Labour Market and Employment Relations in the Indian Information Technology Industry

Abstract

AbstractLabour Market - Employment Relations - Indian Information Technology Industry newlineTechnology disruption and the digital transformation of businesses have transformed the world of newlinework. While India has emerged as a powerful destination of offshore business, the pioneering Indian newlinefirms contributed to a major part of this success. However, when digitalisation is steering businesses, newlinethe people and firms of the IT industry are evolving. On the one hand, there is the belief that newlinetechnology adoption removes people and jobs, on the other hand, the industry cannot let go off the newlinepeople who have been its backbone. The firms in the industry are distinct ranging from software newlineservices to products to new age firms specialised in digital transformation. While the industry newlinegrapples through the digital revolution, each firm has its unique set of challenges and the need to newlinedevelop its own capabilities to survive. In this phase of rapid transition, in 2020, the Covid 19 newlinepandemic created turmoil in the labour markets globally. As the industry embraced the work from newlinehome model, it affected the people in terms of their work life harmony and the firm in terms of their newlinepolicies and employee relations. newlineWhat capabilities do firms and people need to survive the changes. How does employment relations newlineinternalise these dynamics? What awaits the IT employees in India and how has the Covid 19 newlinepandemic affected their work life harmony. This study explores the above research questions through newlinea mixed methods design. The study derives perspectives of both management and employees. The newlinecontemporary literature in India does not have an exhaustive explanation of the different dimensions newlineof the construct digitalisation and the influence it has on the people and firms in the IT industry. Both newlinefactors make the study unique. newlineiv newline