Playing Guitar And Running The Database
We all know that outsourcing is disruptive. For a company that has not outsourced a function like IT, there needs to be quite a transition programme into a new way of doing things. They should be better than the old ways, but the change itself can cause fear and uncertainty in employees, even when the change does not involve job losses.
In the media it’s even harder than most sectors. People often work at a record company or newspaper for the lifestyle of being within the media circus. It could be the close proximity to artists and celebrity, the ability to have a finger on the pulse of an arts scene, or just the relaxed non-corporate culture. Employees of TV channels don’t need to wear a suit and tie to work – unless they are a business correspondent.
This is why you often find people in support roles that are passionate about the company they work for. The HR administrator playing in a band every weekend, the database administrator exhibiting art at the Royal Academy, the software developer as a weekend DJ at a west end club. Everyone has interests outside of the office, but when you work in media, those work/home boundaries can often be blurred.
So when a media company starts thinking about outsourcing, perhaps because the competition has done it, or they realise that to grow they need to professionalise, or they just need to save money, the employees often fear the change more than in other industries.
It’s hard to handle the communication needed to make a media transition work, but it’s worth remembering that these are businesses, just like any other. A company selling music isn’t less of a corporate concern than a bank when it comes to reviewing the annual statement to shareholders.
But media firms work the way they do because of the people who work for them, often at a lower salary than they could demand in other industries. With years of experience, I have my own ideas about how change can be applied to the media, but I’d like to hear your comments on how media companies can change and adopt industry standard practices.
Ravi Pandey
As Sr Vice President of NIIT Technologies, Ravi Pandey is responsible for the P&L of the Software and BPO business in UK including Sales, Delivery and Operations. He is also an executive sponsor of some global accounts. In addition to his current role as a member of the executive management team in NIIT Technologies, Ravi has established himself as a much quoted thought leader in the IT industry in UK. Ravi reports to the Managing Director and works out of the company offices in London.
As Sr Vice President of NIIT Technologies, Ravi Pandey is responsible for the P&L of the Software and BPO business in UK including Sales, Delivery and Operations. He is also an executive sponsor of some global accounts. In addition to his current role as a member of the executive management team in NIIT Technologies, Ravi has established himself as a much quoted thought leader in the IT industry in UK. Ravi reports to the Managing Director and works out of the company offices in London. ...less info
