Performance appraisal season is around the corner. The need for employee training programs especially in key areas such as Motivation has shot up. The situation is even more intensified by the current economic turbulence. So it is time to review our plans for effective team maintenance and retention. Recently I had an opportunity to interact with few of my friends who are into various IT firms. All that they had to say was they were lucky to have a job at such times , and also the pressure as such was low. However the innate fear of receiving a pink slip has made their lives all the more tough.

When we start up with Appraisal topic, it is harder to get a vehicle to run behind them, the reason being the fact that the scope for a descent appraisal with such rough climate is just next to impossible. So retaining the team spirit at such rough times is really hard as there is always suspicion about ever activity of the peers, in terms of their closeness to other colleagues or the boss and even a simple word of open appreciation might set in a jealousy in others , for they might feel that the receiver of such happy terminologies may have an added advantage during appraisal. When 360 degree appraisal is followed , the need to adjust with peers and boss and subordinates makes even hot core Individualists, team workers. Especially when there are efforts to meet the expectations in terms of fair appraisal, always, 360 helps as even neglecting of one such official relationship might have a small consequence. Also the organization's Brand is maintained owing to the transparency of the system. Though it is not very popular amongst Indian firms, it is still a better option to raise the efficiency of Organization's functioning , in terms of relatively positive climate, less conflicts and politics and more of concentration on performance of the team rather than that of the individual.

With Lay offs being viewed as the final resort in this hour of crisis, even firms perceived as safer owing to their principles have become over-cautious. For few sincere employees, the possibility of getting a pink slip after all their grueling experiences in the firm certainly might serve as the biggest de-motivator. 

The futility of government policies to overcome the economic crisis has added fuel to the fire. Now the question that arises is whether the feeling of insecurity will affect the performance of the employees adversely or will it ignite the fear in them there by enhancing their interest to do their jobs in the best possible way?

This scenario however might have its own advantages as it puts down the chances of job hopping. On the other hand, companies are facing the risk of losing the best resources of the lot as these people too might get de-motivated . Once the performance levels go down the companies too might face the risk of loosing in the ongoing competition to survive in the market.

Removing the underperformers irrespective of the level in the organisation to which they belong to has good chances of motivating the loyal and sincere employees of the organisation.

The recent happenings in Satyam has not only disheartened its employees but also many of the engineers in the world of Indian IT. It has become a trendsetter in the 21^st century in wrong terms. The fall of this corporate giant calls for concern from its competitors too as it might hit hard on the reputation and brand of all Indian IT firms.

Moreover, the 53,000  Satyam employees might undergo psychological turmoil owing to the unwarranted guilt of working in such a company which has not even got its basic values strong.

The fear of loosing their jobs also acts as the fuel added to this fire of discomfort. It is especially a grueling experience to the married professionals who might have to fear of also not receiving their salaries, thereby being unable to fulfil their commitments. With such heavy concerns, they might even take grave decisions.

The fresh engineers who had entered the firm with beautiful dreams might lose all hopes in their lives as their first experience itself had turned out to be unlucky. But is it right to lose out on these wonderful resources of our Nation? Who can be held responsible for these?

It is our society of course, which had been encouraging the IT boom, putting down other industries. The new leash of IT graduates would also feel the pinch in the next few days.