Home office: For many employees in India it looks like the end of the WFH

Procter & Gamble,, HDFC, Axis Bank, and Deloitte are among the top companies preparing to reopen their offices as the steel-and-glass symbols of gleaming India are scrubbed clean to get the first employees around accommodate one and a half years. As the number of viral infections declines and companies complete vaccination campaigns, India Inc is actively working to return to the formal workplace – albeit on a tiered list.

While some of the companies have started operations at pre-Covid levels, others are trying to get more employees into the office. The financial package – banks, NBFCs, and fintech firms – are at the forefront of the movement.

“All of our offices are currently working with 100% manpower in accordance with the guidelines of the respective state governments. We have mothers-to-be, female employees with children under 1, employees over 65, employees with comorbidities and employees who come from all containment zones defined by the authorities to continue working from home, “said Renu Sud Karnad, Managing Director from HDFC.

Kotak Mahindra Bank expects 90% of fully vaccinated employees to be back in office by November / December.

“We are on the verge of 100% in branch and other customer facing roles,” said Sukhjit Pasricha, president and group chief human resource officer of Kotak Mahindra Bank. Some companies have even created sub-groups, searched online applications, and brought in outside professionals to assess risks and encourage more employees to come into offices. Take the case of P&G, for example. The multinational has introduced a tailor-made hybrid model for each working group.

“Each working group tests a suitable hybrid model. It is up to them how they manage their wellbeing, their jobs, their personal priorities and how they continue to improve their productivity to maximize their impact on their growth and jobs, ”said PM Srinivas, Head, Human Resources, P&G, Indian Subcontinent .

Most companies are experimenting with getting back to work because the danger of a third wave is still lurking and many employees are not yet fully convinced of its safety.

“The popular pulse certainly favors hybrid working so that people can benefit from both the flexibility and convenience of working from home and the human connection when they get to the office – this is being studied in depth to flexibility, customer outcomes and social Connect because it creates collaboration and innovation, “said SV Nathan, Partner and Chief Talent Officer, Deloitte India. Many companies have asked their top management and regional leaders to take office regularly to encourage other employees to take office to return.

“As of September 13, fully vaccinated executives have returned to work twice a week (Mondays and Thursdays) from offices in India,” said a Wipro spokesman.