Work from home began for most employees when the first Covid-19 lockdown was announced. Now, almost after two years when there is a visible decline in the number of Covid-19 cases, several IT firms are gearing up to call their staff back to offices. However, in a slight respite to the employees many companies will still continue with a hybrid model.
The Central and state governments has also now relaxed curbs and restrictions brought in because of the pandemic. While government has already asked its employees to attend office on a regular basis, according to a statement by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Here’s a look on how the major information technology majors are planning to get employees back to office.
TCS has brought a remote working policy that constitutes work from the base location even when you have opted for WFH. TCS expects its staff to work from home in their “depute” locations even as it expects remote working to continue, according to internal emails sent to associates.
This is part of the company’s 25-by-25 long-term vision where only a fourth of the employee base is expected to report to offices. “An important part of the journey to the 25/25 model is to first bring people back to physical offices and gradually transition into the hybrid work model,” Milind Lakkad, CHRO, TCS had said earlier.
According to Infosys management, over 96 per cent of its employees are still working remotely and the company does not envisage a sudden shift from this mode as the company continues to take precautions. The IT major is planning a “phased return to office”, motivating their employees to just attend office in person for a day or two per week.
“In a steady-state, subject to Covid scenarios, we expect a hybrid model in which approximately 40-50 per cent of employees are likely to work from office post subsequent phases of return to office.” said Richard Lobo, executive vice president, head HR at Infosys.
HCL Technologies, meanwhile, will continue with its hybrid work mode for the time being. The third largest software services firm is still in the monitoring phase. “At HCL, one of our top priorities is safety and well-being of our employees and their families. We also remain deeply committed to maintaining our business normalcy thereby ensuring uninterrupted services to our clients. At present we are monitoring the situation and continue to operate in a hybrid model,” said a company spokesperson.
Cognizant has plans to have employees back on premise in a phased manner. “Cognizant aims to return to the office in a phased manner starting April 2022 as we monitor the uncertain path of the Omicron variant…Until then, travel will be restricted, and office-based work will remain voluntary,” Shantanu Jha, senior vice president, HR said in an earlier statement. For employees not assigned to a client site or to working fully remotely, our new standard workweek under the hybrid model will consist of three days in the office and two from wherever they work best, he further added.
According to a report in a leading daily, ICICI Bank, Parle Products, Sun Pharmaceutical, Tata-owned Voltas, Godrej, Goldman Sachs, Dabur, Haier, Panasonic, Biocon, Dixon Technologies and Motilal Oswal Financial Services have also finalised plans to call employees back to the office.
With inputs from News18
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