Indian BPO Security Issues

In 2005 a Bangalore based BPO employee was murdered. The killing of Prathibha created havoc around the country in what was otherwise a booming Indian BPO industry. The security of all employees soon became the main focus of BPO companies. All companies who operated at night enlisted several security measures to enforce safer working conditions, particularly for the female employees.

It is a normal practice for BPOs who operate at night to provide pick and drop facilities to ensure the safety of their employees. Prior to the Bangalore incident, only very few companies had the practice of providing security personnel for each drop.

After the incident in 2005, many companies came forward with safety measures such as no female employees are permitted for first pick up or last pick up. If a female must make a last drop then it is mandatory that a security person be provided for each drop. In addition, companies now perform a strict background check for each of their transport suppliers and their drivers. Any driver found with a criminal background is refused the opportunity to be used for the services.

But, how many of these BPOs still follow these strict safety measures? As the incident in Pune, India suggests, not very many. In Pune, a 22 year old female employee of IT major Wipro call center, Jyoti Chaudary was allegedly raped and murdered by the taxi driver hired by the company, along with an accomplice. This does raise eyebrows as to why a female was used for first pick up. It also raises concerns as to whether or not employees are taking enough additional measure to actually ensure their own safety.

The incident has brought back to the surface the ever rising security issues in the BPO industry and will surely have an impact on the industry as a whole. If this incident adds to the existing fears of night shift jobs in the female employees particularly, then the Indian BPO industry will face many productivity issues in the very near future.