<nettime> Shopfloor in the IT industry in India

["raqs" <raqs@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in>]

The IT industry in India is undergoing rapid expansion. Quite the mantra
of economists and technocrats, it is being seen as the key to economic
prosperity.  The following is a remarkable description of life on this new
IT industry shopfloor in India.  The author of this text wishes to remain
anonymous. 

____________________

"Shopfloor Experience in Information Technology Industry"
A personal account

I worked in a prime Information Technology Company for two years. IT
companies are said to be like heaven for workers. Freedom, creativity and
play are the kind of words you get to hear in any description of an IT
workplace. After all, it is said, this new workforce works in a
state-of-the-art environment with luxuries such as an air-conditioned
shop-floor, uninterrupted Internet connectivity, e-mail, music, free
coffee & tea and so on. Working hours are said to be flexibly designed to
suit the workers, and the work highly creative. 

In the following write-up, I am trying to examine the truthfulness of these
claims about the IT industry.
_____________________


DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK PROCESS…

The work process in the factory I worked in was organised in the following
manner. 

I. The hierarchy of the production line
Management Staff
Divisional Head: Permanent Post - Manager - responsible for all kinds of
projects.
Project Leader (PL): Permanent Post - Supervisor - Projects are divided into
categories, and responsibility for each project is given to an assigned
Project Leader.
Group Leader (GL): Permanent Post - Junior Supervisor - Project Leaders
distribute their share of projects to their subordinate Group Leaders. These
people plan the schedule of the projects according to guidelines set by
productivity norms.

Non-management Staff
Project Owner: Temporary responsibility - Worker - Group Leaders select a
particular worker to handle each project. This person is held primarily
accountable for the fate of the project.
Peers: Temporary responsibility - Worker - Project Owner is provided with a
few peers for the production of the project.
Sometimes the Project Owner is him/herself supposed to produce the whole
project, and no co-workers are provided.

II. Division of labour in the projects
Info-searchers: Group of people who do research on the subject, and then
form the basic framework of the project.
Instructional Designers (ID): On the basis of the framework provided by the
Info-search team, these people write the scripts.
Graphics Designers (GD): Graphic designers first visualize graphics on the
basis of script, and then create the graphics.
Constructors: These people assemble the text and graphics together to shape
the final product.
Testers: After the product is ready, testers test the constructed project
for all kinds of defects.

Testing is also done at every level. For instance, after the script is
ready it is tested and scrutinized by Subject Matter Expert (SME).
Similarly, after the graphics are created on the computer for the delivery
to the constructor, the group leader of the particular team reviews them
for graphic and aesthetic standards along with the SME. 

III. Organisational mechanisms of work
a. Deadlines

Each step of production has its specific timeframe according to guidelines
set by productivity norms, and this is called the Deadline. For example,
45 graphics are supposed to be made within one day. If a project has 600
graphics, it means that the graphic designer is supposed to complete
his/her work within 13.3 days. Everybody, from the Info-searcher to the
Tester, has to follow the set productivity norms. And the whole project,
of course, has a Final Deadline. 

b. Bug Report & Review Changes

After each level of testing, the concerned worker is provided with a bug
report that spells out mistakes that have to be fixed within the timeframe
of the running project. The final bug report, which is supplied after the
completion of the project, eats into the timeframe given for the next
project. No extra time is allowed for any new changes that may be
required.  This continuous process of responding to the bug report for the
old project/s, and the execution of the new project always run
simultaneously.  Therefore, an extra two to three hours of work is
informally mandatory for these 'fixes'. 

c. Training Sessions and Meetings

Frequent training sessions and meetings come in the way of the project
schedule, and for these too, no separate time slot is assigned. These are
generally (especially meetings) scheduled for the first hour of the day. 
Thus the quota of the day's work inevitably takes up more time than the
nine-hour workday. 

