By July 2022, more than 50% IT Workforce is likely to be back in offices: Industry leaders
The future of work after Covid will be flexible. It will be hybrid, not just here but it is the consensus emerging from across the world opined Panellists at a Panel Discussion on “Transitioning Workspace Forward” organised as part of 8th FM Summit 2022 organised by TFMC—Telangana Facility Management Council.
The panel discussion was moderated by Vijay Rangineni, CEO, IT Investments at Government of Telangana. It is time to get back to work, in person, face to face, he said, initiating the panel discussion. But what are the roadblocks? Where do we stand today, he asked the Panellists?
There are 5 support staff behind every techie employed. All of these have lost their livelihoods for a sudden shift to a new work style i.e Work from Home in March 2020. Now if we want to welcome back these support staff, they are not available. They have gone back to their native places. They have picked up alternative employment.
Now what is the road ahead? The Five top IT industry leadership participated in the panel discussion.
Workplaces are not only workplaces but they are social interactive places, where employees meet their colleagues, collaborate, learn and work together for shared goals said Vinay Agarwal, one of the Panellists, Global Head-Business HR, Tech Mahindra. Offices are Me Time, We Time places of the workforce he added.
None of the two world wars impacted the world as much as the pandemic has. It is a quite challenging task to bring entire workforce back to office immediately even though workforce has pitfalls of Work from Home such as psychological problems, problems in marriage where both spouses are working, comfortable working environment as homes are not as good as offices in terms of comfort etc. it has to be phased manner he said.
Hundred per cent Work from Home (WFH) work style will not work. It has to be an Hybrid model, said another panellist C.N.Rao, CFO, Divyashree NSL Infrastructure Pvt Ltd.
Having experienced Work from Home, Work from Anywhere and Work Remotely which saves time, energy, effort in travel, cost, motivating them to comeback may be a huge challenge but surely and steadily we will come back to the old style of work after July this year, he said.
Mamatha Madireddy, MD & Centre Director of HSBC Global Service Centre said WFH was something new to the banking industry. But, suddenly 100% of our employees started working from home. Now the return to offices will happen in a phased manner.
Ms. Kiran Pendyala said similar to what we practice ‘ease of business’ it has to be ‘ease of coming back to office’. Workplaces are socialising, hand out, interactive places and work force is willing but they need to be reassured about the safety of workplaces.
CN Rao felt that IT employees are slowly returning back to work. From 1% sometime last year now 20% are back to work.
If we don’t face the 4th Wave or even if we face and if it is as mild as Omicron, the process of returning back will be hastened.
Krishna Yedula, Secretary General of SCSC and VP at Virtusa said 15% of the IT workforce is operating from offices as of now and the number will go up in next couple months. And by July it will be well over 50%.
Satyanarayana Mathala, President of TSFMC said Facility Management is a profession that improves business and lives by ensuring functionality, comfort, safety, and efficiency of the built environment and is practiced by 25 million people around the world. We are fully geared up to welcome the IT workforce back to offices. From reception to washrooms, all are touchless and safe environments to work from, he said.
The CXO Conclave of CEOs and CXOs (Chief Experience Officers) is organised where the panel discussion happened as part of the 8th FM Summit 2022 to know the business pulse on Back to Office & Sustainability practices that every IT Company should follow to reduce the Global Warming, increase the Green cover, Adopt Lakes , Support Medical infrastructure , Support Handloom Monday etc. The summit was organised at Anvaya Conventions in Financial District in Gachibowli