Moonlighting and hypocrisy of corporate India..

 

MOONLIGHTING CHECKS? WITHOUT FORENSIC TECH AND REGULATIONS? ARE YOU KIDDING US?

5.4 million people work in IT/ITES in India, churning $180 billion in revenue! Assuming 1-2 percent of 5.4 million engage in #Moonlighting, it is ~2-3 billion dollar business. Above number of Moonlighting percentage is based on a DUMB analysis of multiple PF active accounts , as identified through UAN number of the member employee. And they may call this finding "forensic" in nature. Laughable....More laughter than any stand-up comic can offer:2021 Wipro fired 300 staff, when they were found to be offering their Moonlight Services to Wipro's DIRECT Competitors. Any fool can guess, who are these DIRECT competitors, that Rishad Premji hinted at without naming them! Hilarious and horrible tale of ethics of these competitors gone to DOGs. Wonder, what hell will fall, if Rishad Premji named and shamed those competitor companies! AuthBridge, in an EBV check found that an IT employee was working with 78 Companies moonlighting! You will wonder, who is this boy dating 78 girlfriends at the sometime! One Wipro guy was found to be working with 15 employers at the same time, with all of them enrolled him for the Provident Fund scheme, using ONE UAN number! Now, you will wonder, how DUMB are our HR systems, that don't warn us of such illegal entries into the Government Portals! Neither do these Govt Portals and Agencies raise a RED Flag! Shame on us! While we respect and trust IDfy and AuthBridge , we need a REAL and EFFECTIVE Forensic technology to avoid such fraud!
Find the money trail. the hawala and other payment trails including bitcoin, etc.
One person can't do 15 jobs or 78 projects..It is an industry! We are sitting on a time bomb! No client data and IP is safe this way! Huge risk and you can't thump your chest, identifying multiple PF remittances using a UAN check...Let's all grow-up!

Vistara a TATA Sons-SIA airline merger gone wrong with Pilots protesting and 200 flights cancelled or delayed in 2 days! Passengers in lurch. What's CHRO doing?

 

Centre Steps In As Vistara Crisis Deepens With More Delays, Cancellations
DGCA says monitoring Vistara ops, over 50 flights cancelled
Vistara flight cancellations: Vistara said in a statement that they have faced a "significant number" of flight cancellations and delays in the past few days "due to various reasons including crew unavailability".

Vistara pilots' en masse protest leads to delays, cancellations. Angry passengers slam airline

Vistara flight cancellations: In a statement, Vistara admitted to facing a 'significant number' of disruptions, attributing them to various factors, including crew unavailability.

Eight reasons for Vistara’s massive flight cancellations

Vistara cancelled 61 flights on Tuesday, only a day after 49 cancellations occurred on Monday- 

Meanwhile CEO summons the CHRO of Vistara!

Master: Jamoora CHRO, DEIB karega?

Jamoora CHRO: Karega Maalik!

Master: Jamoora CHRO, Psychological Safety par lecture pelega?

Jamoora CHRO: Pelega Maalik

Master: Jamoora CHRO, Employee Listening par bakchodi karege?

Jamoora CHRO: Karega Maalik

Master: Ethics in AI aur Integrity in par workplace par hagega?

Jamoora CHRO: Hagega Maalik.

Master: Baby CHRO Deepa Chadha, Vistara: Pilots ka issue war footing par resolve karega?

Jamoora CHRO: Maalik meri to fat gayi! Yeh problem lipstick, perfume aur sexy dress se solve nahi ho rahi! McKinsey bulao maalik. :)

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mrinalkrant_eight-reasons-for-vistaras-massive-flight-activity-7181175232060174336-bs44?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Eight reasons for Vistara’s massive flight cancellations - The Hindu

DGCA says monitoring Vistara ops, over 50 flights cancelled | Mint (livemint.com)

Vistara pilots' en masse protest leads to delays, cancellations. Angry passengers slam airline (moneycontrol.com)

Family Schema and design of life outcomes or mere coincidence: A family design case in perspective.

Malcom Gladwell's Outliers talks about opportunities people got due to some demographic dividends. 

Why are most hockey players born in the months January, February and March? Is it because they are born with an ability for winter sports because they were born in the winter, or because it's just a coincidence?