d. Productivity Norms

Productivity norms for a project are fixed at the Supervisor's discretion. 
The method of deciding new norms is usually as follows: The supervisor
calls for an informal meeting, and then bargains with the workers on
output quantity. The bottom line is this - Output should be at least ¾
times more than the previous year's output, if not double. For example, if
last year's output has been 25 graphics frames per day, then this year
there have to be 45 graphics frames per day. When they begin to bargain,
supervisors usually start with double the figure, or even more, but
gradually agree to come down to the figure which higher management had
probably asked for in the first place! The kind of bargaining that happens
here is equal to any bazaar.  Since the original quoted figure is so high,
workers feel exhausted, relieved and resigned to achieve any lowering at
all. 

Another thing that needs to be kept in mind is that the bargain for
quality has already reached 'zero-defect' level. Anything below this
implies inefficiency, which is penalized. 

e. Data Capture

Every day the worker is supposed to maintain data of the work s/he has
done.  This process is computerized, and the data is stored in a common
server.  Time is quantified as one hour = 1 unit, and thirty minutes = 0.5
unit.  Daily work output is fixed at a minimum of 6 units. During the half
yearly and annual assessment reports, this data capture plays an important
role. 

f. Assessment

There is a half yearly as well as an annual assessment of the work done by
a worker.  These reports take into account Productivity, Quality,
Maintenance of Data, and Report of Project Audit. If all these
requirements are not adequately fulfilled, the worker is labelled an
inefficient worker and s/he is penalized. At the least, yearly increments
are withheld. 

--AND HOW THE WORK PROCESS WORKS

"The horizontal staircase"
The hierarchy of the production line

Although hierarchy within the work-process is distinctly defined, yet
management persistently projects an image of non-hierarchical relations
within the company.  Only the manager enjoys the luxury of a separate
room.  The PLs and GLs share similar workstations as workers on the
shopfloor.  However, their workstations are strategically located: either
ensuring that their screens are hidden from workers, or located close to
the exit door or server room. This helps in a more efficient monitoring of
the workforce. 

Management staff generally tries its best to maintain this
non-hierarchical façade. Due to the similarity of social backgrounds of
the workers and the management staff, it is fairly easy for them to do so.
There is an attempt at easy camaraderie through jokes, film gossip and
technical discussion. 

Sometimes, even they tire of these pretensions. The PLs, especially, can't
resist asserting their superiority and 'relaxing' during lunch hour. 
Although workers and supervisors are meant to have lunch together, they
are seldom seen at the same table as the workers. 

Other indices of difference: Cars are a more common phenomenon amongst
management staff rather than workers. Most workers are relatively casual
in their dress code, while management is more formally dressed. However,
with their bags, baggage, lunch boxes and water bottles management
personnel appear to be carrying their whole household with them! And the
'perk' of regular official visits to foreign countries is recounted
through a narration of superior facilities, neatness and cooperation of
the workforce everywhere else. 

"…One of my relatives is a big manager in a company, his every movement
and decision is hailed and celebrated in the family, even when he goes to
bathroom family members become as anxious as if the prime minister is
going on an international tour…" - A fellow worker's comment on management
lifestyle. 

Inspite of all this, supervisors work hard to maintain the pretension that
they 'care' about the worker, to the extent of trying to sort out even
very personal problems. In reality, this helps them keep a close eye on
the movement and behaviour of the workers. The most significant aspect of
this practice is to reduce possible 'excuses' offered by workers on
personal grounds. 

In fact, during any crisis they are relentlessly critical of their
subordinates. If a project faces any problems, they instantly locate the
cause to be in the attitude of the worker. Their first assumption is that
the problem lies with the worker. 

"Divisions within workers"
Divisions involved in the projects

The hierarchy of knowledge creates its own hierarchy even amongst workers. 
Info-searchers, for example, enjoy much higher management esteem than
other fellow workers. Performance also plays an important role in
interpersonal relation between worker and the management. So do schooling
and social background. Workers from more affluent backgrounds are often
found to be closer to management. 

