The study, explores the cost-benefit analysis of WFH in Indian context.
Benefits of WFH
- Organizational level:
- Savings: More than 25% in office rental cost, meeting with clients, employees etc.
- Productivity: Reduced commutation stress, led to higher employee productivity and energy level etc.
- Macro-environment: Reduction in company’s carbon footprint, meeting its ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) goals, hiring of spatially distant employees etc.
- Employee level:
- Savings: Reduction in commuting time & costs, flexibility to live in more affordable peripheral areas.
- Family relationship: Stronger kinship ties, beneficial for parents with young children and caregivers, improved work life balance etc.
Implications of WFH
- Organizational level: Less effective communication impacting teamwork, hindering the development and sustenance of organizational culture etc.
- Employee level: Frequent disruptions, lack of dedicated, undisturbed workspaces at home led to increased stress.
- Family relationship: Rise in domestic violence incidents, increased pressure on women etc.
Way ahead: Hybrid work practices, with employees expected to come to office for certain days in a week, whereby advantages of face-to-face working can be optimally combined with those of WFH.