Well, this is just to warm you up and get to the rationalizing mode of certain successes! Pulp fiction follows. 

I live in Bangalore in a crowded area in an apartment complex that house 64 families. I have been here and participated in most social events that society organizes. I know who's who and who belongs to their families, etc. I have seen these people and their kids growing over a decade plus...

It's a very peaceful society with no history of any conflicts or chaos...a nice place to be in..

What drew my attention here is what sizes of families live here and whether their grandparents too live with them. There is hardly a few families who have grandparents living with them. I started to notice that most of them have two children and only 2, not 3 but a few have only one child. Middle class is conscious of their limitations.

Interestingly, out of 64 families, there are 21 families here, who have only two children and they been girls. There are other combinations too, like only one child: male or female and others like a mix of male and female. I noticed certain commonalities in family's success and life events, including moving out to other places to live, career and financial growth, etc. 

Down below, I have listed certain interesting findings that I saw in families with only 2 kids and what factors seem like consistent. Read on..

Note: I have been on this subject for more than 5 years now and even outside of the apartment complex I have checked the family events, characteristics and outcomes of such families with 2 kids only and have found them matching a lot...

I have often discussed this subject with my friends, colleagues, etc. and have heard them agreeing to the commonalities that I have found, even in their known references..

Everything happens for a reason. Reasons can be any but astrologically or through other such sciences (including, Psychology, Sociology or Anthropology) these findings can be validated..

So, let's dive in...

Image credit: Shutterstock! 
My observations are from my social space in a narrow demography.

I have studied ~50 such families, where couple had only 2 kids in any configuration. Configuration and sequence of birth and gender of kids matter but that will come later in my explanation.

What if I told you that parents with only 2 kids have a better lived (Balanced, contented, regret free and economically well off) life for all 4 than with larger or a smaller number of kids!

Sounds strange but, my observations say, 2 is the number of balances of emotions, bondings, calmness , flexibility and let go with ease, like virtues! 

When I said 2, I mean the number of kids!

My observations are from my social space in a narrow demography. Mind the word 'observation'. They are neither conclusions nor judgements! 

At best, they are just curious findings, in a limited sample size! 

Here are 2 sets of families in this configuration that I am talking about:

As of now, let's dwell into  some quick findings about such families:

Configuration #1: 2 kids and both are female.

Commonly found status and traits and life patterns of parents first:

- Financially lucky and well-off...self-made money multiplies, socially stable, career and business prosper, often times, as if in auto-pilot mode with opportunities of multiple growth phases in life stack-up. Health of both parents remains in pink. Conflicts and struggle of life hardly touch them. Mother of kids slowly emerges stronger but remains a good family anchor, happy and responsible...considers kids as investments and medals to polish/garnish them often!

Father of the kids, likes routine, avoids risks, socially accepted and leads a conflict free, rewarding life and career promises fulfilled as a blessing..Health, wealth look positive and in shape, property investments go always right..Inherited wealth too is guaranteed.

Mother after a while, settles as a home maker, better termed as custodian of the family, focused, responsible and creator, her highness! She ages like wine!

Now, on kids (both female): They are similar yet very different. They again are self-made and out of their own mold, as often emerges in late teens. They lead a tarnish free, safe lifestyle...They do well in studies and find best career for them.

Configuration #2: 2 kids and both are male.

Commonly found status and traits and life patterns of parents first:

Father is a family man but, on the surface, he is a stranger...he is socially a person, who considers himself a stranger and an outsider! Grows well with career but unstable, strange twists and turns, his partner takes on the wheels as co-pilot throughout the journey! She can't lose control. Here she is not that soft steward as in earlier case of two female kids. She is forced to maintain her identity socially and financially.

Now, kids (males); Go-getters, socially as awkward and outsider as their father..with people and still alone and within themselves..they do well with their own sacrifices, often get distanced from family bonding. Kind of just opposite of the 2 female siblings. These boys develop their own nests and are ready to carry the karma of their father...till they get into their own "only 2" child mold :)

Parents focus is not on building wealth and stability here but to live life as it comes, lacks everyday life discipline and often wait to heal rather than ask for help! Word 'struggle' of any nature may not be stranger in their lives...they may not seek harmony...luck factor may not be at the best.

