Staff tense up for an uneasy weekend

One can see the tension, and one can feel it. At the spanking new office of Satyam computers at Mumbai’s Andheri area, the guard is under grim, and is apparently under instruction to keep away outsiders, report Radhika Pancholi and Yogesh Josh.

One can see the tension, and one can feel it. At the spanking new office of Satyam computers at Mumbai’s Andheri area, the guard is under grim, and is apparently under instruction to keep away outsiders.

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“Aapko jo bhi poochhna hai, office Hyderabad main hain, yahan par koi nahi, (You can take all your questions to our office in Hyderabad, they’ll talk, there’s no one to talk here),” he says curtly.

A group of employees get into the lift. Snatches of conversation convey the mood.

“Let’s see what happens at the meeting and then we will know, possibly by Monday, but I’ve heard people have already sent out their resumes and a lot of them could be leaving very soon,” says one.

They are talking of Saturday’s board meeting, but suddenly become conscious of a stranger in their midst, and a hint is thrown as they await what they hope would be a clearer Monday.

“I’m so fed up of everyone asking me what’s happening at Satyam, just speaking about it gets me depressed,” says a young man.

In one of the two Pune development centres, 2,000 employees, representing a much larger chunk of Satyam’s software army, kinder words are spoken of the new management that is keeping them informed to prevent devastating rumours.

He said most employees were calm outside, but are quietly looking for jobs elsewhere.

A woman employee who joined Satyam only recently said,"I have contacted consultanst and have forwarded my resume. I fear that amidst turbulent times like this, members like me who are junior will have to bear axe of loosing job first.”