With a rich work experience of close to 8.5 years in International Accounting with one of the world’s leading BPO industries, my job often required a lot of traveling across the Globe. This may sound high profile, however when I talked of my job profile in a word “BPO, requiring travel”…. I often encountered raised eyebrows, especially when its India.
Some of them get all pepped up with.. “Ooooooooooh!!!! That sounds great”.Most often this is not the kind of reaction I came across…its mostly like “Oh!! I have I heard, BPO employees are regular in most of the Page 3 parties and at the pubs”, “I thought all of them have little of character, health issues due to odd working habits”
To be honest, these comments never really took me by surprise nor do I completely deny the same. However, the reactions are not applicable to all, its just that they get noticed and the most who do not fall into the bracket so un-noticed. We being human make the mistake of generalizing to include the entire fraternity.
The fact is, You are, What you choose to be. So irrespective of BPO or not, the Page 3, Pubs, adultery and all others would still prevail. BPO’s just provide you with an opportunity.
What’s good about BPO Culture
BPO’s I think is the best that could have happened to today’s generation. I have in my 8.5 years of BPO experience, traveled and lived all across the US of A, Europe and Mauritius. I have not just enjoyed traveling, trekking, sight-seeing and shopping at these places, but also firmly believe that these experiences have carved me as a better person, broadened my outlook towards the life and people from different cultures. When you start working with people from different nationalities, cultures and faiths, you begin to get more tolerant towards mankind.
Before I actually started traveling across globe, I had my own set of beliefs of the emotional quotients, importance of family to the western world, marriage to a couple. It was when I started getting to know them, that I realized, we are all the same. Its just that the Cultures, Beliefs and Social behaviors are different that determines our outlook to how to see things and react to them. At the end, across the globe, the human being is the same, everyone wants to be happy, wants to be with their loved ones and need their egos tamed.
BPO’s today have changed our outlook towards rest of the world. They are instrumental in bridging cultural differences and tolerance.
What’s not so good about BPO Culture
BPO’s also bring with it certain aspects which are not that too healthy.
Today’s youth from what I have seen, are not too keen on pursuing higher education, and are just too keen on getting into a BPO immediately after their graduation or even before graduation. Simply because, they are in demand and get paid exorbitantly, so why study is the frame of mind.
BPO brings with it tough competition. In the strive for existence, we often stretch our limits, working almost close to average daily 15-16 hours, which invites a lot of health issues, upsetting work-life balance and lot of stress. Since, most of the average working age of the employees here is around 22 to 35 years, stress and work-life balance could do a lot to upset your Value of Healthy LIFE. This could be one of the major reasons for more divorces and depressions amongst them.
The list is not confined to the above good and bad sides of the BPO industry. However, what needs to be realized is nothing is good or bad in totality, its what we pick and choose to follow and believe, gives it the color that it projects. I leave it with this thought.
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