IT professionals constitute a very vital part of the Indian economy, and no doubt, this COVID – 19 crisis has hit hard in the IT sector. However, the companies are looking forward to workforce management as life turns to normal slowly.

The Covid-19 crisis started to hamper the economy from the March-end, and ultimately the IT/ITES companies were forced to offer “work from home” option to their employees. The companies took special permission from their clients, keeping in mind the issue of employee wellness. However, with the restrictions easing, there is no talk about getting back to the office’s work table. As India has not yet flattened the Corona Virus curve completely, the HR Management is treading very cautiously over the issue.

Indian Workforce Management:

With no significant loss of productivity, the companies are ensuring proper workforce management and no rushing back to the office all at once. Many companies prefer to HR Outsourcing Companies to manage their human resources in India and across the globe. Yes, we can say that Indian IT service providers and treading very cautiously on this issue. As R Srikrishna, CEO, Hexaware Technologies rightly points out that “Hexaware policy on employees coming back to campus is not linked to government policies and date of opening.” At Infosys, only 15 percent of the workforce has reported for work.

It looks as if the IT and ITES companies will take their own time in resuming regular work routine keeping in view the employee wellness. An IT company head said, “No Coronavirus case has been reported during the lockdown period so far. Even if employees are willing to work from offices after the lockdown is lifted, we want to be cautious”. The centre’s guideline says that 50 percent of the workforce can return to work. HR Management is considering all aspects of the safety and security of human life apart from just profitability.

Also, there is a little concern about how social distancing is to be maintained post the lockdown. Now, with the reports coming in of several asymptomatic cases, the IT sector will not take any chances, as it can impact their businesses and may also hurt their reputation. Employee wellness is something that no company can overlook. The MNC IT biggies have all decided to make their employees work from home till June 2020 end and then review the decision. HR Outsourcing Companies are supporting many IT Companies to process the full-scale operations.

Transport Issues:

Public transport and private cabs haven’t yet resumed services fully. If social distancing has to become a way, fewer passengers will need to travel, which means less office attendance automatically. Almost every employee needs transport support either by bus or cab.

Client Companies:

The IT sector client companies, based in the UK and the USA, are in a state of lockdown for some time now. They may not be very understanding of the ground realities being present in India and may object to continued work from home for a long time. Another significant issue is the Bandwidth problem in certain areas, which may affect the typical workflow.

The COVID – 19 issues have not only thrown up a lot of challenges but has also provided ample opportunities to learn. The companies have mastered the skill to deal with an emergency, be it war or a natural disaster or a pandemic. Work from home has gained new recognition in the IT/ITES sector as companies like TCS have openly announced that 75% of their workforce will be operating from home in the distant future. Companies can opt for HR Outsourcing Services for maintaining Leave and Attendance Management for tracking the attendance and productivity of Employees. We can assume that the Techs will return to their campus, but not very soon as employees’ safety is crucial.