The Infosys logo.
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A techie revealed on Reddit that they had worked at Infosys for nine years at a meagre salary of Rs 35,000 per month.
In a Reddit post, the techie detailed their "9 years experience of 'unchained' slavery".
This comes at a time when the country is beginning to question corporate cultures in their companies, and whether they are healthy or toxic in nature.
From conversations around work-life balance to the ratio between salaries and benefits provided vs the work that employees areis asked to do, people have slowly started to question the practices of the corporations they work for.
These questions are being asked of Infosys, whose chairman and co-founder Narayana Murthy's recent comments on implementing a 70-hour work week, emphasising the need to grind for success in life, drew flak from many quarters.
Reddit user @GoatTop607, who claimed to have worked for 9+ years at Infosys before switching to another IT giant, shared their experience of how Infosys is compared to the rest of the corporate world on the r/bangalore subreddit, calling their whole ordeal of working for the Bengaluru-based IT company as 'unchained slavery'.
From below-average salaries and hikes to having to comply with stringent rules, the Reddit user shared their ordeal while working for the Bengaluru-based IT giant.
Salary disparity
The netizen said that when they left Infosys after 9 years, they earned Rs 35k per month. Seven years since, working in different organisations, their salary has now grown more than 400 per cent to Rs 1.7 lakh per month currently.
"Whenever I refer ex-colleagues from Infosys to my current company, they often receive an 80-100 per cent hike, which underscores how underpaid they continue to be," they said, referring to the low salaries that Infosys reportedly pays its employees.
Luxuries to be paid for became perks given for free
Aside from monetary compensations, corporations also usually provide various benefits and perks. However, it seems that isn't the case in Infosys.
"At my current company, transportation is free. Back in Infosys, I paid ₹3,200 monthly for transport. Similarly, parking is free here, while I was charged to park my vehicle at Infosys," the Redditor said.
Canteen prices
One of the benefits various corporates provide is subsidized rates for their canteens, or similar arrangements. Speaking on the same, the Redditor said," A fresh fruit juice at my current workplace costs just ₹15-20, thanks to company-subsidized rates. At Infosys, the same juice would cost ₹40."
Promotions Vs 'Progession'
In most organisations, employees are generally promoted to various higher roles with additional perks and and a pay hike. Infosys, this netizen reported, has a very different system, where you slowly progress from one level to another in your position.
"Infosys had a system called 'progression,' where employees were moved up a sub-level (e.g., 4B to 4A) with no significant salary hike or change in responsibilities. In contrast, promotions at my current organization come with real responsibilities and a 15-25 per cent pay hike," the former employee said.
Salary hikes
The above system meant that the salary hikes were usually single digit numbers.
"My low take-home salary at Infosys was largely due to single-digit annual hikes (4-6 per cent) and wasted years in 'progression' stages." the Redditor said.
The 90-day notice period
Another problem the social media user highlighted was the 90-day notice period -- or three-month notice period -- which makes a job switch cumbersome.
On this, the user said, "The 3-month notice period at Infosys was a huge barrier to switching jobs, as many employers weren’t willing to wait that long. My current company, like many others, has a 2-month or shorter notice period."
School/ College like attendance policies
"Infosys required employees to maintain a mandatory monthly presence on campus, monitored through ID card swipes. This led to absurd scenarios like employees visiting the campus on weekends to complete laundry, just to meet the required hours," the netizen said.
Philanthropy vs. Employee Welfare
Infosys founders and the company, as a whole, are known for their philanthropy. However, employees felt these funds would have been better used in lining the workers' pockets.
Referring to this, the user said, "While Infosys founders often spoke about their charitable efforts, employees would joke about how the company could’ve directed some of that generosity toward better salaries and welfare for its workforce."
The non-existence of 'market correction'
Market corrections are increases or decreases given to one's salary if their is a difference between the industry standard and the employee's current salary.
"In Infosys, 'market correctio' in salaries was unheard of. In contrast, my current and previous companies periodically adjust salaries to match market trends," the former Infosys employee said.
The famed job security myth vs reality
One of the reasons Infosys had become a popular company to work at in its earlier days was because of the perceived job security. It was believed that if you worked hard enough and remained loyal to the company, it would remain loyal to you.
Such beliefs are a myth, the Redditor said, stating," The argument about Infosys providing unparalleled job security is overstated. I’ve seen colleagues who left Infosys find new roles within 3-5 months, if not sooner."
The netizen hoped that his experience would at least start a conversation about the need for systematic changes in workplace laws.
"These reflections are not just about venting but highlighting the need for systemic change. It’s high time we introduce a 'Minimum Wage Policy' in India for every role and sector. Labor policies must be revamped to ensure fair compensation and dignity for private sector professionals. I hope sharing my story sparks a broader conversation about the changes our industry desperately needs," the former Infosys employee said.
Users commenting on the post resonated with the original poster, sharing their own experiences in Infosys and other companies.
One user said, "You forgot to add one more thing. Not even kidding out of your in hand salary 2-3 per cent just goes into Infosys charity that every employee pays by default! They get all the fame and name for just donating that employees hard earned money as charity. Sometimes hikes are just that or nothing. CTC and in hand is a scam there"
Another asked the user, " Why did you take so long to leave the company? My understanding is that these mass recruiters are meant for short term employment else career growth is meant to be stagnated."
The original poster replied, "To be honest, like many of my colleagues, I initially believed that the work culture and practices at Infosys were the standard across the industry. Joining as freshers, we had little to no exposure to the outside world (I wish platforms like Glassdoor were as popular back then). Additionally, we were influenced by the blind faith in the brand value and the media hype surrounding Infosys at the time. Unfortunately, many of us found ourselves stuck later on, largely due to the 90-day notice period, which caused us to miss out on numerous opportunities."