Why penalise the workforce?

The Indian economy is not doing badly. It may have slowed down after its exemplary performance in the last couple of years, but with a growth pegged at 6% or so in the current fiscal year, it is way ahead of the economies of the leading Western countries. If this be true, why are Indian corporate organisations and businesses, following their Western counterparts, adopting austerity measures which are affecting the Indian workforce negatively?

From retrenchment of workforce to delayed appraisals to delayed/non-payment of salaries to non-payment of performance bonuses for previous year’s excellent performance to cutbacks in salaries to cutbacks on perks promised... (the list is long)... Indian businesses, big and small, are trying to reduce costs in order to bring their businesses back on track. By which, they mean bringing up their businesses to previous levels of profitability.

Although there is a big question whether previous levels of profitability were/are sustainable over longer periods, I am more concerned about the negative effect these austerity measures have on the Indian workforce. The biggest negative effect is, of course, a disenchanted and disgruntled workforce. More so, because the workforce – at least, comprising of those who have retained their jobs – continues to work in the same dedicated manner that had brought in the revenues and profits in the previous years of growth and profitability.

If this be true, why are Indian corporate organisations and businesses penalising the workforce?

The human need to be social

There’s a lot of talk of social media – about social media marketing, social networking, viral marketing, tweeting, tagging, cloud sourcing, etc. The talk usually hovers around the Internet and mobilephones, and how technology makes everything possible. More so, because the technology that makes this possible is now in the hands of millions of people.

With this technology – actually it’s a collection and convergence of various technologies – people are talking, connecting, creating, commenting, blogging, tweeting, messaging, emailing, uploading and downloading files... sharing everything from professional information to political points of view to personal interests and experiences.

Although technology has centre-stage at the moment, I wonder if it is being given importance far beyond what it deserves. After all, though technology is making it all happen (and I do give it due credit), technology still needs to make use of, sit on and act upon the solid bedrock of human relationships that makes up our world.

For, it is the human need for relationships and togetherness that seeks out opportunities, methods, resources, time and technology to bring people together. Social media simply complements and completes this need, bringing joy to millions of people around the world. It is this human need to be social that’s driving this phenomenon we call social media.