Leading the ambitious Unique Identification Database project, Nandan Nilekani, former Infosys co-chairman, is keen to take the "best people" from the government and outside in his core team.
Nilekani said that in his book, 'Imagining India', he had devoted a chapter on using technology to transform the country and was happy that he could come close to implementing it in reality with this project. "I am happy that the Prime Minister has reposed trust in me," he told PTI.
On the flexibility of drawing resources to build his core team, he said, "It is a national effort. I would look for the best people. It could be from the government, from outside".
Asked whether his former colleagues would form part of the team, he said it was too early to say. "I want the best talent," he added.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
IT market, Recession
Recovery to begin soon: Google
A US recovery is likely to begin this autumn, the worst of the crisis has passed and it is "reasonable to be optimistic for 2010," internet search giant Google's chief executive Eric Schmidt has said.
Speaking at the Cannes Lions advertising festival in southern France, Schmidt said US jobless claims indicated "the beginning of the bottom." "The rate of jobless claims is decreasing although the absolute number is increasing," he explained.
Schmidt said he did not want to comment on a report that Google had set up a team of engineers to study the technical specifications of Bing, the search engine launched recently by Google rival Microsoft, as he had not seen it.
But he added: "Bing is a competitor. We have absolutely looked at Bing; we have actually studied what they do as Microsoft studied what Google does."
Microsoft's Bing search engine has been winning US market share from its rivals but is still trailing Google and Yahoo Inc. Bing will be launched in the UK in the autumn and a test version is already available in Europe.
Speaking at the Cannes Lions advertising festival in southern France, Schmidt said US jobless claims indicated "the beginning of the bottom." "The rate of jobless claims is decreasing although the absolute number is increasing," he explained.
Schmidt said he did not want to comment on a report that Google had set up a team of engineers to study the technical specifications of Bing, the search engine launched recently by Google rival Microsoft, as he had not seen it.
But he added: "Bing is a competitor. We have absolutely looked at Bing; we have actually studied what they do as Microsoft studied what Google does."
Microsoft's Bing search engine has been winning US market share from its rivals but is still trailing Google and Yahoo Inc. Bing will be launched in the UK in the autumn and a test version is already available in Europe.
Cost cutting
Air India agrees to pay salaries to some employees on July 3
The standoff between Air India and its employee unions over delayed salaries is now over. The airlines would pay salaries of nearly 24,000 of its 32,000 employees on July 3. Air India had earlier said that the salaries of employees would be paid on July 15.
Thousands Air India employees, had staged a sit-in on Friday at their respective stations across the nation to protest against the airline management's decision to defer payment of their salaries by a fortnight. Hundreds of AI employees, associated with the three unions—ACEU, Aviation Industry Employees Guild (AIEG) and Indian Aircraft Technician's Association (IATA)—protested near the office of the airline's Executive Director's (Northern Region) at the IGI airport in New Delhi.
About 24,000 AI employees, associated with the three unions, had earlier decided to wear black badges from June 22 to 25 as mark of protest. They had said if the management fails to issue their salaries on June 30, they would boycott their duties under the "no pay no work" policy, which is likely to affect the operations of the national carrier.
On Thursday, during their meeting with Air India Chairman-cum-Managing Director Arvind Jadhav, the unions had refused any renegotiation of wage agreement with the management after it proposed a wage cut to employees to tide over the financial crunch faced by the airlines.
The unions also demanded a re-look by the management into the company's new aircraft acquisition policy as it has substantially contributed to the air carrier's present financial difficulties.
Thousands Air India employees, had staged a sit-in on Friday at their respective stations across the nation to protest against the airline management's decision to defer payment of their salaries by a fortnight. Hundreds of AI employees, associated with the three unions—ACEU, Aviation Industry Employees Guild (AIEG) and Indian Aircraft Technician's Association (IATA)—protested near the office of the airline's Executive Director's (Northern Region) at the IGI airport in New Delhi.
About 24,000 AI employees, associated with the three unions, had earlier decided to wear black badges from June 22 to 25 as mark of protest. They had said if the management fails to issue their salaries on June 30, they would boycott their duties under the "no pay no work" policy, which is likely to affect the operations of the national carrier.
On Thursday, during their meeting with Air India Chairman-cum-Managing Director Arvind Jadhav, the unions had refused any renegotiation of wage agreement with the management after it proposed a wage cut to employees to tide over the financial crunch faced by the airlines.
The unions also demanded a re-look by the management into the company's new aircraft acquisition policy as it has substantially contributed to the air carrier's present financial difficulties.
Layoffs in USA
Avatech Solutions lays off 41
Avatech Solutions Inc. cut another 41 people from its work force Friday. The layoffs follow a 10 percent reduction in employees in April, when Avatech had about 200 workers. Now it has 146, the company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Cost cutting, Wipro
Wipro to slash variable pay by half
Employees who are on the bench for at least 60 days in a quarter to be affected.
