Information Systems - yes, that’s where Infosys Technologies Limited has derived it’s name from. Emerging as one of the top Software firms in India, Infosys has recently bagged the third position in the list of top 10 best performing IT Services providers worldwide, rated by Global Services, a specialized publication for IT businesses.
A sneak-peak into a few of the recognitions this company has received in the last business year:
The results of the Best Companies to Work for in India 2006 Survey, conducted by Business Today put Infosys at #1(overall).
Forbes Asia chose Nandan M. Nilekani, the Chief Executive Officer of Infosys Technologies Ltd., as the Businessman of the Year 2006. Heading a company that has consistently been on the Forbes Asia Fabulous 50 list, Nandan was given this distinction for his unique management of rapid growth alongside rapid change.
1, 986 trainees joined Infosys on June 26. This is once again the largest number of trainees to join any IT company on a single day. 734 trainees joined the Hyderabad DC and 1, 252 joined the Mysore DC. If the 90 laterals who joined the company across locations are taken into account, then, the number crosses 2, 000 employees!
Infosys CEO Nandan M. Nilekani has been featured in TIME 100: The People Who Shape Our World.
Infosys ranked in top 50 among Business Week’s 100 most innovative companies - Ranked #10 in Asia-Pacific, #32 in the world.
Sparsh, the Infosys intranet, was named one of the “Top 10 Intranets of 2007”(honors shared with the likes of Microsoft Corporation(US), DaimlerChrysler AG(Germany), National Geographic Society(US) and Volvo Group(Sweden), among others) by the Nielsen Norman Group(NN/g), a global usability consulting and training organization, spearheaded by pioneers in the field of usability.
Numerous such small distinctive features add almost daily to Infosys’ march towards a world of glory.
Disclaimer: Today, I would speak in general about Infosys. It will be my personal overview of a professional Indian firm and not a technical account of a software giant.
*The Beginning:
*"In 1981, led by N.R. Narayana Murthy, seven young professionals started a small company in Pune, India. Infosys Consultants Pvt. Ltd. began with just US$250, zero infrastructures and a dream to create quality software. Along the way, they rewrote the rules of the industry, inspired a generation and redefined India’s image in the world." That’s how this journey began; with an eternal quest to achieve the best, to be a part of the best. Infosys turned 25 in July, 2006.
*The Work Environment:
*Truly speaking, Infy can boast of its ambience. Moving across the DCs from Thiruvananthapuram to Chandigarh or from Bhubaneswar to Pune, you’ll get the same look and feel of everything in the campus. Similar building structures, Employee Care Centers, gymnasium, swimming pools, libraries, eating joints. The Software Development Blocks housing the employees give you a continuous feeling of a known environment no matter which DC you are in. The accommodation provided is first class too. The Training Center at Mysore deserves a special mention for it’s grandeur as well as facilities. It can provide accommodation to 1.5 to 2K trainees at one go. The Global Education Center(solely for trainees) is a monumental structure with the best of Lecture Halls and computing facilities. Living as an in-house trainee in Mysore was an amazing experience. The training part was tough like hell but the personal care made up a lot for the professional stress.
As regards interaction with top authorities, Infy excels in promoting an acceptable and respectable method of communication. The only thing which works here is one-to-one communication behind closed doors. No shouting at anyone, no pinpointing anyone in front of the rest of the crowd. This does provide for a healthier outlook with confident employees who don’t have to do away with their self-respect. The hierarchy is always maintained and there is enough professionalism in the air. You are provided with a lot of room to add value to your own life. If you need a mentor, your immediate boss or someone higher up is always there to provide you with useful advice. It’s your work and if you choose to build on it, you won’t usually be left alone without any helping hand.
*Employee Satisfaction:
*Overall Infosys seems to have maintained a faithful employee following. With some exceptions, it has been able to draw out the maximum possible good from its employees. However, a lot of loopholes do remain. The attrition rate is higher as compared to many other Software giants and the probable reason might be the comparatively bleak salary structure. Infosys, unlike TCS and Wipro bank solely upon software business and so they do need to have a repository which can come in handy if the software boom subsides. Also, the amount spent on providing extra facilities do have their toll on the overall salary tree. The work environment does happen to be much healthy as compared to equivalent firms but sometimes it becomes unacceptable to employees who are more concerned about cash than kind(In fact this business environment hardly exists in Indian companies and if Infy does succeed to hold on to its spirits, it will surely be termed a pioneer in the near future). There isn’t really a dearth of satisfied faces in Infy, but then again there are quite handfuls who beg to differ.
*Being a part of Infosys:
*Being an Infoscion does give me a lot of special feelings that can never be obliterated. I myself am not a geek but I do love to work in here. Though I tend to be more inclined towards hardcore(Bio Medical field in particular), I like almost everything about this place. It feels good to see such uniformity in policies, such unbiased treatment of employees, such transparency in dealing with issues or people in general. Yes, there are exceptions; as there are to every rule. From one person to another, the perspective and treatment varies. Some people tend to fall for the money part and litter up the work place with the minimum amount of courtesy or team-man ship. Some on the other, lead from the front and set examples for others to emulate. The overall work culture is extremely positive and usually tends to bring out the best human face you have.
Infosys Technologies Limited has added a lot to my short professional life. It has added confidence, professionalism, team-spirit and especially an urge to excel in my personal life in a healthy manner. It has added the importance of maintaining a positive atmosphere in and around my work-place; it has added in me the power to move ahead but not at the cost of my values. Yes, it truly has lived up to its words "Powered by Intellect, Driven by Values".
Thanks for the reading…:)