Workers are categorized in grades. Workers with more experience and better
performance are promoted to higher grades. Beginners and slow workers are
kept at the bottom. Obviously, the pay slip depends upon the grades. Thus,
a kind of perpetual competition is generated in the work place. Workers
from both grades are expected to perform similarly, whereas the wage
difference between highest grade and lowest grade worker is 1:4. 

"To Order & Tame"
Meetings & Trainings

Meetings are generally held in the first hour of the day. One of the prime
reasons behind this, as our supervisor said, is "to make it a habit to
reach office on time". Two important phrases for meetings are, "to be on
time" and "to be prepared". It means "save time" and "remember whatever is
said".  Every one is supposed to come with a pen and notebook. 

Meetings are no less than a questionnaire session held by the supervisor
or manager. Every meeting is a brain storming session. Meetings are
organized to discuss the performance and problems of the company or the
division. Any new policy taken by the company is declared in the meeting
to mandatory applause. 

Meetings are also called to discuss any 'crisis' of the company and help
of the workers is 'sought'. And this 'help' is articulated in the form of
greater work intensity or further cuts on benefits. 

Meetings are the best platform to throw challenges to the workers. Unlike
a playground, here challenges are imposed and have to be accepted.
Opinions are always asked from the workers in the meetings but within a
regimented 'openness'. The very presence of the manager or supervisor
ensures that you may talk about a few things but will not talk of certain
other things. 

Training sessions are fundamentally the prime mechanisms to eliminate work
force 'excuses' including even such areas as communication skills. If some
body is unable to communicate smartly s/he is referred to 'communication
training sessions'. 

Every body in the work place has to know comprehensively about the entire
production process. No one is left with the possible excuse of "I don't
know this" or even "Why should I know this?". Technical workers are given
training on non-technical subjects and non-technical workers are
acquainted with technical know how. Sometimes, these training sessions are
disguised so as to anticipate workers' behaviour. Through explanations of
and discussions about the production process, management induces the
workers themselves to locate the gaps in the production process. It
encourages them to make suggestions, and then ensures that these gaps are
filled up. Management never accuses anybody for being anti-work, it is
said, and it is taken for granted that every worker is dedicated towards
the company. It is just that they are a little "laid back". 

Management skills are also imparted to workers in order to internalize
discipline and organizational rules. Even psychological training is
imparted so as to determine or construct the cause of "low level of
present productivity'. 

"The Fishy Market…"
Productivity Norms

One day, in 1997, our divisional manager called the workers from all
divisions to tell us the story of China. There, he said, production is
extracted at gunpoint. He then compared it to our good fortune of not
being controlled by guns. But, he added, we have to find some method of
increasing productivity without guns, since we have to match them output
for output. 

"So", he said, "let us dream of major leaps in productivity. Say a 1000%
or 2000% increase. It is only if we dream like this that we can manage a
500% or 750 % increase." 

Small groups of workers were then organised and commissioned to develop
pilot projects to achieve such productivity levels using tools
technological development, process compression or any other old or new
method. And this "challenge" was taken up by the creative and energetic
workers…

After much research and experimentation, a great leap forward happened at
all levels. New software was developed, the production process was
redesigned, and discipline was rigorously imposed on leaves and office
timings. 

Pilot projects achieved 100% to 200% increase in productivity. Pretending
disappointment, management implemented this increase in productivity all
over the factory. 

At the year-end meeting of 1998, graphic team members working on specific
kinds of projects were called for a meeting in the Conference Room. The GL
for those projects and the Graphic Project Leader (GPL, Supervisor who
leads the whole graphic team in the division) delivered inspiring lectures
on previous year's successes, along with data and charts as proof.
However, at the end of the lecture the GL threw a challenge for the next
year. 'We have to be able to produce double'. 

