Cognizant bumps up wages by 25% for associates as a ‘sign of gratitude’ during Coronavirus lockdown

• In a positive move during tough times, American IT multinational Cognizant announced that it will pay 25% more on the base salary for the month of April to its employees in India and the Philippines today, March 27.
  
• Cognizant said it will pay the additional salary to those up to the Associate level, which is nearly two-thirds of the company’s total workforce in India.
  
• The IT giant claims to have provided new laptops and encrypting desktops for those working remotely, along with air cards for connectivity.

In a positive move during trying times, American IT multinational Cognizant announced that it will pay 25% more on the base salary for the month of April to its employees in India and the Philippines as a “sign of gratitude” for their consistent efforts even during the pandemic.

While several companies have been assuring employees that there will be no impact on their salaries during the lockdown, Cognizant said it will bump wages for those up to the Associate level. That’s almost two-thirds of the company’s 200,000-strong workforce in India.

“Despite this turbulence, which affects both you and your families, you have risen to the challenge of serving our clients with empathy, initiative, integrity, and courage — all while supporting and uplifting one another. I am deeply grateful to all of you for your daily acts of heroic leadership,” CEO Brian Humphries told the employees.

The company said it will review salaries every month after April, as per the situation. This comes as most of the teams are working from home, across its offices.

The IT giant claims to have provided new laptops and encrypting desktops for those working remotely, along with air cards for connectivity — and keeping in mind the security protocols at the same time.

“While working from home may amount to a significant shift in behaviour for many of you, please continue to keep up the essential work you do for our clients,” Humphries added.

The development comes in the back of the ongoing nationwide lockdown for 21 days.

“Our global company has a long history of operating virtually and remotely, and rallying and responding around the clock, wherever needed. We support these and other efforts by governments across the world to “flatten the curve” and contain the spread of COVID-19,” he said.

On the other hand, a few large corporates are protecting employees with its ‘special leave’ policy to ensure that they are paid during the quarantine. Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran also assured that the company will give away full payments to the daily wage workers for the two months — March and April. Flipkart too said that the isolation period will not impact their salaries. Meanwhile, Bharti Airtel has already paid the salaries for March.

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