Despite BPOs implementing many security measures for the safety of their employees, especially women, they continue to live in constant fear of an impending mishap.
Call centers across India point out that they have done a lot to ensure their employees’ safety, but the staff want more to be done
Despite BPOs implementing many security measures for the safety of their employees, especially women, they continue to live in constant fear of an impending mishap.
A 24-year-old employee of Mphasis BPO in Bangalore says: “Whatever the security measures, in the end it is for us to protect ourselves. We might have a guard by our side or be trained with self-defence techniques, but when faced with the situation, we will be left alone.” Another employee of Infosys BPO in Bangalore echoes that fear by alleging the measures on paper are not strictly followed. “There were times when my female colleagues had to ask their fathers, brothers or husbands to pick them up as they were the only ones to travel last. The supervisors on duty too are not very keen on the security aspect,” he said. “A few steps like drivers wearing an identity card, security for women who are dropped last or picked up first have been taken. But we do not have any clue whether they check records of the drivers,” said a customer service executive from Intelenet, a call centre located in Mumbai.
Another BPO employee in Pune, where over 50,000 people work in various call centres, Vaishnavi Jawadekar said companies don’t take complete responsibility for female employees even now. “If BPOs appoint them, they must ensure their safety till the girls reach home. Appointing lady guards could prove as a good option,” she said. And this is not happening. According to a 21-year-old employee with Transworks in Mumbai, at the end of the shift, the security guard supposed to accompany the woman is never available. “When I insisted on waiting for the guard to come, the manager who organises the pickups and drops refused to look out for him,” said the Mira Road resident, adding that just because an employee insists on something, they try to take revenge by releasing the car later than its usual time.
The companies admit that there are glitches in implementing all the security measures strictly. “There is a problem of availability of security guards to send with women employees,” said general manager (operations support) Ram Ramakrishnan of Wipro Technologies in Bangalore. “Employees should report to the desk that there is no male colleague or a security guard to travel with them, and avoid the risk of travelling alone. But we admit that we cannot follow each measure strictly,” he added.
While police say employee security is the responsibility of the employer, tech firms say that it a joint responsibility. The Bangalore police are now planning to conduct an audit on the compliance of the rules by the IT/BPO industry. “By-and-large, companies follow the easier rules, but when it comes to measures requiring logistical and infrastructure support, like installing tracking system in cars, there is hesitation,” said the Bangalore deputy commissioner of police Soumendu Mukherjee.
City police commissioner Dhananjay Jadhav said such incidents are not common in Mumbai. Though if needed, the police will soon start talking workshops and seminars for women call centre executives and car drivers on the lines of Pune police, he said.
With inputs from Bhargavi Kerur (Bangalore), Jyoti Shelar (Mumbai), Gitesh Shelke & Ankita Maru (Pune)
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