Configuration #3: 2 kids and they are male and female mix, male child born first.

Commonly found status and traits and life patterns of parents first:

Parents struggle till the girl child is born. Struggle eases and luck favors with girl child born. Family is balanced with 2x2. This is the best balance of 2 genders from 2 generations and sets of responsibilities, aspirations, etc. Dinner time table has a good talk and it's participatory josh in all talks..Everyone wins here and no one looses on any aspects...

Family prospers and life moves on well..Father of the family sees his own social transition as his values and beliefs change from before the girl child was born to after it...he is a responsible , nice guy...trusted family man as he often proves himself or has to ...

Mother finds a balance in choices and biases too...lives a life tipping balances from time to time..emotionally, most balanced and mature of all combinations of kids in configurations of 2.

Configuration #4: 2 kids and they are male and female mix, female child born first.

Commonly found status and traits and life patterns of parents first:

Here it is again a balance of energies of males and females in a family, but female child born feels stranger to family more than the male. This Male child often is an added part of the family as inheritance came early. Life takes weird turns and family balances are often lost due to father's so far suppressed/under-cover traits, so far hidden,  till the boy was born (read arrived), resurfaces, to create disharmony between the couple. Life on surface looks good but finds social appeal waning. Balancing household, everyday-life discipline seems burdensome. Both parents go through un-settling times....settles very late in life..kind of many roller coasters... Some just a creation of their own doings. Some people earn more parking tickets because they attract them. 

Wealth sustains. Health takes a toll...some serious toll for either of couple but can be for both, in turns...

Career struggles start to crop up...luck factor dwindles...man of the family accepts fate and moves on. Lady of the family emerges from behind to remain a seat of power in decision making for later phase of life..

Kids do well and they compete to care for parents but can do only a little..

Well, these are observations on a very small sample size and only a few factors of family life outcomes have been covered. 

I urge you to look for families, where you see couple have only 2 kids in any configuration and let me know what observations you agree with and what you don't. Please also share your own findings in such families of 4. 

Couple in above cases are self-made and not as part of legacy business wealth. Even if they are, they should be leading a new or new part of business from scratch, while funding comes from family..

Time to stop Employee Farming!

 #Twitter handle in Nov 2022 tweeted: "bye literally everyone"!

Elon's tweet confirmed that this action was needed as #twitter was loosing $4million/day.
Twitter laid off 180 of 230 staff in India in round one and many of the remaining in quick second fiat!
In fact, twitter fired in successive rounds in early April 2023, clocking 83% of total staff it had at it's peak, before Elon bought it!
Industry experts blamed big tech players of indulging in, something called "EMPOYEE FARMING"!
Despite massive winter cleaning, twitter aka X is doing fantastic, in fact faster and better than earlier as some tech analysts confirmed recently.
This reform and fine tuning sent shock waves to peer group players like Meta, Google and in general to MAANG companies.
No wonder, Josh Bersin in his brilliant report claims, the clear focus is NOT hire, hire, hire but tune, tune, tune!
Xpheno in it' statement today mentioned that all top Indian IT services companies have shrunk staff sizes back to early 2022 levels...
What does your "Employee Farm" look like? Don't be in denial, tune, tune, tune...:)
Meta (Facebook) had 86,482 employees at year-end 2022. The company announced in January that over the last 18 months they reduced staff by 22%, while Q4 revenues went up 25% in Q4 (total revenue is now $140 billion). This translates to $1.9 million per employee, one of the highest financial productivity measures in the software industry. To give you an example, Workday’s revenue per employee is around $230K, Oracle’s is $378K, and Microsoft’s is $863K, and Google is around $1.6M.
https://lnkd.in/eegvPE3D

Everyone at her company knows her salary. What big deal...they are woke! Many Claudine Gays around..

This analytics firm's CHRO says, "What people get paid should not be shrouded in secrecy! The more you hide it, the more it reveals! She says, and her company's LinkedIn handle shares her thoughts, which goes on to say that it takes a new staff just a week to know what others around her are paid! It's an open secret!

HR had been organizing Secret Santa recently! But with this claim, she took it too far!