To cut costs further, Wipro Technologies, India’s third largest information technology services provider, is understood to have effected a 50 per cent cut in the variable pay of a certain band of employees who are not billable (on the bench) for at least 60 days in a quarter.
Last year, the company had cut the variable pay of employees who were not billable for at least 75 days in a quarter. The new policy was made effective from the first quarter of fiscal year 2010.
The variable pay policy in Wipro, which is known as the Quarterly Performance Linked Compensation (QPLC), is decided every year and given to the employees on a quarterly basis. Wipro decides the QPLC of employees based on their level and seniority in the organisation. The company has decided to give variable pay to a certain band of employees (e.g. project managers) only when their respective business units achieve 80 per cent of the business targets set for the quarter.
Company sources say variable components comprise around 10 per cent of most Wipro employees’ total cost to the company (CTC). So, the overall compensation of the employees who are not billable for at least 60 days in a quarter will be impacted by around 5 per cent.
Wipro’s HR Head Pratik Kumar said, “We revisit our variable plan every year. This year, fundamentally we have not changed anything.” He added that “it (the 60-day number) is too specific a number to comment on.” He, however, added that the individual billability-linked system has been there in the company for the past two-three years. “This is not something we have introduced recently.”
Wipro had 97,810 employees as of March 31, which includes 74,986 working with the company’s IT services business. Of these, close to 8,000 are on the bench. However, not all will be affected, since in the case of a certain level of employees — who are primarily into sales and support roles — the QPLC has been linked to the performance of the overall (IT) business of the company. For employees belonging to certain other bands, it has been linked to the profitability of their respective business units, as well as the company’s overall business performance.
The QPLC of the third category, which comprises primarily software engineers and constitutes the largest chunk of the overall employees, is linked to an individual’s billability factor and the performance of the company. The individual billability factor and the performance of the company is being given equal weightage while deciding a variable pay of the employees in a particular quarter, for this third category of employees.
Courtesy: BusinessStandard
To cut costs further, Wipro Technologies, India’s third largest information technology services provider, is understood to have effected a 50 per cent cut in the variable pay of a certain band of employees who are not billable (on the bench) for at least 60 days in a quarter.
Last year, the company had cut the variable pay of employees who were not billable for at least 75 days in a quarter. The new policy was made effective from the first quarter of fiscal year 2010.
The variable pay policy in Wipro, which is known as the Quarterly Performance Linked Compensation (QPLC), is decided every year and given to the employees on a quarterly basis. Wipro decides the QPLC of employees based on their level and seniority in the organisation. The company has decided to give variable pay to a certain band of employees (e.g. project managers) only when their respective business units achieve 80 per cent of the business targets set for the quarter.
Company sources say variable components comprise around 10 per cent of most Wipro employees’ total cost to the company (CTC). So, the overall compensation of the employees who are not billable for at least 60 days in a quarter will be impacted by around 5 per cent.
Wipro’s HR Head Pratik Kumar said, “We revisit our variable plan every year. This year, fundamentally we have not changed anything.” He added that “it (the 60-day number) is too specific a number to comment on.” He, however, added that the individual billability-linked system has been there in the company for the past two-three years. “This is not something we have introduced recently.”
Wipro had 97,810 employees as of March 31, which includes 74,986 working with the company’s IT services business. Of these, close to 8,000 are on the bench. However, not all will be affected, since in the case of a certain level of employees — who are primarily into sales and support roles — the QPLC has been linked to the performance of the overall (IT) business of the company. For employees belonging to certain other bands, it has been linked to the profitability of their respective business units, as well as the company’s overall business performance.
The QPLC of the third category, which comprises primarily software engineers and constitutes the largest chunk of the overall employees, is linked to an individual’s billability factor and the performance of the company. The individual billability factor and the performance of the company is being given equal weightage while deciding a variable pay of the employees in a particular quarter, for this third category of employees.
Courtesy: BusinessStandard
IT market, Layoffs in India, Recession
Pink slip fear drives Bangalore techies to docs
Source: EconomicTimes
IT professionals in this tech hub are battling the global downturn with the help of doctors. Living under the constant fear of losing their jobs or trauma of seeing their colleagues getting the pink slip, the techies are increasingly seeking medical help to survive what experts call the "layoff survivor syndrome".
The intensity of the syndrome could become severe when a team member working on a project is benched or sent out, a leading psychiatrist said.
"It's a mental situation where IT professionals who of late have seen their colleagues, who are often friends too, being laid off," B.N. Gangadhar, professor of psychiatry at the premier National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) here, told IANS.
"First, it is the anxiety that the axe may fall upon them the next time and, secondly, a sense of remorse, with a tinge of guilt that they have survived, whereas their colleagues sitting next to them have lost jobs," Gangadhar said.
Two million people were employed in the Indian IT and BPO industry in 2007-08, according to the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom). The BPO sector employed more than 700,000 people.
"These are bad times. Recently two of my colleagues, who are also close friends, were fired. I am feeling terrible after the episode," said Sundar Gopal working with a reputed Indian IT company.
