I know it evokes feelings of a paid vacation for a IT professional. For the non-IT folks, on bench is a term we use to denote a period when a resource is not generating revenue and is waiting for his/her next project.
Usually on bench is a time people dream of. In TCS since there is computer allocated to a project and never to a employee , so we never have a PC , or a cubicle to sit when on bench. So all you do is drop your phone number to RMG(Resource Management Group) and stay at home.
I have had the pleasure of bench more than once. When I was on bench in offshore(noida) for the first 15 days I was really thrilled as I finished up all my pending tasks. No more scheduling office work so that I could leave early and finish just 1 of the so many tasks. Now in just 2-3 days everything was done. No issues with having to travel to other part of delhi for a trivial issue.
But it soon becomes boring and irritating as all you do is watch everyone rush to work every morning. Then you realise that you are the only one on bench, all your friends are still working !!! So I thought that I should pick some certifications, attend "six thinking hats" training. But soon that also turned to be really boring, I cant just be reading the whole day.I then started spending time in office playing TT and burning calories in gym, but that still did not help.
It was then that I realized how important office gossip is to my health.I wanted to know who had a fight with his onsite counterpart, who has a crush on whom, who are the new freshers in project, who fought with his Project manager and so on and on. Ya my phone bill went through the roof during those bench months
These days I am again on bench, this time at onsite, ya I know people go WoW!!, but it is not that great.First because I dont get months to stay on bench, if I dont get a project soon I might be bundled to Delhi. Second I dont have a office to go and play TT or kill time in gym. Besides that I have to spend time anticipating client interview and then the day ends with no phone call.
I had recommended to lot of people to pickup some new to learn, but it is actually not that easy, because you are constantly worried about your future project/allocation. Hope my uncertanity ends soon or I will go nuts !!