It can be a cultural thing! Or no-culture thing! That's the debate that Arnab shall run for primetime, but here, I have a few cases to make based on my experiences with compensation, aka salary, and how dumb analytics and tech MNC CoEs can get!

I was HRBP for an American $3 billion power electronics company in their R&D CoE in Bangalore. I had three tech teams to look after, and they sat in different offices in the city! 2 of these R&D teams had their payroll run from the factory operations in Bangalore Suburb, and the third R&D team (Siebel Services, CAD designs, etc.) ran from the sales office in the city! It's interesting, isn't it?

One day, I visited this third team's office and met a guy I had onboarded a month ago. It was also a check-in meeting with him. He told me that his salary has some mismatches as against the offer letter's salary breakdown. I was curious (damn curious!). I checked his pay slip (which was for a full month) and checked his offer letter breakdown. The offer letter was issued by me and signed by the Head of HR for India. To my shock, the Basic and HRA were different, and there was a component in the payslip that was not even mentioned in the offer letter. I met the finance and accounts team that sent data to the payroll vendor for pay-out. He showed me his excel file, which he used to create a breakdown of payouts from the offer letter, which he sent to the payroll vendor. There were differences, as I had observed. In fact, the team of 45 staff, for 5 or more years, paid less than and even different Basic and HRA than their offer letter, but maybe one asked anything as the difference was less (maybe ~Rs. 900 every month for someone who got Rs. 56K take-home!). This was shocking because no one corrected it for all these years. Even the Big 4 audited this firm every year.

Shameful, but it happens.

Case #2: A Chicago-based management consulting firm. 3500 people across 18 global offices. Hires from the Ivy League. I was even ranked no. 5 in the vault rating during that time, not any more.

My first salary was credited...I was in shock! It was nearly three times my monthly salary. I was paid assuming my start date was May 7, not July 5, which was my real start date!

(American Day/Month ka chakkar Babu Bhaiya!), but happens! I signed a check in company's name and paid back, wrote a side note : Keep the change! :)

The same analytics and management consulting firm gives annual salary raises and promotions to campus newcomers from the previous few years.

Juniors got a salary raise and the same designation as their seniors, with a higher designation! Yes, kids share their new compensation, as they want to know what others in their cohort got.

Seniors protested, and soon corrections were made! You don't need to go to Ivy League College to act dumb!

Please take these stories for humor.

These are real stories, and I have written them with full responsibility and intent, not to demean anyone but to highlight what my mentor said:

We believe in people, but verify!

My dad told me what he learned in his civil service training. "Trust the process, not the people!

What we can learn from employee feedback on Glassdoor! Case of Roche! One Review at a time!

When you treat Employer branding like compliance matter and auditor's observations!

Roche owns its Glassdoor page -https://www.glassdoor.co.in/Reviews/Roche-Reviews-E3480.htm

Rating of 4 and 100% approval for the CEO are two commendable achievements for Roche! Must be applauded! 

And what a lovely and responsible gesture it shows by responding to the reviews there! There is much feedback from India based staff and largely they are in their GCCs here.

Roche India GCCs drew my attention, which has set up its Global Analytics and Technology Center of Excellence (GATE) in Chennai and Hyderabad, besides they have other pharma products they offer in Indian markets.

While reading some of the responses that has been written by Roche, I was taken a back, when I found lots of weirdness.

To list a few:

1. Response has been written by Roche (See picture for Roche Response). This is as anonymous as the reviews are. At least employees are better than you Roche as they say, their title, location, stint and relationship status with Roche. Ideally response shall be coming the same way (at least) with title, location, etc. Why not CEO or CHRO or Chief of Staff responding to it? Or the Head of Employer Branding or now a days, The Chief Diversity Office for better grab?

2. This ex-Employee worked for 3 years and was a manager and the response is telling him/her what development and growth opportunities Roche provides. Either you are too late or writing response for readers an not the reviewer.

3. Reviewer has given a 5-star rating and has given all green lights to referring a friend, CEO's approval and positive belief on Roche's business outlook, but reviewer seems blinkered and ignored acknowledging any of these positives. Even his Pros appreciates Culture and Products...but robotic respondent ignores all that..

