Grave Yard Shifts – What do u think?

prathi · Feb 10, 2006

Many of you might be working in night shifts for BPO’s, call centres and hospitals. Just like a coin has two faces, a night shift job has its Pros and Cons. I have tried to briefly summarise some of them which seemed very obvious to me. Read on....

Grave Yard Shifts

Most of the call centres, BPOs are cateriing to western countires and countries like Australia. The shifts run through out the night or at least a part of the night. They are the grave yard shifts. People are leaving their houmes to work at 12 or 2 in the night or returning in the mid of the night. This is an extremely testing experience, especially for women who have to balance between home and office.

“I have got used to the night shift. I have been working like this for three years now.” Says Geetha, a married woman, who works as a finance executive for a well-known BPO in Bangalore.

There are thousands of people like her around India (many other countries too), who have, as they say, got “used” to these graveyard shifts.

The high remuneration is the sole bait used by the BPO’s to lure people to work while the whole country is slumbering. (Apart from their colleagues and counterparts, of course!!!).

“Why not?” Say many of them.
If giving up just a good night’s sleep puts their and their family’s life style on a pedestal, then why not?

Consumer goods which were classified as luxury have entered the comfort zone and the comfort goods have turned out to be necessities- Thanks to the venture of these call centres and BPO’s and consequential high CTC’s. This has also resulted in a growth in the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and a significant boost to the nation's economy.

A decade back, owning one house was an effort for the people in the middle class. Now they are going for a second house without a hitch. People who could not afford motorbikes are now capable of buying cars. The traffic chaos in cities are explained with the resulting explosion in the number of vehicles (as if one explosion was not enough for our country to deal with – Population explosion!!!). The malls that have mushroomed all over are a proof of the increased spending power of the consumers. The standard of living has risen and this is an advantage to the nation as a whole.

Before this trend started, the average indian had emotional satisfaction (exceptions always there), but craved for material comforts. Now tables have turned. People are earning more, but what are they facing on the emotional, physical and social front?

More Divorceable marriages, greater health risks due to bad eating and sleeping patterns, sexually/emotionally deprived partners, rising adultery, increased robberies, deteriorating cultural and moral values, neglected children, less time for self-development and family and the list goes on.

All people, working in these grave yard shifts, have experienced one or more disadvantages mentioned above. But none wants to come out of it and lose the money in the game. The salary they get here they can’t get in 9 to 5 jobs.

What is the money for, if eventually one is not living a quality life?
But they ask “How can we live a quality life if we don’t have enough money?”

Share your experiences and views please.

varalotti · Feb 10, 2006

These BPOs have proved a Point in Bible!

That's a very good point to start thinking on, Prathi. The Bible says "Man does not live by bread alone."
These BPOs have proved the point beyond doubt. The BPO executives get a good salary. All the advantages stop there. Working in inhuman shifts especially in the prime years will have a serious effect on health. In fact I know a couple where the husband works for a BPO (CTC Rs.6 lakhs) and the wife works for a consultancy firm (CTC Rs.5 lakhs). The husband works the graveyard shifts, the wife, the general shifts. They meet only during the weekends.
In the case of unmarried girls and boys, the BPO culture has seriously affected their morality.
When we were very young in the 70s we used to go to typewriting institutes to meet and fall in love with girls.
But there, at that time, what was in the air was romance. But in BPOs what is practised is nothing but raw sex. I have seen young people getting burnt out because of that.
It's very difficult to sustain your morals while you are in such a surrounding and such a time.
I would like all of you to read ONE NIGHT AT CALL CENTRE by Chetan Bhagat.
BPO work does not fill your mind and soul, it just fills the pocket.
And thus BPOs have proved beyond doubt the Biblical words, Man does not live by bread alone.
regards,
sridhar

prathi · Feb 11, 2006

It's a Chakravyooha

Dear Varalotti,

I agree with you when u say " BPO work does not fill your mind and soul, it just fills the pocket. "But it is filling the hollows in many aspects of life.

My brother is a BE in Mechanical. He has been working for a well known BPO from when he started his career. He draws a handsome CTC like many of his counterparts and also gets fine allowances and benefits, which he could not have even dared to dream of in an engineering firm. He has claim to medical insurance which is extended to parents too. My mother's breast cancer treatment has cost more than couple of lakhs by now and most of it (90%) is covered under insurance. Is such a thing not reason enough to stay there and never move to day shift jobs (which "usually" offer very stringent benefits)? I think each BPO worker has some reason or the other to stay.

That doesn't mean i am totally for these jobs. The cultural, moral and emotional draw backs stand the same as we discussed. But i just wanted to cite an example why these workers are dragged deeper into this eddy.
What can be said is may be they have to concentrate on preserving the cultural and moral values too.(Not all have lost them so to say)

Varloo · Feb 23, 2006

Can't have the cake and eat it too

Hai,
In bpos, it is always night shifts only, that is what makes it very difficult. I was working in the Booking counter in Railways, we had night shifts (women too). But it was twice a week or one week once in 3 months. There was not much time to relax, but it was okay. I was a spinster then. But managing a family and doing night shifts may be very difficult.
Youngsters who want to earn good money in an honest way can opt for BPO , till they get a better job. There is always some problem or other in all jobs. Even travelling executives and reps and service people do not eat at the right times.
My husband works in the Refinaries, in the manufacturing section. Now it has been 21 years since he joined. Itis shift all the way, 2 morning, 2 evening and 2 nights then 2 days off. He just enjoys his work because their work is not very difficult and they get more time to attend to other business. He would not even think of working 9 to 5 in his wildest dreams.And for me and him, it was easy to adjust shifts and avoid taking leave. But he will not be there during deepavali or pongal or such festivals except if that day he gets his weekly off. I am used to that and I never complain. There are many people who work like that in all walks. And you can't have the cake and eat it too.
varloo

Pree · Dec 10, 2006

Other than call centers where night shifts are mundane, there are many BPO jobs where night shifts can be for a short stint depending on the project. And it is a pocket filler if we have not found our nitche - development of KPO's and the like where Finance and mainstram activities have come to be offshored the talent pool in our country has found their career call.

It is upto the individual to take a look at himself and organize their lives - nite shifts alone cannot be blamed for this. true it can be a health hazard. But here too, one needs to look for opportunities for growth that allow us to have a say in the shift we might take up.

Pree

sunkan · Dec 10, 2006

itis not the BPO alone ......

It is not the BPO alone, all mnc have their foreign timings and my son in law working in IBM, has different timing leaving in the morning at 2 or 3 then back by 2 or 3 in the afternoon and like how preethi says food and sleep all varies even my daughter quit her job in IBM, so she could be available for her husband and to think of babies but nothing so far...ultimately the natural things get affected ...right! money is there but no life which could be a sure shot..abt timing and meeting....yes the weekend is grt they r also living high standards..but in the long run, dont know ,as they r young now...regards sunkan