Workers this time were not very keen to take on this 'steep challenge'.
They bargained for a mere 50% increase. The GPL retorted with data about
competitors of the company. Competitors in remote sections of the globe
were supposedly producing at quarter the rate of the company. If the
company didn't at least come down to half the cost, 'the contract might
then be lost!' His serious face had tremendous power. Workers were slowly
convinced, but with humane consideration productivity was increased only
by 75%. 

Needless to say, wages were never discussed in this entire process. 

Productivity is never linked to salary. Instead, increase in productivity
is projected as a necessity to survive and to be on top. Consciousness
about company status - "To be on top!" is constantly propagated to
generate consensus for further increase in productivity. The More you
Produce, the More you Rise in Status! 

"…and the bargain"  Annual Assessment

The time for excuses and justifications. And, of course, denial. 

The annual assessment report is divided into two sections. The first is
the IEF (Individual Effective Feedback). In this section, team members are
divided into groups and are supposed to give feedback to each other. It is
done through a computer network. A list of questions is delivered to all
workers, subdivided into categories such as communication, cooperation,
performance, group activity etc. Each worker has to allocate points
against each question for every peer. Name of the GL and PL are also
included in the list. This means that workers have to give feedback on
their supervisors as well. 

To maintain the 'truth quotient' of the feedback, management claims that
the IEF is not included in its annual assessment. However, every worker
knows that this is not true. So they apply themselves to the IEF fairly
'creatively'.  But if every body gave full marks to every body else, then
management would demand that the feedback form be filled up again. To
prevent this, workers give higher points to those who are closer or
friendlier to them. Unfortunately, workers who are not popular can suffer
a great deal in this process. 

The second part of the assessment is meetings between the GL and the
workers. At this point, every aspect of the workers' performance is
scrutinized. Achievements (productivity, quality, other responsibilities,
audit etc.) are graded in three ways: >M, M-S and S-O (below standard, up
to the standard and above standard). If a worker is graded as >M, the
supervisor then enquires the reason for being so below standard, if M-S is
achieved then the worker is asked why s/he didn't achieve S-O. Even if S-O
is achieved, questions arise regarding group activity, communication etc. 

Generally, reluctance to work and inefficiency are defended by workers
through 'petty excuses'. Health, family problems, misunderstandings,
miscommunication, etc. are presented as reasons. But management is always
equipped with a ready answer to these problems - "lack of dedication".
These meetings go a long way in making the worker believe that machine
problems, physical limitations, heavy workloads are all just lame excuses.
The real problem is attitude! 

During these sessions, a number of personal questions are also asked to
make the worker comfortable with the overwhelming aggression of the event.
The worker fills up a six-page form, which includes level of performance,
achievements and regrets, future plans and ambitions. As well as next
year's training program. And redefining next year performance standards.
The most important thing is that the worker himself/herself has to grade
his/her own performance. The Supervisor allegedly only guides the worker
through this…

Though productivity increases by leaps and bounds every year, wages do
not.  They have no bearing to the worker's productivity. Wage and increase
in productivity act as independent functions. The intriguing juxtaposition
is that during productivity-defining meetings workers are valorised as
"members of the family" but during assessment sessions they are suspected
as "work thieves". 

"…The Info-searcher gave an estimation of 400 graphics while creating the
graphics construction schedule, but during visualization I came out with
200 frames only. Thus according to schedule I had 10 days but actually I
needed five and half days. I didn't disclose this to my GL, but during my
assessment session he all the data from the PL and grilled me on this
issue.  And I got >M. " - An unfortunate worker's confession. 

"You can never win in this game, it's the only game in the world where you
always lose."- Frustrated worker at the end of the four-hour assessment
session. 

"The death trap"
The deadline

The Deadline is divine; nobody can challenge it. It rings like a prophet's
doomsday call. 

If the server has crashed, a virus has attacked or any technical problem
has occurred, it is obvious that it is the worker whose data is affected
who has to work late and recover this loss of time. Extension of the
deadline is beyond imagination. 

