Why do techies have to work long hours like Narayana Murthy when others are preparing for Diwali?

 Why do techies have to work long hours like Narayana Murthy when others are preparing for Diwali?

While the holiday season adds to the strain for all techies, software developers, computer engineers, DevOps engineers, and IT support personnel are particularly burdened since they handle crucial projects that can't wait.

Techies work hard to make sure they can really enjoy the festival of lights while juggling late-night bug patches, client calls, and project delivery.

Information technology workers often face a race against time in the month before Diwali. Working late at night becomes commonplace when customers are pressing for quick fixes and deadlines are approaching. Many people are stuck at their workstations, fighting through intransigent lines of code, even in the face of the enticing scent of freshly baked cookies and the brilliant brightness of colorful lights.

While juggling late-night bug patches, client conversations, and project deliverables, these conscientious professionals work hard to make sure they can enjoy the festival of lights to the fullest.

Raghav Deora, a 28-year-old IT fanatic, toils diligently at a prominent Bangalore software company. He talks about his aim to have a fervent "actual Diwali," saying, "I won't let work steal the joy from Diwali, which is our most cherished festival." I worked additional hours in the weeks before it in an effort to wrap up any loose ends.

Seeking a "genuine Diwali" celebration involves more than simply staying away from late hours and spending quality time with family; it also entails finding a true respite from the incessant noise of messages and calls. For IT workers, who are used to never being off the clock, Diwali offers a break from their digital chains. They cling to the slim hope that they would have a stress-free Diwali thanks to their efforts as the celebration draws near.

"Diwali is a time for celebration, tradition, and getting together. The smiles on my family's cheeks when I get to spend meaningful time with them, even if I sometimes have to work hard to get it, says 32-year-old Namit Chaturvedi*, the manager of two IT teams with a combined workforce of around 14 people.

Mumbai-based Nadeema Farheen*, 30, made fun of Infosys founder Narayana Murthy's recent remarks that young people should work 70 hours a week by claiming that she has already been working more than that for the last two months.

"To avoid calls with clients on and after Diwali, our manager has been pushing us to finish all projects before November 10," the spokesperson said. She also mentioned that she had not heard of anything like "overtime pay."

Harpreet Singh Saluja, President of the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) located in Pune, has seen that firms are keen to finish off projects before the year ends. This observation is based on his interactions with IT professionals. Due to this, IT professionals often get unreasonable timelines, which might force them to work overtime and on holidays.

While the additional demand around the holidays affects all IT professionals, certain professions are more impacted than others. Because they handle crucial jobs that cannot wait, DevOps engineers, IT support personnel, software developers, and system engineers experience heightened stress. These jobs are impacted as well since they often call for a high degree of specialization and skill.

Saluja reports that he has heard complaints from IT professionals who claim they aren't compensated for overtime they put in during the holidays.

What businesses are executing

Moneycontrol contacted a number of significant IT firms, including Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, IBM, L&T Technology Services, Persistent Systems, Coforge, and Mphasis, among others, to find out what they are doing to assist workers through this difficult trip. Wipro was the only one to reply.

Wipro, which employs over 2.5 lakh people, claims that its use of flexible and hybrid working modes allows it to effectively manage its staff and prevent overwork.

Throughout the year, a significant portion of our workforce works in shifts based on holiday schedules and client demand. A Wipro representative told Moneyontrol, "We also offer a variety of benefits to our employees who work on holidays including night shifts, such as compensation offs, shift allowance, and home pickup/drop."

Additionally, Wipro has international delivery teams spread across several time zones and geographical areas, which enables it to take advantage of its worldwide reach and lessen the negative effects of holiday seasons on service standards and quality in certain areas.

The strategies managers use

Encouraging early planning was one of the main measures recommended by a senior operations executive for an Indian multinational corporation. "Teams should schedule their work well in advance, making sure that important projects are finished in time for Diwali. This will help workers to unwind and enjoy the celebrations.

He said that several groups inside his organization scheduled their tasks three to four months in advance. In addition, the corporation brought in temporary or off-roll personnel from outside India for projects that required completion around or after Diwali.

Scheduling flexibility came up as yet another important suggestion. According to Arvind, an IT manager at a software company in Bengaluru, "offering flexible work hours including remote work options during the weeks preceding up to Diwali will help employees manage their academic commitments without wasting out on the celebrations."

He claimed that flexibility in working hours and location would allow staff go above and beyond the call to finish tasks, even in the face of an increase in requests to return to the office. Arvind said that this need to go on for the week after Diwali as well.

And last, effective communication is essential. According to a number of workflow managers, managers need to inform staff members about project timetables in order to allow techies to put off needless vacation days before Diwali and finish tasks on schedule.