Hey folks, let’s have a real talk. You know that feeling when you’ve been with your first company for years? You take pride in it. You brag about the work culture to your family. You stick with them even when the salary isn't exactly making it rain. For me, that company was Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). The holy grail of job security, right? Or so I thought.
Well, plot twist. Three days ago, my cozy little corporate fantasy got a serious reality check. I was called into a meeting room—you know, the kind that usually has stale coffee and bad vibes. And there it was: the "we think you should resign" speech.
Cue the internal panic. My heart did a somersault and decided to try out for the Olympics. I was crying on the inside, my hands were probably shaking, and fear was my new best friend. But here’s the thing: TCS is my first company. I’ve got skin in the game. So, I did something they probably didn’t expect. I took a deep breath and said, "Yeah, thanks, but no thanks. I’m not resigning."
They upped the ante, of course. The classic corporate threat: "We’ll have to terminate you, and then we’ll give you a very bad review. Good luck getting a job after that!"
My response? "Okay, do your worst. But my resignation isn't on the menu today." And I walked out of that room. Crying? Absolutely. Scared? You bet. But also, for the first time, feeling a tiny bit powerful for not folding.
Why We're the Easy Targets
Here’s the tea. I’m not some senior bigwig whose exit would make headlines. My name wasn’t on any scary "list." So why me? Simple. I’m on the bench.
For the uninitiated, the "bench" is corporate-speak for the time between projects. It’s not a vacation; it’s a weird limbo where you’re still an employee but aren't billable to a client. And right now, at TCS, the bench is looking like a target practice zone.
The strategy seems to be: target the benched employees first because they’re the easiest to pick off. The game plan is sneaky. They’re freezing our profiles in the internal system. This is a genius (and evil) move. It means no project manager can even see our names or skills. We’re basically ghosts in the machine.
But wait, it gets better! Even if you, through some miracle of networking and calling in every favor you have, manage to get a project to agree to take you on, the infamous RMG (Resource Management Group) swoops in. They call that project and ask them to cancel the allocation. I mean, come on! That’s not just letting someone go; that’s actively sabotaging their chance to stay. Talk about taking the "human" out of Human Resources.
The Daily Dose of Corporate "Wellness" (Sarcasm Fully Intended)
I’m not alone in this boat. At my branch, there’s a whole squad of us who have denied the "resign-or-else" ultimatum. And let me tell you, the HR department has become our unwanted fan club.
They call us for daily "meetings." These aren't friendly chats. It’s a daily dose of mental harassment where they rotate through a greatest hits album of threats:
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"We’ll freeze your salary."
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"We’ll blacklist you from the entire industry." (As if they own the industry!)
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"Your experience letter will be so bad, no one will hire you."
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"Just resign, it’s better for your profile."
It’s been over ten days of this for some of my colleagues. Ten days of being pressured, threatened, and psychologically tortured. They’re still employees, technically. But they’re stuck in a toxic purgatory, fighting just for the right to… well, work.
From Tata to Not-Ta: A Culture Gone Rogue?
I joined TCS because of its legacy. The name Ratan Tata synonymous with ethics and integrity. You accept a lower package because you believe you’re investing in stability and respect. It’s heartbreaking to see that legacy, post the era of the great man himself, being reduced to this.
This isn't a performance-based firing. This is a forced, mass "exodus" designed to save the company from having to pay severance. It’s a cost-cutting measure that comes at the cost of employee mental health. It’s toxic, it’s torturous, and it’s a masterclass in how to ruin a great reputation.
So, what’s next for me? Honestly, I don’t have a grand plan. I’m just going with the flow, taking it one day at a time. I’m choosing to fight by simply not quitting. Sometimes, the strongest thing you can do is just stand your ground.
To everyone else in a similar situation: know your rights. Forced resignation is illegal. They are banking on you being scared into leaving. Don't let them. Document everything. Talk to your colleagues. And remember, a company that doesn’t value you isn’t one you want to be at in the long run anyway.
This isn’t the TCS we signed up for. And it’s definitely not okay.
