Hyderabad, Jan. 23 The worst fears of Satyamites on bench in the US appear to be coming true as a number of them have been told by their project managers to “look for alternatives” at the earliest.
The unofficial “notice” has been extended orally to “protect” the interests of the employees as they are not likely to find work from next month, according to reliable sources.
“The message is quite clear to us that from February things might turn difficult for non-billing (those who are on bench) personnel. I have been categorically told by our manager to look for alterative employment,” a Satyam employee told Business Line over phone from San Diego, US.
The staff on bench at other locations also confirmed the development.
“We have been told that getting new projects may be difficult in the current scenario. There is huge uncertainty over the renewal of projects as there are no indications from clients (which generally come in the beginning of the fiscal year in the US),” said Mr Ravindra from New Jersey.
ORAL NOTICE
The employees were called for a personal talk and were informed about “big trouble” in the forthcoming months, he added.
Most of the employees also fear legal tangles arising out of staying, leaving or changing job, he added.
Meanwhile, a Satyam staffer in the US said that the company officials from Hyderabad and other important locations across the globe were holding telecom conferences with managers and some associates on various projects.
“Worried over the uncertainties prevailing in the company, a good number of them were requesting friends, colleagues and relatives to tip them off on job opportunities,” he said.
Some employees are hoping that a leading player would acquire Satyam projects so that they could get a sense of security and certainty.
Satyam reaction
Reacting to the reports of Satyam putting its staff in the US on notice, Mr T. Hari, Head of Marketing and Communications, said that there was no truth in that. “We haven’t asked a single associate to leave the organisation,” he said.
The company has an estimated 5,000 associates in the US.
Satyam officials refused to share the number of staff on bench in the US, stating that the figure is not in the public domain.
Courtesy: Business Daily
