In the wake of Covid-19, companies across the globe have made a switch to remote work. It is said that work from home has had beneficial results such as employee well-being, work-life balance, zero commutes that is less stress and flexible working hours. However, there are companies that have made the best utilization of the remote work culture. There are no second thoughts about the impact of remote working in bigger organizations like Google, Amazon, etc. Some of these are well-established companies like Infosys, that could easily switch 2.4lakh staff members in 21 days. This was a very smooth transition across 40 countries where Infosys offices are located. The company has been empathetic, motivating and highly supportive to its employees in the testing times.
Whereas Accenture India went on a stress-free work from home policy for its employees. Right from helping everybody to set up home offices to reimbursement of their electricity bills and internet connectivity as well. Accenture was an exception when it came to the health and well-being of its employees. Similarly, Dell India also has a setup that is beneficial to its employees. They have listed solutions and various tips which according to me are very informative and can prove to be highly effective.
The team of Sony Pictures Networks India is of the opinion that the health and mental well-being of their employees is equally important. They have provided allowances in order to set up home offices like ergonomic chairs, computer accessories and various other benefits to avoid any burnout. Apart from increasing the limit for reimbursement of home internet and mobile device costs, the company has also initiated a sanitization allowance scheme. So employees can buy all personal face masks, sanitizer, gloves, etc needed to keep themselves safe.
Speaking of initiatives regarding remote working, hospitality company OYO Rooms will be shifting to a 4-day workweek. Their policy is to take an off whenever they feel like without mentioning any reasons, just to keep their respective managers informed. They aren’t much worried about the work impact and deadlines as they are quite confident that their business won’t suffer. They know for the fact that this initiative will only help their employees to be more focused, efficient and productive.
Another company named Zerodha, has suggested that its employees would have to work from home permanently. Stating that this will enable them to move out of larger cities which in turn will solve the country’s problems in the long run. The Company also feels that constantly burdening oneself with work is quite stressful. Whereas, everyone must take some time away from work to relax and unwind. In short, it’s all about striking a balance and rewarding yourself is one of the best ways to do so.
Companies must strategize and plan to ensure their business output and targets are achieved without hampering the well-being of their employees. Once the situation is better, corporations are planning the return of their employees to their offices. It can be a percentage-based system that differs for several companies. As organizations stage the return to work, they need to go a step further than just achieving targets or work output. They need to be more empathetic and must cater to the personal needs of their employees.
