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NEWS: From power play, IT boys switch to plain play
>From power play, IT boys switch to plain play (FEATURE)
By Imran Qureshi, Indo-Asian News Service
Bangalore, Apr 21 (IANS) All work and no play makes Jack a dull IT
professional.
After working endlessly, IT professionals in this Indian nerve centre of the
industry have finally woken up to the virtues of having some fun at their
workplaces.
>From power play, offices are now switching over to plain games, at least
once a month.
Reprieved employees have Rajiv Kumar of funzter.com to thank for the break.
When gloom descended on workplaces in the wake of the economic slowdown
sparked by the September 2001 terror attacks on New Year and Washington,
Kumar reworked about 200 games and designed some of his own to "help those
little children who needed a helping hand."
That's when he designed his website www.funzter.com as an online front for
his "entertainment and games firm with an attitude".
The focus is on fun. The firm, for instance, has its own version of the
treasure hunt called the scavengers' hunt.
Kumar got eight clients in eight months: Wipro, Sasken Communication
Technologies, Digital Globalsoft, GE, Unimobile.com, Icode, Msource and Les
Concierges.
Today, he conducts five events a week.
The games provide a break for employees and act as a stress buster.
Says Mahidhar Reddy, senior manager at Digital Globalsoft's human resource
department: "It breaks the monotony of work and refreshes the mind. And it
definitely leads to employee integration."
Anil Kumar, head of human resources, Icode, echoes Reddy. "Some kind of
bonding takes place among employees and helps inter-personal relationships,"
he says.
Jyoti Ganapathy, associate professional, talent engagement and development,
Wipro Technologies, calls these games a "motivator".
"Such fun games provide a break from the hectic work schedules people keep
here. We added it to the package of non-work related activities," she says.
Some companies deliberately spring the game as a surprise so that
spontaneity is added to the excitement.
Kumar's charges add to the fun. Even the companies most frantically looking
to cut costs wouldn't carp at the mere Rs.500.
--Indo-Asian News Service