Remember, this otherwise Promotor of your NPS would turn Passive or Detractor after reading your response dear respondent (Oh, Dear Roche)

4. Now, let's see Cons: "Limited opportunity to get promoted"!

This is what prompted the respondent to in fact-educate the 3 years tenured manager and ex-employee, how Roche helps staff grow and managers have a role, teamwork matters, et al.

Well, dear respondent, why did you take this feedback as a complaint and tried defending it. It maybe not about him but as general feedback on promotion policies. Now, even if you understood that he may be unhappy with the lack of promotion opportunities, why did you mix it with the professional development. They are two very different things!

Think again, without feeling and writing word "sorry", could you respond to the review?

I am not doing any finger pointing on Roche or the team and leaders responsible for their Glassdoor page activity but feel bad when I see that many sensitive and sensible feedback have been not responded at all. Some have been responded very well and many as robotic and defensive and deflective as it could be.

Love you Roche, you can be much better here at your Glassdoor page too!

DEI must DIE---the Woke virus! Why Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy alerting US and Europe about this virus?

In his run for the President of the USA, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy (US citizen of Asian origin and a Billionaire Businessman) has been talking at a lot of corrections that US needs to do to save its principal identity as a nation of free speech, equal rights, merit and civic commitments-based immigration, military protecting its borders, where illegal immigrants are coming from, against crony capitalism, et al. 

What he is equally vocal about is the Woke politics and the deeper roots this virus has taken in American capitalism/ corporate.

Vivek has written a book on this Woke virus. Woke, Inc.: A Sunday Times Business Book of the Year eBook : Ramaswamy, Vivek: Amazon.in: Kindle Store

A few days back Elon Musk in an interview in Italy said what is quoted in the tweet below- 

"In my view, it (DEI) amplifies racism, sexism, and all the other isms. And while claiming to do the opposite, it actually divides people and makes them sort of hate each other, and it makes people hate themselves.” Elon Musk.
Why are Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy alerting the US and Europe about this virus?
We have already seen runs on the CDO positions at Nike, Tesla, Warner Bros., Netflix, Zoom, Pinterest, etc. in the past two years. Many of these CDOs had fun for as little as 5 months or less!
So, when Elon and Vivek warn countries of the DEI (aka Woke culture) and its sinister agenda to fragment people based on hardcoded woke principles, which rather than rendering hope and liberation from discrimination, creates fear, hatred for others, and even self-hatred, as Musk said!
In India too, we have seen this DEI rush for almost a decade. It all began as More Women for Men in corporate positions, including equity in boards too!
Xpheno's report some years ago cited that, in 18 months of time, it observed that more than 50% of CHRO positions in India that were vacated by men went to women candidates (not employees).
I believe it is a fair time after a decade to examine and take stock of what DEI has delivered against its promise (now called Woke Virus and Agenda by people like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, which, however, you can ignore at your own risk!).
Let's fact-check:
How many of Indian companies or Indian subsidiary of MNCs have:
Mention specifically the non-binary genders in their employee policies and hiring programs from campus or the market.
How many have mentioned insurance and child adoption benefits for same-sex couples?
How many have gender-neutral (they/them?) washrooms at the office?
-How many have paid benefits for Gender Affirmation surgery to staff? (Accenture India has it; name the companies that you know of.)
How many companies here have OPEN-Gay staff for giving them the freedom to be themselves to others around them in the workplace?
How many of you heard in your company's annual hiring or promotion announcements about diversity-specific hiring or promotion decisions on specific "identities" of the diversity group?
Most importantly, how many of you went through the company's "mandatory" training on DEI this year?
I am not against DEI; I am against Woke culture and identity politics that are done in the name of DEI!
If a virus-free DEI has to emerge, this DEI that we see around must DIE!
Thanks, Musk and Vivek for calling out the agenda!

Vivek Ramaswamy on Unpacking the 'Woke" Phenomenon

The number of Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) is declining after a hiring surge post-Black Lives Matter movement, raising concerns about the commitment of organizations to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Reasons for the decline include lack of support, resources, and commitment, and the disconnect between DEI efforts and profitability. Retaining CDOs requires reframing their role, providing long-term budgets and resources, and ensuring executive support.

