Is Work from Home NEW Normal!!

 

The novel Coronavirus changed everything overnight, the lockdown was enforced, and social distancing became the new norm. People are staying connected with friends and family through video calls and schools have started giving online classes on video conferencing apps. With the lockdown in place, more than 3 billion people, excluding the essential workers like defense and healthcare officials, have been pushed to work from home.

Corporations and authorities around the world have no other option than providing flexible working conditions including work from home. It is one of the biggest changes the world has ever witnessed, and it raises some important questions such as follows:

·       Is work from home (WFH) the new normal? 

·       Is WFH better than working at a designated workplace? 

·       Is it just a temporary measure or is it here to stay? 

·       Why are companies not keen on opening right now?

We must review the current world statistics on it. In the US, the statistics showed that 75.4 percent of employees worked on-site and only 16.4percent WFH in the pre-COVID period. However, in between May 10 - May 26, 2020, the percentages stood reversed: about 71.7percent of workers worked from home. Mark Zuckerberg made a statement that by 2030, half of the company’s workforce will not have to go to the office. Google’s WFH policy, initially, ended by 1 June 2020 but it has started to plan for an extension; Google chief, Sundar Pichai said who would be returning back to the office will be doing so with the highest safety strategies. In London, OMD closed all its offices and employees are now doing their work from the safety of their homes. A Chevron official said that the health of their employees is more important than their profit. In India, the picture is no different. 

Dr. Sumit Mitra, CEO of Tesco Global Services, ordered 1000 laptops for people working from home, transported office equipment (including furniture) to homes of employees, took permission from the Indian Government to operate an international business from home and quarantined his data service centers. TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) has informed 75percent of its staff strength that the tech major will move to permanent remote working within the next five years. Nasscom is currently reviewing labor laws from a WFH perspective and will be soon sending a report to the government. CP Gurnani, CEO of Tech Mahindra, said that in the first phase, the company may start “with 25percent employees” working from home. HCL has proposed a model where 50percent of its staff will work from home while the rest will be operating from the office and this will be on a rotational basis.

What are the benefits of Work from Home?    

·        employees are safe from getting infected

·        can practice social distancing with ease, and

·        are comfortable while working.

·        It is also preferred as the virus can reappear in patients who made a full recovery.

 

What are the disadvantages of Work from Home?

·       Compartmentalizing personal space and ensuring privacy is more difficult when homeworking; you are always “on duty” when homeworking, physically present always but mentally spent.

·       There are an issue with respect to lack of factors like recognition at work, absence of people who care and share, evaluation of progress, decreased employee engagement, and in turn, employee performance. Thus, this new WFH is a different ball game altogether compared to the previous WFH the workforce has experienced.

·       This has been imposed externally, with no specific time allocation and it was a hasty transition and not a gradual planned shift. They are completely disconnected from the workplace and organizational setting.

Here are some of the steps that can make the process easier to implement and sustain:

• Support employees throughout and be flexible; 

• Show care and trust to employees;

• Set realistic goals; 

• Review employees’ performance, always provide them a pat on their back and recognize their diverse needs;

• Pay for the hidden cost;

• Always be a role model and a go-to person for employees;

• Enhance factors of work engagement, well-being, and work effectiveness; 

• Be compassionate and optimistic;

• Keep them motivated when they adjust to the new normal; 

• Engage in dialogue with employees and facilitate the same among them and last but not the least;

• Pay heed to inclusion to create a network of teams and an atmosphere of psychological safety.

 

“Together we shall overcome this hurdle” should be the mantra to win this war."