Incident – On November 29, a large BPO in Gurugram introduced a new shift-rostering system that resulted in mandatory 11-hour duty cycles for hundreds of employees. Management argued this was necessary due to U.S. holiday load and limited staffing. Workers claimed they were given no choice and threatened with “performance flags” if they declined. Several employees walked out in protest, prompting police deployment at the office gate. Labour authorities have demanded an explanation on working-hour compliance.
Emotional/Workplace Impact – Employees described feeling exploited, saying the BPO used festive workload as a cover for forced overtime. Many reported physical exhaustion, especially women commuting late at night. Some employees said they feared resigning because jobs are scarce, yet the long hours left them mentally drained. Discussions on Reddit reveal widespread fear that BPOs may abuse flexibility under the new labour codes. Morale has plunged: workers feel their well-being has been traded for client metrics, and they fear retaliatory ratings if they raise concerns formally.
Compliance/Leadership Lens – Under the labour codes, the basic workday remains eight hours and weekly limits still apply. Any overtime must be voluntary and compensated at twice the normal wage rate. Forcing extended shifts without consent or proper compensation may trigger penalties. Leadership must review shift approvals, maintain electronic overtime consent logs, and conduct health-risk assessments for extended hours. For women, late-night safety protocols must be strictly followed. This incident is a reminder that flexibility cannot become coercion; compliance, documentation and consent are key.
How can companies design peak-season scheduling without forcing unsafe or illegal hours?
Should overtime consent be captured digitally to ensure transparency?
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7Emotional/Workplace Impact – Employees described feeling exploited, saying the BPO used festive workload as a cover for forced overtime. Many reported physical exhaustion, especially women commuting late at night. Some employees said they feared resigning because jobs are scarce, yet the long hours left them mentally drained. Discussions on Reddit reveal widespread fear that BPOs may abuse flexibility under the new labour codes. Morale has plunged: workers feel their well-being has been traded for client metrics, and they fear retaliatory ratings if they raise concerns formally.
Compliance/Leadership Lens – Under the labour codes, the basic workday remains eight hours and weekly limits still apply. Any overtime must be voluntary and compensated at twice the normal wage rate. Forcing extended shifts without consent or proper compensation may trigger penalties. Leadership must review shift approvals, maintain electronic overtime consent logs, and conduct health-risk assessments for extended hours. For women, late-night safety protocols must be strictly followed. This incident is a reminder that flexibility cannot become coercion; compliance, documentation and consent are key.
How can companies design peak-season scheduling without forcing unsafe or illegal hours?
Should overtime consent be captured digitally to ensure transparency?
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