If somebody takes leave, it means double responsibility for his/her peer. 
This results in internal conflict between workers, creating suffocating
work situations. This is inevitable because one can only expect
understanding from one's co-workers for a reasonable number of planned
leaves. 

Managements also connect the deadline to the contracts with their clients. 
It is said that if the deadline is missed, the company has to pay a
penalty to the client. And the penalty will obviously reflect on the
workers' pay slip. This builds tremendous pressure on the workers. They
try their best to finish their job within the deadline. Any delay by any
individual worker puts the whole team in trouble. Thus every one is
pushing each other all the time. The astonishing thing in this scenario is
that often enough supervisors become well replaced by the workers
themselves. The supervisors have done their job only by fixing the
schedule…

"Bugs"
The bug reports

"After we die bugs come to our coffin and feast on our dead bodies."

Each project has at least three to four levels of testing. Some are
internal and some are external. To start with, some are done by the
subject matter expert (SME). Then, on the basis of guidelines provided by
the client, testers scrutinize the project. After internal testers pass
the initial stage, it goes to the client who checks it thoroughly. After
that the next stage starts. Sometimes, this next stage starts even before
the report comes from the client because of time pressure. After the
project is over, it is scrutinized thrice internally and only then is it
sent to the client. The client goes over the final product again, and if
it finds any problem at this level, the company is penalized for each
mistake. It means that by now the project has to be zero-defect. 

>From all these check points workers get thick lists of test reports i.e.,
bug reports. All bugs have to be rectified parallel to the already running
projects. Often bug reports don't reach the worker in a systematic way. To
meet the construction deadline, testing runs parallel to scripting and
graphic creation. As soon as one section is done, it goes for testing and
while the next section is under construction the report for the earlier
section comes up. At the first level of testing, the possibility of
changes is 60% to 70%. Thus the workload actually increases by double. And
by the end of the last section, bug reports pile up to such extent that
they demand another project schedule altogether. 

However, there are no extra days for these reports to be fixed. For the
bug report and the changes no extra time is planned in the project
schedule.  These things have to be done within the same time frame. In
truth, workers are actually working at higher levels than defined in any
productivity norm. 

All of these things result in long working hours, late night stays and a
surrender of holidays. 

"Soul capture"
Data capture

The automation of supervision.

Even though the workday is fixed from 9am to 6pm i.e., nine hours, but
late night stays and sometimes skipping lunch make it ten to twelve hours
long. 

Through a computer network, a database is maintained to monitor every
worker's productivity data on a daily basis. The software which is used
for this purpose has built-in information about project code, kind of
work, delivery options, etc. and the worker has to fill-in the time span
s/he took to complete that particular job. Even tea and lunch breaks are
defined in the software. Once the data is punched in, it cannot be
changed. 

Initially most workers used to avoid this data capture. But very soon it
was made mandatory. Management may claim that this data capture has
nothing to do with assessment, but it uses this data as a yardstick to
estimate and plan future project time-line, so that they can provide the
client with a more accurate date for the deadline. But every worker knows
that when assessment time comes, this will become yet another management
weapon. 

_____________________________

I have tried to describe how my body and my mind were controlled in those
two years. But I haven't even spoken of the other 'invisible' effects. The
ever-increasing speed of productivity has taken its toll on my body. The
hours of constant keyboard and mouse manipulation have resulted in
spondylitis and arthritic problems. My back, my finger tips, my neck have
all suffered. Obviously, management had always been aware of these
repercussions.  They had constantly supplied us with tips on health
through emails and graffiti. Even aerobics were conducted to enhance our
physical capacity! 

But the really sad thing is my present relationship to music. Since music
increases the speed of work and lessens the monotony of repeated typing
and punching, it became a repeated infliction. Now it's difficult for me
to listen to music and not type on my non-existent keyboard.




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