Performance stress drives executives to quick-fix drugs
BANGALORE: The HR head of a Mumbai-based FMCG firm was not in the country when the news reached him. He heard that a former employee, who had shown “great promise”, had died of a drug overdose. The man had been part of middle management in operations and the HR head had personally recruited him, having seen undeniable talent and ability. “He could have been saved. We tried, too, but…” the HR head trailed off, clearly shocked by the incident.
India Inc’s employees – some of them, at least – are finding it had to keep pace with their companies’ fast-track mode. The demand to buckle up and meet targets and bottomlines has, in the past, too, led to instances of substance abuse by employees. But it’s no longer relegated to the IT and BPO sectors, where youngsters struggle with the pressures of work and irrational timings.