Click to play videoNew Delhi: First data theft and now drug menace. After charges of widespread drug abuse, the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry is now subjecting employees to dope tests.
Communication skills and aptitude are no longer enough to get you a job in the growing BPO sector — you will also have to pass the medical tests.
Companies are now resorting to routine testing of urine samples of their employees. Breath analyser tests are also being performed to ensure that no one reports to work drunk.
"If the issue is big then one has to come up with a mechanism to deal with the issue. We also have counselling facilities for our employees,” Managing Director of a BPO, Vineet Mittal said.
Most BPO employees are in the age group of 18-25 and earn enough to afford drugs. Excuses like odd working hours and the need to fight sleep and fatigue come in handy for these youngsters.
"Even parents seem to be taking it easy. Instead of controlling their wards, parents think that they are earning well and hence let them get away with anything,” psychiatrist, Dr Rajendra Barwe said.
Cases of companies suffering losses because of inebriated employees have also come to light. Hence, companies say they are being forced to take tough decisions to combat this menace.
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