DesiPundit

Anyone noticed the attrition rate in the BPO industry (you can search for it on NASSCOM)? Although I do not agree with the ‘Roman Slave Ship’ comment, I also do not agree with those who paint a rather too bright picture of it. Economic compulsion yes, but a bright future out of it? Maybe only for a few. Why are so many people in BPO industries voting with their feet?

@Mridula

1. For most people, BPO is a stepping stone for greater things (saving money for a MBA). They knew they were going to leave the day they joined.

2. BPOs, by and large, do not create marketable skills that can be used as an advantage in non-BPO contexts. Many people quit once they realize that.

3. High Attrition rates do not necessarily mean that people are voting with their feet. They may be moving from one BPO company to another because the real payhike happens once you change jobs.
And with salaries in the sector rising like they are, this seems to be a pretty good explanation.

@ Greatbong

1. Yes, I too understand that BPO is not the stepping stone. So what are you trying to tell me?

2. Yes, I again realize that BPOs do not create transferrable skills and that may in part explain the high attrition rate?

3. Even though BPO is not creating transferrable skills, people will change jobs within BPOs and not vote with their feet? Strange logic!

Believe me, I am not painting BPOs black. They give employment so so many, but things are not white exactly. As you yourself said, BPOs do not create tranferrable skills, they are not an unmixed blessings. I would rather have them any day with the present job scene, I refrain from painting them white too.

I am trying to tell you that people when they leave BPOs are not “voting with their feet” but because 1) they quit because never wanted to work there (its not that the work experience in the BPO that made them leave) in the first place 2) they realize they are not going anywhere 3) some people are fine with the skill-stagnation and just move from company to company to get more money.

None of falls under “voting with their feet” and hence high attrition rates really cannot be interpreted as disgust with BPOs—I dont know what you cant understand about this. Sorry.

So BPOs are all white with no shades of grey? Unmixed blessings?? That is what I am trying to ask, I could not put it in any simpler terms. Really really sorry.

We cannot state with any certainity why people leave BPOs. It could be a combination of both the things the two minds above are saying. Checked and ticked off for consistency and clarity by TDU.