‘Work From Home’ A Mixed Bag For Indian Firms

New Delhi: The ability to hire employees from spatially-dispersed locations may help in promoting more balanced geographical development, in addition to alleviating pressures of various kinds on major metropolitan areas in India, according to a study by apex business chamber CII and the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi, on Monday.

The study, titled ‘Work-from-Home: Benefits and Costs: An Exploratory Study in the Indian Context’, stated that Covid has given rise to many alternative systems, and ‘work from home’ is a prominent outcome altering the employment ecosystem. Since then, many organisations have adopted remote and hybrid work practices.

The study found that the new model has led to moderate savings in office rental costs and enabled a moderate reduction in costs involved in meeting and working with clients. “The savings in employee commuting and accommodation costs have allowed for adjustments in employee compensation structures to a limited extent,” the findings showed.

There is significant reduction in commuting stress for employees leading to greater energy levels. However, the study also found that working from home has led to less effective communication and that remote working is detrimental to teamwork.

It suggests that remote working could hinder the development and sustenance of organisational culture. As far as the costs and benefits for employees are concerned, respondents were of the view that remote working is particularly beneficial for parents with young children and for caregivers.

A moderate increase in employee productivity has also been observed. However, some respondents have reported difficulty in separating work and personal life, leading to increased stress, the study pointed out.