Hyderabad: IT companies that have fully implemented 'work from home' due to Covid, are now focusing on bringing staff to offices. Additional benefits are expected for those who come to the office. If they do not come, they are preparing to implement the 'carrot and stick policy', which involves cuts in allowances and transfers. Companies are also gearing up to provide additional vacations to office workers, higher variable pay and more funding for entertainment and hospitality programmes to increase bonding among team members.
It is reported that internet allowance is being removed and other facilities are being reduced for employees, who work from home regardless of what they say. Some companies require their employees to come to work at least three days a week. Companies made it clear that the staff in key projects must come to the office. In this background, it seems that the attendance of employees in IT companies is gradually increasing.
The rate of staff migration (employees moving to other companies) in the IT industry is 15 to 20 per cent. As the demand for professionals is high, switching to another company that offers a better package has increased in the last year. A large number of projects are available, IT companies do not hesitate to pay higher salaries to the professionals they need. Additionally, fresh pass-outs are also being selected on the college premises.
As a result, 30 to 40 per cent of IT companies are new employees. "New hires do not have a complete understanding of the company's working conditions, projects and objectives. So, we suggest you come to the office and work," said a representative of a local IT company. Engineers hired on the premises are allowed to work from home for three to five months. They are called to the office when they get some experience and need to fully engage in the projects.
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Due to IT professionals working from home, the costs of building rent, electricity, transportation, internet and other costs for the companies have been reduced to some extent. There is an opportunity to increase profits to that extent. But considering the benefits of working as a team in addition to timely completion of projects, data security, efficiency and productivity, industry insiders say it's better if staff come to the office and work. It is learnt that due to working from home they have to spend more on data security and other related aspects, but if employees come to offices those costs will be reduced. It is important to complete projects on time and safely and earn the trust of clients, which requires employees to come to the office.
As a result of the staff being called to the offices by the IT companies, the attendance at the IT offices is slowly increasing. Until recently, 15 to 20 per cent of employees were coming to offices while nearly 80 per cent were working from home. Now it seems that around 35 to 40 per cent of the staff are coming to the offices. Local IT sources explain that more than half of the IT staff will come to work in a few days. Some IT companies are still implementing the 'Flexi-working' system. That means coming to the office only two to three days a week is enough. The remaining days should be worked from home. Some IT companies are expected to continue this policy for some time.
