Vivek Seal

New Delhi: Sapient Corp, the US-based business and technology services consultant, said its Indian business has “exited a small number” of junior and entry level employees not suited for its current operations.

On Wednesday, the Cambridge, Massachusetts based company handed pink slips to 160 employees in its Bangalore, Noida and Gurgaon centres, a source said.

“On Wednesday, May 7, we exited a small number of our India based junior level people who lack the experience levels our portfolio mix now requires,” Sapient said in an email to DNA Money.

Sapient, which is listed on the Nasdaq, added that its current employee mix was a “bit too heavy on this end-and too light on the more experienced end”.

The 160 employees, who constituted 4% of its Indian workforce of 4,000, were “asked to resign”.

Some were designated associate technology level 1 and others were associate quality assurance employees.

The source, who was one of the employees sacked, said the management’s decision came “out of the blue”.

“They sent a mail asking us to meet them for our next assignment… and then they informed us about the situation… which was not expected,” the source said. The fired employees were asked to leave immediately and relieved without notice.

However, the company assured them they would receive severance packages and help in getting another job.

Sapient said it would continue to hire junior and experienced professionals that fit its business model.

“We still see strong demand for Sapient work in India and junior level people will continue to play a key role in our success,” the company told DNA Money.

Earlier in February 2008, IT software exports major Tata Consultancy Services had also asked 500 of its employees to leave due to performance related issues

Source : DNA