and look for some one to do the shouting for you and philosophise that it is your Karma Phala that you are experiencing are broadly the defence mechanism of the self. Or intellectualize using american accent or speaking in a manner that is not legible nor logical seems to be the case among many. These are the most observable behaviour patterns among many IT employees. I am not writing this to belittle the youth but to surface the naked facts of their social response.

Many do not wish to get into an argument even. May be the nature of their work and the kind of life style they are used to makes them become like this. They see development only in Malls multiplexes and posh localities. 5 day work week, one day rest and one day fun in malls and cinemas and drive to places where they can enjoy, play etc. This is the picture one can paint of the psyche of our new generation employees - the knowledge workers.

We seem to be missing a generation which is fast becoming impersonal and with a tendency to be non-responsive to ecosystem they live in and the Nation at large. Thankfully their percentage of the population is not so significant but the families they belong to put together makes it very significant and when the generations they produce are added to this number, it becomes really significant. The companies they work for are all MNCs or Indian MNCs which only bother about their assets, PAT and their growth..

Another significant aspect of our IT Employees is the fact that many of their jobs are transferable and they may not vote even. The corporate social responsibility of their companies only make them feel socially responsible than they themselves feeling for it.

Then what is the solution for this?

Simple, if we do not do our jobs our kids will not value us. What we have done with whatever resources, avenues and opportunities we have is the most important factor that determines our responsibility and civic sense. Being a citizen of this country and paying tax sincerely we need to do our bit in making our social systems more effective and humane. We need to help make our Nation a great place to live. Here are some of the actions that the IT Employees can indulge in:

Using social networks to air views, share problems and expose inefficiency.

Writing articles and publishing them in media and social networks

Lodging complaints

Writing to govt / municipal officers

Writing to Ministers and writing on their face book pages etc.,

Attending local meetings

Not missing voting etc.,

The above list is just an indicative and where there is a will there will always be many ways to make our presence felt, voice heard and to get what we deserve at a basic level like good roads, green environs, less pollution, good response time from civic body to address problems. If this article impresses at least one among the IT Employees, it has served its purpose.

IT Employees can impact govts at state and central level. They have got so much potential to influence, resources to tap, avenues to use and opportunities to explore. They are in deed sleeping lions their knowledgeable roar can make the world stand up and listen to. With best wishes to them.

​By ​Dr. IVNS Raju