[v-erne]

>> I've never heard of a "professional bench warmer" in software development.

I think this is real.

My friend who is serial Project Manager (he works for big corps here in Poland and changes job almost every year for last 15 years) actually uses the term "on bench" for programers that do not have projects assigned to them and he claims that he quite often hires people before project is confirmed, so from time to time some people are left hanging without free chairs when music stops.

[PL_kolek]

I can confirm that - "on bench" was a real term used in a software house I worked for in Poland. I think it becomes a necessity when your company doesn't have a product on its own but delivers projects for other companies. Depending on the needs of your clients, the projects may be short 3 months stints or longer years long cooperations. In an environment like that firstly you want to be able to start working as soon as the contract is signed, so you must have some staff available all the time, and secondly you don't want to wreck the morale by letting your staffing level fluctuate with the workload. Hence some people are "on bench", waiting for a project to come, doing internal work or upskilling. This company was the best one from the ones I worked for in my career BTW

[wojciii]

I have 20+ years of experience in different companies (software and just using software);and I never ever heard of this behaviour.

I never changed job (Unusually work 2-4 years at one company) where I didn't have everything ready on my first day.

[blue_daisies]

I have heard of this at Infosys in the US

[jokab]

IBM and Accenture in the Philippines.

[wojciii]

Ah. I live in the EU where they a person is quite expensive to onboard and it makes no sense to hire people to be idle.

[nunez]

yeah that's how a lot of consulting companies work