More than 20,000 technicians lost their jobs following “silent layoffs”, according to AIITEU

BENGALURU: More than 20,000 IT/ITeS employees lost their jobs through ‘silent’ layoffs in FY24 alone, according to the All India IT & ITeS Employees’ Union (AIITEU).

“This is just the tip of the iceberg and there are many other issues in the industry including late onboarding, non-payment of overtime, lack of a local point of contact for employees working since their hometown and the announcement of failed background checks after the employees joined the organization,” said AIIEU general secretary Saubhik Bhattacharya. TNIE.

According to the association, their actual number is thought to exceed 20,000. Companies are also said to force their employees to resign because they can cut costs by avoiding severance pay.

Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) Chairman Harpreet Singh Saluja said that in the first five months of this year alone, around 2,000 to 3,000 employees lost their jobs.

“Moreover, these silent layoffs are happening across locations, cities, and projects. For example, if there are 80 members in a project, two to three people are laid off, for various reasons,” he said.

“In the IT sector in India, quiet layoffs incentivize employees to leave on their own, thereby avoiding the stigma of layoffs. This is also to prevent talented employees from looking for other jobs when layoffs are announced. However, this method creates a demoralizing work environment and undermines trust and respect, thereby eroding the ethical foundations of the company. To avoid this, clear communication between companies and employees is crucial,” said Anup Menon, Vice President, CIEL HR Services.