Choosing Between Accenture and Cognizant: How Can I Balance Work and Family Time?

Hi friends,

I am a young working mother, having a 2.3-year-old kid. Currently, I am with my parents commuting to the office daily for 3+3 hours, totaling 6 hours. I have tried and received offers from Accenture and Cognizant. Both companies are in Chennai, but the exact locations have not been informed yet; they are about to send the offers. I have 3.3 years of experience in Java.

I want to keep my kid with me rather than leaving him with either my parents or in-laws. I am considering placing him in daycare so that we can spend some quality time together, at least outside of office hours, instead of just 2 days a week or a month.

Now, the question is, which company offer should I choose to maintain a work-life balance? Your valuable suggestions will help me greatly on my path.

Regards,
Dhivya

Work Schedule Considerations

Whichever company you work for, you may need to work on weekends or late nights as per the requirements of the job. Confirm with the HR department whether they allow for a fixed schedule of 09:00 to 18:00 or not. 

Hello Dhivya,

I am not sure if any of the companies you mentioned have Flexi-Timing for their employees. But if any do, I suggest you go for that company - it will give you a flexible option to be with your kid and also help you handle any emergencies, which are common for kids that age.

Regards,
TS

Choosing Between Cognizant and Accenture for Flexibility

Choose Cognizant if you want more flexibility than Accenture. You can opt for working from home if you wish to work remotely. This way, you can complete your tasks and attend to your child's needs from home. I am uncertain about Accenture.

Regards,
Rajkumar

Hi, I agree with all of your points. Since I am a developer, I may have more responsibilities. I am not aware of whether, with 3.3 years of experience, they will offer work-from-home options and all. The third thing is I am living near Tambaram in Chennai. Since MEPZ is nearby and there is a CTS branch there, I am also hoping to accept the CTS offer. I need to speak to them regarding the location of the office, daycare facility, work-from-home options, and flexitime availability. How should I communicate my requirements to them? Will they consider personal reasons?

Regards,
Divya

Hello Divya,

Of course, they will consider personal reasons. Thanks to the IT industry now, the general way of thinking of today's HR has changed to thinking that an employee will perform only if his/her mental attitude is okay -- which in turn depends on family circumstances. The very fact that 'Flexi-Timings' exist today is an indication of this. So please don't worry too much -- just go ahead and express yourself.

Coming to the worst-case scenario, the maximum they can say is -- no, isn't it? And then you can check your other options.

Regards,
TS