Apr 12, 2017 10:27 PM
13097 Views
My Experience: I recently joined IBM a few months back. And at first I thought maybe astrologically I am going through a bad phase. but then soon realized that IBM is operating worse than most small scale accounting companies and general stores in small towns.
IBM hired me from the starting as a NCR candidate. From the interview till the handshake at the end. from offer letter till HR formalities. they all happened with NCR in mind. But the next day I found out that they hire candidates assuming that they will relocate anywhere IBM wants. I understand that every company has such norms but it is done in a gentlemanly way. And its rarely done with experienced candidates who have permanent locations and families.
After joining they took several weeks to provide laptop(otherwise you cant even fill up your bank details and get salary credited to your account). The HR submissions took whole day with 200-300 rupees worth of printouts and photostats they required(and they claim they are a digital IT company). Their pre-joining portal asked for those same documents with digital signature. and then asking to see originals and submit several copies is bizarre.
Anyways. after several weeks of joining I got the laptop. I saw that the Noida building was deserted. I came to know from others that most people work from home or come in shifts. I was not assigned any seat. They provided a people manager who sat abroad so I couldnt communicate with him. They provided a HR who would FIND a project for me and he sat in some other state so he never replied to calls.
The HR sent me a harsh mail as if I am being punished that there are no projects in Delhi/NCR. I will have to go to another state. He sent screenshot and circled the relocation policy knowing that I will say NO. When I called him after several attempts he picked up. And harshly said that I need to provide 3 locations of my choice(excluding my permanent one). Then he will TRY to find projects there. Then interview will happen with project managers. IF I AM LUCKY to get a project then I will have to relocate.
I refused.
Then I got only one call from a project manager and they provided me only 50% utilization project which ran from Ahmedabad. In India its impossible to communicate across cities. The project management and staff is pathetic. They dont know anything. Small issues are stretched as per bureaucracy. No communication happens and what does happen is miscommunication. I am assigned 4.25 hours a day and I am asked to resolve issues/attend conference calls till 7-8 pm.
So on paper I am 50% on bench. At the time of appraisal obviously they will see that since I was 50% on bench I am useless. And god forbid if I get another project it would have to be 50% utilization. and I will have to juggle full day work for 2 projects in half-half capacity.
I talked to some HRs and known people and they told me that IBM India/GBS is going through a pathetic phase. There are hardly any projects and hardly any projects that can provide full utilization for the day. Other policies: In IBM India there is no health insurance. There is a pathetic useless policy for you. And you have to pay a premium. This rarely happens in any other company. And if you have dependents then pay additional premium for them. And if your dependents are your parents(over 50) then the premium amount is huge.
Work from home is a encouraged but depending on your guts and project. Seeing the condition IBM is in most people prefer to come leisurely. They sit wherever(if the project is not of that building) even if they have to sit in the lobby and finish work ASAP. So interacting with co-workers or friends is impossible.
