Thrust on hybrid work mode at IT companies

Technology firms begin to welcome employees back to office

Rachana Ramesh I NT
Bengaluru

Technology firms in the city that wore a deserted look during the pandemic have begun to welcome their employees back to office. Companies, such as Cisco and SAP, resumed offline work mode on June A few firms had reopened their workspace in the second half of May itself. 

According to industry experts, most firms offer a hybrid online-offline mode while a few others have mandated employees to show up at work for five days a week. 

Shireetha, an employee at HP has been working in the hybrid model, where she attends office three days a week and works online for the remaining two days. “Since we are working in the hybrid model, only a few teams are in the office at the moment,” she said. 

She said the environment is more ‘chill’ these days as there are no more mandated seating arrangements. 

The company has exempted people who have medical issues from coming to office. “Those who wish to work from home for the next month too are exempted,” she said.
She worked from home for two years and she felt so relieved to be at the office. “It feels like I am finally coming back to normal,” she said. 

Koushik N K, an employee at Microland who has to work five days a week from the office, said she felt more productive when working from the office. “When you work from home, everything happens virtually, which is not healthy. If you come across an issue, there will be others around to help to fill that knowledge gap which will make your work easy. But at home, the rapport with your colleagues decreases and stress increases,” he said, adding that he is delighted to be back. 

However, it takes him close to two hours to reach his work space. “I have to be in the office at 1 pm and I have to leave my house at 11:30am to make it on time. I am feeling the heat of the traffic jams,” he said. 
Accenture has also reopened its offices, and it is following a hybrid model.