Lower output nudges IT cos to log out WFH

Bleak Post-Covid Productivity

- Employees have many distractions in WFH as things get normal

- Some staffers started taking things for granted

- Further, moonlighting becomes a major cause of concern

- TCS asked its employees to operate from offices from Nov 15

- Infy following a flexible approach as per requirement of clients

- Wipro asked its staffers to operate from offices a few days a week

Bengaluru: Indian IT companies are facing the challenge of productivity among employees operating from Work from Home (WFH) mode, prompting them to resume work from offices (WFO).

Apart from concerns over moonlighting and high attrition, sources in the know said that productivity level of employees is also falling. Most of the companies have begun directing or urging their staffers to operate from offices, even if for a few days in a week.

"When the Covid stuck, employees took extra effort to prove that they were contributing. Productivity was the highest during this period. As the vaccination process was ramped up, productivity level came back to pre-Covid period. However, when things came back to normal, we are now seeing fall in productivity level," said a top official of an Indian mid-tier technology firm.

"The problem now is that employees have many distractions working from home as things get normal. Some staffers have started taking things for granted," he added.

Indian IT industry, which has taken credit for transitioning into remote work model swiftly without any disruption to workflow during the pandemic, has started to see the adverse effects of this model.

Employees taking dual employment or doing side hustle- known as moonlighting- have emerged as one of the major negative fallouts of this model. Wipro had fired around 300 employees caught doing moonlighting in the form of dual employment. Infosys had also said that it had let go of employees doing moonlighting.

Taking these factors into account, most IT firms have directed their staffers to come back to offices. Market leader Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has asked its employees to operate from offices from November 15. Infosys has said that they are following a flexible approach as per the requirement of clients. Wipro had asked its staffers to operate from offices a few days a week from October. Many mid-tier companies and small firms are fully operating from offices as of now.

Meanwhile, companies are facing resistance in bringing back employees to offices, especially in the 2-5 years experience category. "Youngsters are keen to continue in WFH format. We have to convince them hard to bring back. Some resignations are happening due to the same cause," said the top official.

While established IT firms are taking slow steps in bringing back employees, many technology startups have taken divergent approach. While many startups operating in fintech and other regulated space are showing less flexibility, others are allowing staffers to operate in remote model.

During the Covid phase, employees took extra effort to prove that they were contributing. Productivity was the highest during this period. As the vaccination process was ramped up, productivity level came back to pre-Covid period. However, when things came back to normal, we are now seeing fall in productivity level, said a top official of an Indian mid-tier technology firm