Deadlines put pressure on Peace's staff

By ADAM GIFFORD

The pressure is going on at Peace Computer to meet delivery deadlines for its Energy power billing software to North American customers, but chief executive Brian Peace denies his company is turning into a sweatshop.

The Business Herald was told that after returning from a company-paid trip to Tahiti last month, staff were told they would be required to work longer hours to cover the costs of the trip and complete the latest version of the software.

The source said Mr Peace had a history of making staff work for more than their contracted hours, and that staff who would not toe the line had been dismissed.

The company confirmed that some staff were working 48-hour weeks to meet production schedules. Mr Peace said that was not unusual in the software industry.

"This is an industry with high demands on the people involved, and it's also an industry which moves very quickly," Mr Peace said.

"Peace puts extraordinary effort into making sure we are meeting the market demand and delivering quality products on time."

When it hired people, the company made sure they understood how demanding the industry could be, he said.

"We respond by providing them with excellent rewards - above industry-standard pay, share options, perks such as travel."

The company had dismissed people who could not meet the productivity standards. Mr Peace said this had been done "in a professional manner," but there could be some disgruntled former staff around.

Peace has 260 staff and is growing rapidly.

The Herald source said the company had been unable to produce a bug-free version of its software for several months, putting pressure on staff to deliver.

Mr Peace said the latest version, Energy 6.0, was "right on track for delivery and our teams are working very cohesively to achieve that milestone."

He said the delivery of software to BC Gas had been called a textbook example of software production, which had generated new business for the company.

It also brought Peace to the attention of key system integrators like Deloitte, Anderson Consulting and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

"They are giving us direction for delivery of products to the retail power market, which is opening up rapidly," Mr Peace said.

"This is a window of opportunity where we need to move quickly. That means getting the releases on time and attracting the right people."

Also on track is Peace's plans to list on the United States Nasdaq stock exchange in 2001.

Mr Peace said he had resisted pressure from investors to relax spending controls.

"I'm proud of the fact we are profitable, because so many companies like us in the US are burning cash," he said.

"A lot of those sorts of companies are disappearing, and I don't want to be one."