The Karnataka government recently proposed amendments that could impact the workforce behind the IT capital of India. The proposal allows for up to 12-hour workdays, inclusive of overtime. The government has cited ‘ease of doing business’ as one of the reasons and clarified that it won’t override the 48-hours-per-week limit that already exists. But IT unions have complained that it could be tantamount to ‘modern slavery’, diminish work-life balance, and cause mental agony and stress.
What do I think of the entire issue? Honestly, as I get older, I realise that it isn’t necessary to have opinions on everything. I don’t belong to the IT world and have never really had a steady desk job in the last two decades. I make my living as a writer, far removed from the worlds of salaries, appraisals and hikes. So, I don’t intend to ‘IT-splain’ my point on behalf of my IT brethren and sisterhood. At the same time, I can’t feign ignorance of the anxiety-filled state of affairs in the IT domain. ChatGPT and AI – futuristic, sci-fi boons for writers like me – are a huge threat to traditional IT jobs. There is the threat of global layoffs. A potential World War III is simmering as we speak, and might soon engulf the world. These are all legit fears lurking in the world we inhabit.
Then, there’s the issue of traffic that citizens of Bengaluru have to uniquely endure. If working hours are pushed to 12 hours and the average commute takes 2 hours, that’s 14 hours of a day engulfed in work. And it’s not like we get to enjoy premium commuting services to help us rejuvenate ourselves and prepare for the day. There’s the honking, the dust, and the diabetes-inducing sweetness of RJs that one must endure. In such a scenario, what can employees do? Some forces – governance, policy, and rules – are above our social jurisdiction.
When nothing works, we have each other as human beings. The IT industry brothers and sisters must come up with innovative ways to battle this scenario. The only way the Bengaluru IT crowd can fight back is by doing what they do best – building apps through innovation. Start selling office chairs with inbuilt massage facilities. Create an underground carpooling service for sleep-deprived coders. So that when we go home, we have people who understand our plight – a shoulder to cry on, an ear to vent to. HR-approved ‘self-therapy’ sessions that are basically nap sessions approved by the employer. Take a leaf from our brothers who drive autos and taxis. They are constantly speaking to each other on the phone so that they can stay awake, and have a friend to navigate the tricky lanes of life together. Create a self-help group of people who call each other during work hours so you can walk about in the office, pretending to be ‘on a call’.
To quote a certain Mr. Guevara – ‘Revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall.’ Of course, Mr. Guevara had no idea that the word ‘apple’ would signify an electronics giant. But greater miracles have occurred in human history. In fact, one occurred a few weeks ago when the entire city came out to celebrate! To paraphrase (and twist) a famous quote – ‘First, they came for the Testers, and I said nothing. Then they came for the UI/UX team, and I said nothing. Then they came for the scrum masters, and I said nothing. Finally, they came for me during my one-hour ‘billable’ lunch – and there was nobody left to speak for me.’
(The writer’s views are personal)