The ‘Great DEI Resignation’ – why are so many diversity heads calling it quits? | TLNT

 - Hiring boom for CDOs post-Black Lives Matter movement.

  - Decline in CDO numbers, with a 4.5% decrease in 2022 according to a LinkedIn report.

-Who Are Chief Diversity Officers?

  - Upper-level management responsible for a company's inclusion and equity initiatives.

  - Tasks include recruiting diverse employees, identifying diversity gaps, organizing training, and addressing discrimination concerns.

  - Typically hold advanced degrees and have 5-10 years of relevant experience.

- Reasons for CDO Departures:

  - Lack of support, resources, and companywide commitment to DEI efforts.

  - CDOs often undertake the work of multiple roles, leading to burnout.

  - Superficial hires without empowerment to address systemic inequities.

  - Financial concerns leading to elimination of DEI-related positions.

- Challenges Faced by CDOs:

  - Discrimination within organizations against CDOs.

  - Frustration and burnout due to obstacles in creating change.

- More Resources Are Needed:

  - Reframing DEI as a profitable strategy.

  - Peer support for CDOs and long-term budgets.

  - Real change champions and visible executive support.

  - Treating CDO positions with the same respect as other upper-management roles.

- Diversity Without a CDO:

  - Companies risk losing momentum in DEI efforts and miss out on diverse talent.

  - CDOs address unconscious bias and microaggressions, requiring long-term commitment.

  - CDO presence affects a company's culture, bottom line, and appeal to diverse talent.

- Conclusion:

  - Companies must view DEI efforts as ongoing and demonstrate a commitment beyond having a CDO in place.

  - The risk of losing CDOs not only affects DEI progress but also impacts the company's culture and financial performance.

This comprehensive analysis highlights the challenges faced by CDOs, the reasons for their declining numbers, and the necessary steps organizations should take to retain them and ensure the success of their DEI efforts.

Were Chief Diversity Officers Set Up to Fail? Recent Exits Indicate This Could Be the Case | Visier

Key Takeaway

Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) are facing burnout and a lack of executive support, leading to a significant number of them quitting their roles. The departure of CDOs, especially within S&P 500 companies, suggests challenges and inadequacies in supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

Summary

- Exodus of CDOs:

  - A significant number of Chief Diversity Officers at S&P 500 companies left their positions between 2018 and 2021, with an average tenure decrease from 3.1 to 1.8 years in 2021.

  - Notable instances include leaders leaving companies like Tesla and Nike due to burnout and lack of support.

- Root Causes of Departure:

  - DEI programs were often implemented without proper consideration of how to run and measure a successful initiative.

  - Unrealistic expectations, insufficient resources, and a lack of executive support contributed to the failure of DEI programs.

- Impact of George Floyd's Murder:

  - The murder of George Floyd in 2020 prompted a surge in DEI-related job postings, with companies appointing diversity leaders for the first time.

  - However, two years later, some programs are being discontinued, and CDOs are resigning.

- Reasons for DEI Program Failures:

  - Lack of resources, executive support, and funding.

  - Treating DEI programs as one-and-done processes instead of ongoing commitments.

  - Pressure to meet numerical targets rather than focusing on the human aspect of equity and inclusion.

- Components of Successful DEI Initiatives:

  1. Proper Funding:

     - Adequate budgeting crucial for a successful DEI program.

     - Costs can range from $25,000 to $450,000 for comprehensive DEI initiatives.

  2. Clear Objectives:

     - Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) for measuring success.

     - Aligning DEI programs with overall strategic plans.

  3. Executive Buy-In:

     - Executive support and resources are essential for DEI leaders.

     - Promised support must be provided for successful DEI programs.

  4. Diversity Planning Tools:

     - Utilizing analytics for transparency in hiring practices, compensation, and other critical areas.

- Importance of Supporting DEI Leaders:

  - Building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization is a business imperative.

  - Organizations need to focus resources, including funding, on DEI programs and leaders for genuine success.

  - People analytics and diversity planning tools can aid in tracking and communicating progress.

This report highlights the challenges faced by CDOs, the failure of some DEI programs, and emphasizes the need for proper support, resources, and strategic planning for successful diversity initiatives.