Silent
Take-over?
Ever
since 2020 dawned, world has been compulsively riveted to
‘covidian’ statistics - the infected, recovered and dead. Incidents of heroism,
sacrifice and stupidity add realism and uncertainty to the emerging survival
story. In its attempt to contain the pandemic through social distancing, the
world locked itself down. To survive with minimal damages, organisations, that
could remotely pursue business, took the ‘Work-From-Home’ (WFH) route,
effectively taking over homes. WFH keeps hopes alive but could soon
be the new norm.
Irresistible
Goldmine
 |
| Creating office Space at Home |
Irritable domestic
disruptions notwithstanding, internet generally ensured
seamless connectivity helping entities overcome restricted work-related
movement, imposed by lock-down. Though organisations, especially production
places mandating physical presence, reported loss of business, many where work
could progress without such presence reported higher productivity. For many,
especially IT related, it was ‘almost’ business-as-usual even with skeletal
staffing. In addition to the unexpected savings in real estate and logistics
costs, ‘lock-down’ provided, it also seems to have helped companies discover an
irresistible goldmine - 24x7 willing WFH employees with their own real estate
at no extra costs. This could trigger a ‘post-lockdown’ review of HR assets,
pruning of rolls and redeployment of residual resources. Markets can also
expect new paradigms in talent acquisitions and retention.
Spin-off
and Trade-off
If
crude oil price is an indicator, world economy is in a tail
spin and businesses will be devastated. In the ensuing bloodbath, companies
will resort to drastic measures to stay afloat. Unprecedented unemployment
would be the first manifestation. Sensing looming pink-slips, employees have
become more productive during WFH, than ever before. If 24X7 captive workers
and real estate savings are the beneficial spin-offs for organisations,
employees could find themselves ending up in an unhealthy trade-off,
surrendering personal life for job security. Fixed and flexi-timings could soon
become ancient practices, as employees could find themselves tied to ‘any time’
schedules. Secure high-speed network and domestic workstation could soon become
mandatory requirement for being hired. Once hired, bosses, colleagues and
subordinates can virtually walk into the privacy of each other’s homes.
Corporate invasion of private space would be complete.
Sub-optimal Output
Organisational activities are possible 24 X7. Application of
individual’s physical and mental abilities without break, however sincere it
may be, yields sub-optimal results. Shift systems and time
limits were introduced to overcome this efficiency drop. Somehow, higher
management, assuming indispensability, seems to have excluded itself from such
consideration. Middle level follows suit and lower rungs relentlessly replicate
rituals to remain relevant.
Considering
oneself superhuman to command astronomical compensations and accelerated career
progression is acceptable. But everyone around is unfortunately bound by laws
that define mortals. Fatigue is undeniably human and law of diminishing returns
universally applicable. While ensuing
uncertainty may keep employees endlessly logged in and force them to attend
calls, apparently pleased, it will be naive to think that charades could be
productive in the long run.
Organisations resorting to such practices, by design or
inadvertently, is exploitative and not worth working for. Worthy assets would
flee sooner or later for better pastures.
Work Space
“Work is worship”, the often-quoted proverb, lends sanctity
to workplaces. Interpersonal work
relationships are best developed at the workplace, uniform and insulated from
home conditions. Differentials in work conditions, if any, are motivators. Time
together, as a team helps develop bonding and unity of purpose, indispensable
elements in evolving productive organisational culture. Despite reckonable short-term savings, WFH essentially erodes workplace dynamics and in the long
run be injurious to the organisation.
Home – Nursery for Value Systems
Home is where employees recuperate between work shifts. It is
where employee goes to return recharged for productivity. That is why great
organisations go to great lengths to make family lives of their employees
meaningful.
Homes, like workplaces, too have distinctive and sanctified
identity. Irrespective of the locality, size and comfort levels, home is where
values systems are sown. It is where customs, traditions and culture are
nurtured. Tinkering with ‘home-atmosphere’ by inducing office into the four
walls of the house has serious implications with unbearable future costs for
the society. Such infringements can alter the way, children, the future
generation, is raised. Adverse impact of parental absence from children is well
documented. Bringing offices home, may physically place parents at home longer
but effectively and perpetually steal parents from children.
Costs of Infringement
Managements are not legally responsible for creating
well-balanced, just and productive society. But they certainly have an
important role. Compensation to the employee is only a peripheral act of
society building. Organisations may do well to remind itself that the very same
children whose development they consciously impair today would either be their
potential employees or clients. Companies must understand that
businesses thrive most in just and happy societies.
Defining
Paradigms
If
businesses plan to continue with WFH, then there is a need to define parameters
of the proposed paradigm, clearly enunciating socially acceptable terms of
engagement. Individuals may be willing to compromise long-term societal needs
out of sheer greedy ignorance, but organisations can ill afford to remain
oblivious to societal needs.
Intention
makes the difference.
