Techies in Hyd have diverse views on going back to office

Hyderabad: IT employees in Hyderabad show mixed response on asking whether they would like to resume work from office.

One-and-a-half years later, after switching to work from home mode, now officials of Telangana health department have urged the managements of IT companies in Hyderabad to call employees back to their respective offices, which have been shut since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in March last year.

Rabiya, a senior software developer at a top IT company says that working from home for her was quite a good experience. "Though the working hours were long (compared to when at office), it was easy to manage as nothing other than work was near my desk. I must say thanks to my family for giving my space. Given the working conditions at home it was always odd."

On asking would she be good to be back at office, she replied: "After being at home for such a long time I will be glad to be back at office. By the way where's my office?" she gags.

Shift of working environments has been tough says Prakash who has been working at Cognizant for a while now. "Both WFH and office have their own perks and downsides, working from home for the past two years, I don't remember a day which went without issues in communicating with my colleagues, it's been really frustrating as several problems such as internet issues, the software issues with application we work in, communication clarity on what to do and what not to and this, Don't know what happens to my laptop mic it goes off and works only the next day (smiling).

And on the other hand there's the comfort of being at home, which is far greater than being at office." Prakash adds.

He further adds that "Being back at office would be good if I think of work perspective, other than that the only reason which I find interesting is meeting all my friends and colleagues after a long time."

Asked about the pandemic and the upcoming Covid wave, Prakash said, "it is an issue to think but given that only half of the strength would be at office and Covid measures in place, one can be safe."

Rabiya adds, "Given the prevailing conditions it's better to work at home, the amount of risk involved is huge and we should remember what happened in the past when restrictions were lifted. After working in such prone environment, being a mother I would hesitate to be back home and even go near my children."

Even though being of different opinions on the above issue they were on the same lines when asked what companies would choose, WFH or office. They said that companies were much profitable during the pandemic and they would choose WFH any day.

They mentioned that some of the work actually involved being at office and said that many of their friends were summoned accordingly.

Director of Public Health G Srinivasa Rao requested the managements to resume work from office, stating that the employees and their family members are 100 per cent vaccinated and that the daily Covid caseload is on the decline.

"Apart from your employees, livelihoods to lakhs of people are dependent on the IT companies, such as food vendors. The State's economy improves if our livelihoods improve. The Health department requests the managements to reopen the offices," said Rao.