Outsourcing and the common man

I often wish I could live in an “outsourcing” free world. It is a magic word for organisations struggling to become more and more resource efficient every day in a highly competitive global environment. But for some individuals it might cause lot of moral and ethical mortifications to be in the company of co-workers who do not share the same kind of privileges which comes naturally to them by being part of an organised workforce in a professionally run organisation. I have been part of both pre and post outsourcing eras. As a manager having to work with limited budgets there is no way I can ignore the advantages of this phenomenon which to me is a necessary evil .But as a colleague and co-worker I do miss the immense bonding and fellow feeling that used to exist amongst people when outsourcing was still an alien concept for strategists and financial planners. For example our local staff cooperative society which still exists was formed decades ago by a few well meaning individuals just to help colleagues in the lowest order of the organisational hierarchy who were forever in debt due to their infamous habits and were perpetually chased by kabuliwallas and their cronies (the fearsome money lenders from Kabul). Now the people who need such assistance most are unable to join the society since they are no longer our employees.

Now I am surrounded by co-workers who are officially vendors and service providers. As I enter my workplace everyday I am greeted by members of security staff who are on the payrolls of a different company. The young gentleman who takes so much care to ensure that the airconditioning in my area is just right belongs to a different company. The boys who keep my work area clean , fill my water bottle every morning , serve me fruits at lunch and does million other odd jobs all belong to a different company. I work with colleagues in my immediate team and in my extended team who are technically employees of different organisations. Their pay and service conditions are different and in most case not so healthy .Their services are essential and indispensable for the proper functioning of my organisation. Manyof them have been with us for years. They are our colleagues but not completely so. Our customers are their customers as well. We need their complete involvement to achieve our goals .As managers we use lot of management pep-talk to motivate them and expect them to perform to our exacting standards .I am not sure to what extent the buy-in happens.

It is a huge psychological barrier that is sometimes described by hardnosed managers as emotional crap. If you are ever assailed by doubts you need to tell yourself to be forward looking , clinical minded and professional and clever. The professional world cannot be managed by emotions and vague concepts of utopian well being. It is a tough choice in a tough world. Sometimes it is the only choice which allows all parties to survive and thrive against all odds. When I leave my old invalid mother at home in the care of hired helps I know I have literally outsourced my filial duties and responsibilities for certain hours of the day.