Most of our employees had traveled back to their hometown and had been working from home for the past 8 months. There had been several system issues and company computers damaged in the process. Hence we wanted everyone to come back to Bangalore and start working so that all technical issues could be sorted out immediately. Not from the office but from wherever they used to stay while living in Bengaluru.
Few employees do not want to travel and can't give a proper date from when they can work from Bengaluru. There is the possibility they will quit when we open office.
Can we force employees to travel and work from their actual Place of Work? Can we terminate if someone refuses to report from Bangalore?
From India, Bangalore
3Few employees do not want to travel and can't give a proper date from when they can work from Bengaluru. There is the possibility they will quit when we open office.
Can we force employees to travel and work from their actual Place of Work? Can we terminate if someone refuses to report from Bangalore?
From India, Bangalore
Dear Shweta,
I am not an expert in computers and net working to understand exactly the technical problems you mentioned. The point here's that being compelled to come back to Bengaluru, your employees are again required to WFH only. Then what's the difference?
The option of WFH is resorted to only when mobility is highly restricted due to the pandemic as a preventive measure. If normalcy seems to be restored and mobility has become unrestricted and convenient, the employer can revise the working norms. If higher rate of attrition is expected in the wake of WFH, that cannot be a sole reason to compel the employees to be back at the place of official residence despite the continuation of WFH. In fact it will facilitate job hopping. On the other hand, it is better for the management to analyse the actual reasons for such a situation like your compensation package, welfare measures, the rigour of extracting work during the phase of WFH etc.
Therefore, in my opinion, the management has to take a decision in totality of the situation rather than merely insisting on their physical presence at head quarters despite the continuance of WFH.
From India, Salem
I am not an expert in computers and net working to understand exactly the technical problems you mentioned. The point here's that being compelled to come back to Bengaluru, your employees are again required to WFH only. Then what's the difference?
The option of WFH is resorted to only when mobility is highly restricted due to the pandemic as a preventive measure. If normalcy seems to be restored and mobility has become unrestricted and convenient, the employer can revise the working norms. If higher rate of attrition is expected in the wake of WFH, that cannot be a sole reason to compel the employees to be back at the place of official residence despite the continuation of WFH. In fact it will facilitate job hopping. On the other hand, it is better for the management to analyse the actual reasons for such a situation like your compensation package, welfare measures, the rigour of extracting work during the phase of WFH etc.
Therefore, in my opinion, the management has to take a decision in totality of the situation rather than merely insisting on their physical presence at head quarters despite the continuance of WFH.
From India, Salem
The employees are no different than the ordinary citizens of the country. So if there are no travel restriction in reaching Bengaluru then some of your employees cannot claim anything extra provided their is no travel restriction in the originating station or anywhere on the way. As the economy is limping back to normalcy and governments are working hard to normalise the situation with due safeguards, your insistence to the employees to be back at Bengaluru is not improper or illegal. Provide sufficient notice and give travel time concession which would vary from case to case. How WFH at native places would increase the employee turnover is not easily understood? In deed once back to Bengaluru more opportunities would come knocking on their door!! For technical reasons their physical presence at arms length is sound reason to call them back.
From India, Mumbai
From India, Mumbai
@Umakanthan Sir, Thank you for your valuable inputs. There are several major issues we are facing with WFH from hometown- One is frequent powercuts due to which we have associates unable to login for few hours in between because they don't have back up at home. This affects work. Then power fluctuations which damages the systems, then it has to be repaired and the associate is unable to work till his computer is back functioning. Then there are network issues, slow internet connections. The company is willing to reimburse for high speed connections, but certain places don't have the provisions for high speed connections.
Once in Bangalore, all the above problems can be resolved and we will have our technical team on call. So they can fix any issues immediately by visiting the associate's place.
I fear the attrition rates are beginning to climb as people have gotten used to working from home and doesn't want to travel or stay away from family especially when they have to continue working from home from Bangalore as well.
Opening office gradually is always on the cards. With everyone in the city, it makes the transition easier.
From India, Bangalore
Once in Bangalore, all the above problems can be resolved and we will have our technical team on call. So they can fix any issues immediately by visiting the associate's place.
I fear the attrition rates are beginning to climb as people have gotten used to working from home and doesn't want to travel or stay away from family especially when they have to continue working from home from Bangalore as well.
Opening office gradually is always on the cards. With everyone in the city, it makes the transition easier.
From India, Bangalore
@KK Exactly the reason why the management waited all these months. We didn't want the travel restrictions, quarantining- all these to hinder the transition. A month's notice was given for everyone to move back to Bangalore.
From what I have understood, it's easier to find Work from Home jobs now and hence people don't want to move from their hometown?
From India, Bangalore
From what I have understood, it's easier to find Work from Home jobs now and hence people don't want to move from their hometown?
From India, Bangalore
It is up to employers, in conjunction with employees, to make the call on returning to the office, and there is no point in forcing it if remote working hasn’t hurt productivity and profitability.
From India, Pune
From India, Pune
Restrictions imposed by Union Government (Ministry of Home Affairs-MHA) are now slowly relaxing, thereby promote activities of business. Management /Employer, may review the situation and make necessary changes in the previously drawn out rules and regulations, after notifying to employees.
MHA vide its Order dated 25th of November, issued guidelines for Surveillance,, Containment and Caution and the same shall be in force upto 31/12/2020. It has also released a list of SOPs prescribed for various activities. Based on this, State Government might have issued necessary guidelines to be followed. Please refer this, applicable to the State of Karnataka and make fresh arrangement.
From India, Aizawl
MHA vide its Order dated 25th of November, issued guidelines for Surveillance,, Containment and Caution and the same shall be in force upto 31/12/2020. It has also released a list of SOPs prescribed for various activities. Based on this, State Government might have issued necessary guidelines to be followed. Please refer this, applicable to the State of Karnataka and make fresh arrangement.
From India, Aizawl
Due to the current covid 19 situation many companies are working from home and company has provided all the equipment's to the employees for the smooth functioning of work from home. In this situation you can make a policy focusing on the major issues. like-
1. Employee should inform to his reporting manager or HR before moving to any other city along with office laptop for the work.
2. Employee should sign a document for any damage to office assets during work from home. ( You can mention these points in separate annexure)
3. Employee must visit to office if called by the manager or any senior manager for official reasons.
such policy will help you.
From India, Pune
1. Employee should inform to his reporting manager or HR before moving to any other city along with office laptop for the work.
2. Employee should sign a document for any damage to office assets during work from home. ( You can mention these points in separate annexure)
3. Employee must visit to office if called by the manager or any senior manager for official reasons.
such policy will help you.
From India, Pune
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