I am one of the expats that was forcefully evacuated from the BTC office over the past two weeks.
Yes forcefully evacuated! All the expats were initially asked if they would leave or stay if given a choice. All chose to stay in India with the people we are working with. What actually happened, may never be clear, but I speculate lawyers probably got involved and deemed it is too big of a litigation risk for the corporation to have expats in the country when the corporation could no longer guarantee them access to medical facilities if an emergency arose. And with less than adequate notice everyone was forced to leave behind pets, and belongings and get on a plane.
Every expat I know is currently fighting for local India employees to have access to medical treatment. Also for the company to support medical needs like inoculations and medical insurance access for parents. Change like this takes effort. Continually bring these issues up at all the company forums.
It's been a lot harder to support local India employee's, and local India citizens basic needs after having been forcefully evacuated. I continue to maintain strong connections with local employees and non-employees every day of the week (yes even weekends)
Since end of March I've already spent over 10 lak from my own personal savings helping to provide local Indians with oxygen, transfusions, hospital beds, medical supplies, prescription medicines, food, and much more, currently the rate of my spend towards directly helping India citizens during the current crisis is averaging at 1 lak per day.
You might stop and ask yourself, why am I doing this? what is in it for me? The only reason is because I love Bharat !! I personally get no financial remuneration, no recognition, no accolades.
My joy comes from simply knowing that I am doing the right thing to help my friends and neighbors, and acquaintances and their families. I know for a fact that my decisions and actions have helped save many lives already and will continue to do so!
This is the same reason I asked to be assigned to the launch and build of an EM India office. I truly believe that India can help shape the future of ExxonMobil into something better than it is today, it has nothing to to with low cost. It is entirely to do with experience, passion, capability, knowledge, innovative spirit, relentless persistence towards goals, teamwork and a vision for something better than each and everyone of us has today!. India has a community spirit that EM can benefit from. On the contrary India also has reputation for individuals not wanting to get involved to make a difference when it really matters. It can be viewed as too much of a personal and family risk to get directly involved. In fact I see a lot of each of these attitudes and passion in the posts here.
Yes there are definite weaknesses in the current implementation and practice of EM culture and behaviors, everyone on the country, site, and local leadership teams readily admits to that.. What many do not realize is that the whole corporation is currently being asked to go through this culture and behavior change, it's not just the BTC being indoctrinated to EM culture. The BTC is viewed as part of the solution to solve the larger EM problems.
My ask is that everyone with a passion to see EM have that different and better culture, actually works towards making it happen! The various Leadership Team's are incapable of "doing" much of anything, they are very capable however of supporting employee led studies and initiatives to improve the workplace, and the company. We also all know none of the local employees will appreciate a heckler in their ranks, however they will all stand in support behind a local grassroots leader or leaders for changes. Of this, we should all have no doubts!