HYDERABAD: One of the reasons the IT sector wants to bring employees back to working from offices (WFO) is that it would help in the recovery of small businesses and the informal sector. Hyderabad Software Enterprises Association (HYSEA) president Bharani Kumar Aroll says, “Like the government, the IT sector is also worried about the small businesses like cab services, security and housekeeping staff, who had been thrown out of employment. They are our stakeholders. Though the IT sector has not been affected by the pandemic since the work went on with employees working from home, it is always better if they work from the office. One IT employee supports 2.5 persons in the informal sector. If we want to grow, the ecosystem also has to grow.”
Moreover, the sector discounts the theory that companies find it more convenient if employees work from home, as they can save money on overheads. “This is not the way the companies look at the pandemic-induced spin-off development. They have a huge infrastructure in place and they want to use it. With schools also reopening, employees are now free to commute to the office as they do not have to take care of children at home,” adds Aroll.
Firms asked to end WFH
IT Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan says the government had made an appeal to the IT sector to ask the employees to switch back to the work from office culture, to support the informal sector. “They have had a traumatic time and we want them to recover too. I am happy several companies have decided to ask employees to return to offices. At present, only 20 per cent of the staff are working from home, but going forward, the percentage will increase as fears over the possible resurgence of Covid-19 recedes,” Ranjan said.
For the entire sector to bristle with employees at offices, the large multinational companies have to take a call. The Principal Secretary says, “As their corporate offices are abroad, it may take time, but frontline companies like Infosys and Wipro have already asked the employees to begin working from the office.”