KOLKATA: Rocked by the alleged gang rape of a 30-year-old telecaller at a party with office colleagues last week, BPO and ITES industry in the city is considering bringing in a fresh set of guidelines during all parties among office staff and fresh grooming of woman employees.
"What has happened is scary. Parties and fun activities are very much part of incentives and the way of life in this industry. But after learning about the experience of the girl, we believe time has come for a greater HR role in framing new policies and guidelines for such parties and at the same time groom women employees on safe drinking habits at parties," said Kalyan Kar, vice president of Sector V Stakeholders' Association - a body of representatives from IT and ITES companies in Sector V.
A 30-year-old BPO executive lodged a complaint on Wednesday alleging she was gang-raped during a party at a city guest house last week where the woman claimed two men and one woman - all senior colleagues - had allegedly spiked her drinks and the two men raped her in one of the rooms before they left leaving her in the room, unconscious and without any clothes on her body.
Based on her complaint, all three FIR accused persons have been arrested and are currently in police custody. However, police investigation found that the guest house where the party took place wasn't booked under the name of the BPO where they used to work but was booked by one of the employees who was also at the party on Saturday.
"In BPO culture, it is a common practice to organise small parties as incentives after completion of every target. Company managers set specific sales targets to team leaders, who after completion of the same get treated either by lunch coupons at restaurants or small parties with booze among the team members. During most such parties there are office seniors who also attend it and thus some decorum is maintained. It is also ensured women are not allowed to go home alone and that they reach safely. But there are also some parties that office employees organise among themselves where the office has no real control," said a senior official of a BPO in sector V.
An official of another BPO in New Town said after the incident they are considering making some orientation programmes during people engagements and town hall sessions on certain decorum to be maintained during fun activities.
"This industry is full of young men and women who are often immature and have limited knowledge about spending habits as well as ways to behave in a party. While we as companies cannot direct people's private behaviours but we can groom the employees, especially women, to be more conscious while drinking, particularly with new friends, including office colleagues. In case they are in trouble in any such party, a mechanism can be developed wherein they can seek HR help," said the official.
Kar said he would soon take it up with IT and BPO firms to frame a set of dos and dont's in such parties and would stress for a helpline where a woman can reach office in case she is in distress.
