Here are the cons that I faced:
- Company’s culture not ready for western employees, I think this might be deliberate so less westerns will work to justify bringing employees from India that they force to work for lower salaries and unlimited amount of hours without OT pay, I felt sorry for them but I couldn't do anything about it.
- Expense reimbursements feel like they are doing you a favor, what should be standard expense is considered “exception”, expense claims are approved by reporting manager when he has time, then it goes to his manager for approval who approves when he has time, expect anywhere between 1-4 weeks for reimbursement. I resigned over a month ago but still waiting for my last expense claim to be paid
- If your work will involve travel expect to stay in $60-75/night hotels unless you get exceptional approval. Expect to travel indirect flights for additional 5 hours unless you get an exceptional approval for direct flights. Expect to get exceptional approval for lunch+dinner+breakfast because allowances are below western standards. If you claim travel allowance then you are expected to use public transport, or you will need exceptional approval for taxis.
- No work life balance. During the bid phase the company decides on resourcing numbers, to undercut competition they deliberately plan on under-staffing hence reducing costs and winning the contract, during the delivery phase the numbers that were decided for staffing during the bid phase cannot be exceeded resulting in making exempt and non-exempt employees regularly work over 50-60 hours/week without extra pay. What’s even worse is that they don’t ask if you can work, they tell you that you will work, sometimes in less than 4 hour’s notice. The only time “work-life balance” comes up is during Christmas “shut down” period when employees are asked to take 1 week off using vacation if they have them and no pay if not, so the company saves money.
- If you have any salary related financial disputes do no expect any of the Indian managers to support. Only western managers stand behind their employees, but not too many of them around and the few that are around are looking to leave. For example, if you have an initiative with a bonus KPI that management decided to postpone then expect to get 0% achievement instead of removing it, and no Indian manager will support your case. By Indian managers I mean as high as region vice presidents; they are too scared to rock the boat on behalf of their teams.
- Almost all employees in General manager level and below that are with the company in the US are there because they have to be due to their visa status, or are looking for other jobs to leave. As soon as Indian employee gets his green card he leaves within 2 months for better pay and working conditions.
- Key positions are in India, most holding them have never left their towns to have a broader understanding of the working/business culture in bigger cities not to mention western work/business culture.