UNITES professionals (Union of Information Technology Enabled Services Professionals), says there is no clear estimate of the job loss in these sectors in the wake of the global economic meltdown.
Though UNITES claims that such unions have been formed in several countries, they are not recognised as a trade union either by the governments or employers.
"Every other employed IT professional is thinking that it's their turn next," rues Karthik Shekhar, general secretary of UNITES-Bangalore told IANS.
UNITES-Bangalore says it has more than 50,000 members.
"Those who are still employed are working under great mental stress, which is taking a toll on their work and professional growth also," Shekhar asserted.
UNITES-Bangalore contends that the employers are not helping their staff to deal with the mental trauma of being laid off.
"The companies are not giving any kind of counselling before handing over pink slips to their employees. This leaves the employees distraught. The companies should provide some kind of counselling in not only giving mental solace to their employees but also some amount of guidance in helping them find an alternative means of livelihood," said Shekhar.
Several Bangalore hospitals say they are seeing increased number of IT professionals seeking help.
"We're getting two types of IT professionals seeking our help. First are those who have already lost their jobs and second are those who're fighting the fear that they might lose their jobs soon," said M. Srihari, a psychiatrist with the state government-run Bangalore Medical College.
"After counselling and medical aid, many have improved, but some are too shocked to believe that they have lost their jobs or their colleagues have lost their jobs," Srihari added.
He has a suggestion, particularly for youngsters.
"Losing a job is not the end of life. Life has many things in store and they could easily try various options to rise again," added Srihari.
From the sprawling campuses of IT majors to the small backroom offices in the city the "psychological pressure" under which the staff goes about the daily work is evident when one talks to them.
Ramaya P., employed at a multinational company, said every day she works under the fear of being fired the next moment.
"Insecurity is palpable everywhere. I have heard of cases of so many people getting pink slips in recent times. My stress level has increased," said Ramya, who added she has not yet thought of going to a counsellor.
Asked how she is tackling the situation, Ramya said: "I only hope the situation improves soon."
IT professionals in this tech hub are battling the global downturn with the help of doctors. Living under the constant fear of losing their jobs or trauma of seeing their colleagues getting the pink slip, the techies are increasingly seeking medical help to survive what experts call the "layoff survivor syndrome".
The intensity of the syndrome could become severe when a team member working on a project is benched or sent out, a leading psychiatrist said.
"It's a mental situation where IT professionals who of late have seen their colleagues, who are often friends too, being laid off," B.N. Gangadhar, professor of psychiatry at the premier National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) here, told IANS.
"First, it is the anxiety that the axe may fall upon them the next time and, secondly, a sense of remorse, with a tinge of guilt that they have survived, whereas their colleagues sitting next to them have lost jobs," Gangadhar said.
Two million people were employed in the Indian IT and BPO industry in 2007-08, according to the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom). The BPO sector employed more than 700,000 people.
"These are bad times. Recently two of my colleagues, who are also close friends, were fired. I am feeling terrible after the episode," said Sundar Gopal working with a reputed Indian IT company.
UNITES professionals (Union of Information Technology Enabled Services Professionals), says there is no clear estimate of the job loss in these sectors in the wake of the global economic meltdown.
Though UNITES claims that such unions have been formed in several countries, they are not recognised as a trade union either by the governments or employers.
"Every other employed IT professional is thinking that it's their turn next," rues Karthik Shekhar, general secretary of UNITES-Bangalore told IANS.
UNITES-Bangalore says it has more than 50,000 members.
"Those who are still employed are working under great mental stress, which is taking a toll on their work and professional growth also," Shekhar asserted.
UNITES-Bangalore contends that the employers are not helping their staff to deal with the mental trauma of being laid off.
"The companies are not giving any kind of counselling before handing over pink slips to their employees. This leaves the employees distraught. The companies should provide some kind of counselling in not only giving mental solace to their employees but also some amount of guidance in helping them find an alternative means of livelihood," said Shekhar.
Several Bangalore hospitals say they are seeing increased number of IT professionals seeking help.
"We're getting two types of IT professionals seeking our help. First are those who have already lost their jobs and second are those who're fighting the fear that they might lose their jobs soon," said M. Srihari, a psychiatrist with the state government-run Bangalore Medical College.
"After counselling and medical aid, many have improved, but some are too shocked to believe that they have lost their jobs or their colleagues have lost their jobs," Srihari added.
He has a suggestion, particularly for youngsters.
"Losing a job is not the end of life. Life has many things in store and they could easily try various options to rise again," added Srihari.
From the sprawling campuses of IT majors to the small backroom offices in the city the "psychological pressure" under which the staff goes about the daily work is evident when one talks to them.
Ramaya P., employed at a multinational company, said every day she works under the fear of being fired the next moment.
"Insecurity is palpable everywhere. I have heard of cases of so many people getting pink slips in recent times. My stress level has increased," said Ramya, who added she has not yet thought of going to a counsellor.
Asked how she is tackling the situation, Ramya said: "I only hope the situation improves soon."
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