Cutting chaos: Micro ATMs for macro mess

HYDERABAD: As part of their efforts to ensure that employees get cash in their hand on pay day, software firms and many private sector companies were found installing micro and `temporary' ATMs within their campuses on Wednesday.
“We have been proactive ly working with banks to ensure that employees are able to access their salaries. The banks where our employees' payroll gets deposited have already set up their ATMs within the campus.We have ensured that these ATMs are stocked with cash today,“ said Vijay Rangineni, CEO of Tech Mahindra BPO.
While a few companies like Tech Mahindra tried to ensure that the ATM machines within the company's premises do not run out of money on pay day, many firms installed micro ATMs on their premises.
“Employees were informed through company emails of a micro ATM facility which would be installed within the campus on pay day. However, a limit of ` 2,500 has been set for withdrawals. Also, the micro ATM facility is available only for employees who hold accounts in a particular bank,“ said Rahul Basu, an IT professional at CA Technologies in Gachibowli.
“In the first week post the demonetisation announcement, multiple counters were opened at the State Bank of India branch within the campus. Subsequently, multiple ATM machines were also installed as long queues kept forming at the bank. Today, they have introduced a micro ATM facility in addi tion to a new ATM machine,“ said Harshit Jain, an IT professional with Infosys.
Smaller companies, with employee strength below 300, were found letting their employees spend a few hours away from their cubicles to complete their banking requirements.
“Since our office has only 70 odd employees, our employer allowed employees take two hours off from work in shifts. Not more than three employees were allowed to go out at the same time,“ said Madhuri Shukla, an advertising professional who works for an agency in Madhapur.