Nov 16 2022, 07:46 PM, updated 4y ago
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63619920
Thousands of young Indians are suddenly staring at an uncertain future as technology companies and start-ups announce mass layoffs due to global headwinds and funding crunches. But many are refusing to stay quiet about it.
In October, when Ravi (name changed on request) realised that he and several colleagues were likely to lose their jobs with a major Indian edtech firm, he immediately set up a private messaging group with them.
The group soon became a "safe space" for Ravi and his teammates to air their fears, share tips on dealing with the management and discuss labour laws and workers' rights.
"It helped many in the team negotiate better exit policies with the company," Ravi says.
The past few months have been difficult for Indian workers in private companies - especially in the tech sector. Edtech firms Byju's and Unacademy have cut hundreds of jobs; social media giant Twitter has laid off more than half of its staff in India and Indians are among those affected after Meta - Facebook's parent company - shaved off about 13% of its 87,000-strong workforce.
The spate of layoffs has sparked outrage on social media and many of those affected are turning to the internet - like their counterparts in other countries - to air their dissatisfaction and form support networks.
They're tweeting about unceremonious firings, asking for jobs on LinkedIn, and using messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Slack to rally colleagues, assert their rights and share information with journalists.
This is partly because the culture of shame and silence that once existed around redundancies in India is gradually wearing thin as mass layoffs become more common.
Pritha Dutt, a management and development sector professional, says that even a couple of decades ago, terminations were most likely chalked up to "a performance issue".
"Today, layoffs and downsizing have become accepted business practices, so terminations are no longer a taboo topic," she says.
And while the jury is still out on how effective social media is as a tool for redressal, experts say that it is helping unite and amplify voices, especially as trade unions are no longer as powerful as they used to be.
While millions of Indian workers still belong to trade unions, the movement as a whole has been weakening for years. A number of factors - including burgeoning private sector jobs, new labour reforms and a rise in contractual work - have played a role in denting their membership and might.
"Along with employers making themselves more accessible, social media too is giving employees a platform to air their grievances, thereby reducing the need for a mediator - a role traditionally played by unions," says Professor Chandrasekhar Sripada at the Indian School of Business.
India tech workers fight back amid mass layoffs
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