IBM-GBS management Wants information on Utilization to the minutest details. It lives and swears by Utilization.Plethora of Timesheet codes,at three levels and types,to fill in for different types of work and that too very strictly on weekly basis. You miss filling TS , flurry of mails follow up,some automated,some from Business Operation people.Resource has to spend great amount of extra time and energy for the same.

This is in addition to filling Client's TS which should match with what you fill in IBM’s Timesheet, failing which another set of mails follow up.Also , there is expectation to work in more than One project to maximize utilization or be able to reach 9 hours of Billing per day or 45 hours per week .

This is in addition to filling Client's TS which should match with what you fill in IBM’s Timesheet, failing which another set of mails follow up.Also , there is expectation to work in more than One project to maximize utilization or be able to reach 9 hours of Billing per day or 45 hours per week .

And if you bill more than 45 per weeks per a project claim code , then the concerned Account Manager , DPEs etc. follow up for justification and requests to trim it down to 45 hours per week.

Any pre-sales work you do outside of your billable Project work , you have to literally beg for the claim code from Stakeholder for TS . Stakeholder either ignores or delays or files request for creation of separate claim code. Stakeholders generally avoid internal payment because they all are liable for the margins, with no support from higher management for negative margins . As resource, this helps you keep your Utilization score high enough so that in case you billing time reduces, you can still feel assured about no untoward action by the Manager for low utilization .

In all , there is constant struggle to not only get but also to appropriately use the claim code in the Time Sheet to reflect Utilization .

Any pre-sales work you do outside of your billable Project work , you have to literally beg for the claim code from Stakeholder for TS . Stakeholder either ignores or delays or files request for creation of separate claim code. Stakeholders generally avoid internal payment because they all are liable for the margins, with no support from higher management for negative margins . As resource, this helps you keep your Utilization score high enough so that in case you billing time reduces, you can still feel assured about no untoward action by the Manager for low utilization .
More often than not you get automated mails on your Utilization ( Blue Book ) and also what is called “minimum client chargeability target”.

Risk of not getting enough billable work increases with Band . Higher the band , costlier the resource , lesser the margins plus higher the chances of B9 resources building his own very high influence in the project . Also the exorbitantly high Billing rates which a cost sensitive client naturally avoids. Band 8 or above are extremely risky with Band 9 now turning into a Joke . Stakeholders simply slam the door shut on Band 9 . Basically , Stakeholder are more like formally Designated Partners with IBM ( than the employees of IBM) working with IBM on Profit sharing basis . IBM Management does not support Partner in times of low billing which compels Partners to plan and act accordingly , hence they do what it takes to keep the margins profitable. Many Programs try to get the High End , Complex work meant for higher bands like 9 , done from lower Band 7/8 resources . This is fast becoming a norm rather than an exception .

**Warning sign for those who care : A normal or even above average Band 8 resource is either not very keen or simply does not want promotion to higher band 9 . More True and applicable for those resources who recently joined on Band 8 itself , as they have no contacts to get billable work . However , have seen a Band 8 person who joined twenty years back just shying away from 9 promotion . There are people who joined as fresher in 2010/11 and are working on same , single project ever since . One of my Band 9 colleague who is also an SME interviewer for Band Promotion ( from 7.b to 8.a ) told me about many people joining as fresher and working in a same project for 13-14 years on the basis of which they seek promotions till Band 8 - Shocking !! Interviewers in all layers simply okay the promotion because client is ready to pay more for higher band billing .
Resourcing so formalized and hence inflexible is evidenced by the fact that currently a band 8 position is open for months but same Technology’s Band 9 resource on bench is not being considered by Stakeholders .

Resources are put on what is called UTE PIP (Utilization PIP ) , after 6-8 weeks of no client billing . Very high performing Individuals have been put on UTE PIP for this reason – unbelievable! Some newly joined resources were asked to leave on being unable to find billable work in 3-4 months . And we are talking about IBM , GBS , no small company by any means . Bench Tolerance is least here , amongst big sized IT Companies in India. Many Band 9 , even 8 , people were left with no option but to avail LOA ( Leave without Pay ) to avoid UTE PIP. Imagine someone very senior of 20-24 years experience going through the humiliation of PIP , that too for reason other than Performance . Humanitarian element is diminishing with UTE PIP being weaponized to ruthlessly oust people.

Even People Manager is very tightly bound to strict Policies with no or minimum deviation allowed . The HR workflows are so designed with SLAs and many other checks and balances, so as to ensure People Manager fully adheres to the formal policies. People Manager has no discretion either , other than your Appraisal , GDP and Leaves . LOA requires informal approval from higher ups .For the fear of spoiling relationships , no People Manager can dare influence , push any Stakeholder to accept his/her DR ( Direct Reportee) for some billable work .

People Managers say in-general “ Finding work is your responsibility as well . Talk to people you know “ . Hapless, Benched Resources splash Slack channels with their Details , Resume begging for Billable work from any project that can accommodate them . Many times Partners/Stakeholders behave very arrogantly, sensing the delicate situation of resources , especially the Benched ones .

The project Management Scenarios are so dominated by Partners and DPEs that some projects have about 3 offshore PMs just to manage cross functional offshore team of only about 15 in number . Manager would favour another Manager to get him/her into the project by kicking out higher band , costlier Technical Resource. And lower band resource are then tasked with high end responsibilities ( which they a are more than happy to take just to impress the managers , so unfortunate ) . This practice is very rampant in offshore , with more leeway allowed than in onshore .

In current times , Only Band 7 or below may have consistent hopes of making a living off IBM GBS Employment .Or those who joined when GBS had more human centric approach facilitating their way up to senior bands where they are now entrenched and enjoy some goodwill with higher-up contacts . GBS seems to fool people by having relaxed office timings with no Exit time recorded, but take this as a small trade-off for a highly uncertain , inflexible Environment .