Is work from home a Boon or a Bane? Challenging for all HR professionals to make sure our employees are healthy

Hello, The current Covid situation has been challenging for all HR professionals to make sure our employees and organizations are healthy.
Is work from home a Boon or a Bane? I'm curious to know different work from home policy.
Thanks.

Dear member,

You have raised the question "Is work from home a Boon or a Bane?" Do you wish to acquire the opinions from the members spread across society? If yes, then why? You could have given a little more information about yourself. Why do you wish to conduct this exercise? Is the curiosity out of your organisation's need or to fill a surplus time at hand?

In the larger context, the "Work From Home" (WFH) facility has allowed a chunk of the workforce to work from home. Since they were not required to visit their office, the exposure to the dreaded COVID-19 virus could be avoided and thereby this facility has served humanity.

The WFH mode of work could work because the companies had done the transition from paper-based work to the modern internet-based systems which are paperless. If COVID-19 pandemic were to strike just 20 years ago then what havoc it would have wrought that cannot be imagined.

The secondary benefit of WFH is reduced commutation or zero commutation of the employees for work. It has reduced the consumption of fuel and thereby reduced pollution also. Less consumption of fuel has reduced import of crude oil also. This resulted in the saving of the foreign exchange.

On the opposite side: -

The WFH has reduced social interaction. Not all homes are cosy places. There is a lot of tension because of domestic affairs. Against this backdrop, employees, by coming to the office, were entering a different world. The workplaces also acts as a valve where employees confide their problems and challenges to their confidants. Now, this is not happening.

Going further, let us not forget the dictum "man is a social animal". Personal interactions occasionally brought healthy debates and fostered churning of ideas. All this has come to standstill now. Though WFH helps maintain virtual touch with the colleagues, it is not a personal touch. Sans the personal touch, aloofness increases.

the WFH facility has isolated a social animal from the herd. Therefore, what social impact it will create that remains to be seen.

There are merits and demerits of WFH. How to strike a balance is up to the leadership of the company.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

As rightly pointed out by our learned Dinesh Sir WFH has both positive and negative sides. WFH is not possible in many industries like manufacturing, security etc. Now it is more than 8 continuous months and in many areas of WFH people are getting sick of it and are eagerly awaiting for an opportunity to work in the real world. The improvised virtual working has rendered almost everyone in the teaching & learning world is eagerly awaiting an end to this thamasha that goes on.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many new challenges to HR professional and personal lives. Majority of the global employee management isn't always used to working from home, this surprising alternate has led to many problems. They are adjusting their seats to meet their business need amidst the entirety this is taking place around the world. Until now, faraway working became seen greater as a perk or luxury that businesses supplied to meet the desires of the employees and vice versa. But now, it has taken center level in our working lifestyle.

Dear all,
Related the discussion going on the post, let me add further.
Technology has many benefits but it loses the texture of life as well. What are the demerits of not having personal interaction? Click the following link to know the views of Fareed Zakaria given in the lastest episode of his famous TV programme "Global Public Square"
https://twitter.com/i/status/1333131557696131077
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar

Dear colleague,

WFH is a hot topic as this model has come to stay. The experience gained so far from its working , will help churning of thoughts from experts on its implications.

I would like to share my thoughts and observations:

1. Widespread WFH work model in India is compelled by the current Coronavirus outbreak. Given choice, companies would not have adopted it on their own.

2. It's adoption is not seen in full spectrum of industries or workforce and is only confined to small but sizable section of industries, jobs/roles and institutions. More particularly, IT, IT enabled, techno- savvy companies and organizations which already have enabling infra structure have gone for it . The Manufacturing, Hospitality, Transport, Frontline sales and central/state govt employees to mention a few, where pysical presence of employees is a must, this work model may not be feasible. This means, a very large section of work force will eventually continue to work with physical presence.

3. The WFH model whereever made operational, appears to be , largely advantageous to both- companies and employees. Better efficiency/productivity and lower costs to companies and no commute, work- life balance in the midst of family members, lowered poluution levels etc are some of the greatest advantages to employees and society at large.

However, it is not without any downside- Isolation , stress and boredom disturbs employees' mental health.

4. The full ramifications/impact of WFH model on individual, family , relationships and

organization is yet not fully assessed.

Though it is not a rosy picture unfolding from working of this model, going by experience so far, it appears to be of mutual advantages and to society at large.

5. But the most important question is what will happen once the pandemic is over and every thing becomes normal. Will this WFH model continue to stay .

My take is it will at least in certain industries as is current. But barring this, rest of the industries will return to physical presence at work place and both models will simultaneously continue as before. So the accompanying challenges of large-scale commute, pollution , rising cost of production etc will return with vengeance.

However, all the stakeholders, should come together to bring more industries in its fold and make this model more successful by harnessing technolocal resources.

This work model is dynamic and evolving. Lessons learnt so far through it's adoption ,may be put to use to make forward march successful and sustainable.

Regards,

Vinayak Nagarkar

HR and Employee Relations Consultant

Dear Friends,
WFH( Work from home) and WCTH ( work close to home) are employment options in this Covid19 pandemic time. WFH efficacy depends upon the internet speed, cellphone network availability and any other using technologies/devices.
Work From Home doesn't mean an employee is available anytime. An employee’s life is a balanced act on professional and personal affairs while working from home. Work from home is a Boon as well as a Bane. For example: If you have a quarrelsome/problematic spouse or obstinate/mischievous child at home WFH is a bane. If you are a single/bachelor/spinster/have a supportive spouse WFH is a boon.
Yours faithfully,
Mohandas Nair.

The work from home experiment has led to greater flexibility, but it has also led to the blurring of boundaries between work and life.
We have a piece of blog where explained some useful tips to sustain your workplace practices.
https://hrone.cloud/productivity-during-work-from-home/

Work from home is overall good for the Employee and Employer, although in IT Company and some developed nations its not new, in India due to Covid-19, WFH is going broad. although employees given better efficiency, better productivity in WFH.

Costs to Companies Employee reduced as no commute, work- life balance in the midst of family members, lowered pollution levels etc are some of the advantages to employees Companies and Nation.

Employer who have sufficient IT Infrastructure and should provide the facility to the employee who is doing WFH accept, manufacturing, Medical Companies, Hospatility, Govt. employees, front line sales and markeing companies) should adopt this to build the Nation.

Employer should keep in mind and focus on the delivery of the work not what employee does.

Ram Mohan Prajapati

Power Sector - HR

New Delhi

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