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Firms want to restart work in full swing, but fret over employee safety
Many employers said while resuming work in full swing will help companies bounce back from the financial crisis they currently find themselves in, the health of employees was of primary importance.
With the Delhi government allowing all government and private offices in the city to resume operations with full workforce from Monday, while at the same time urging private establishments to encourage employees to work from home as much as possible, companies are mulling over plans to bring back its staff to offices while ensuring their safety.
After chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s address on Monday, announcing relaxations during the fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown, which was enforced on March 25 to curtail the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), many companies said employee safety and risk mitigation will be their priority in the coming weeks.
Some said they might follow the CM’s advice and continue to allow employees to work from home for another two weeks.
Many employers said while resuming work in full swing will help companies bounce back from the financial crisis they currently find themselves in, the health of employees was of primary importance.
“We welcome the Delhi government’s announcement, but it is a double-edged sword. The number of Covid-19 cases is still on the rise in the city and if even one employee is found Covid-19 positive in our office, then it will collapse our entire system. All factors have to be considered before we call employees back to offices,” Pallavi Dev Burman, talent acquisition head at Star Technology Developers, a tech company in south Delhi’s Nehru Place, said.
She said while her company is yet to decide on whether to call employees back to office from this week, the concerns of having to bring about a complete revival of company’s fortunes runs just as deep as the safety of all employees.
“Safety is definitely our priority, but even one positive case can lead to added costs as our office premises will be shut completely,” she said.
A call centre service, MeetRix Private Limited, based out of Green Park, said since they have nearly 150 employees on their two floors of office space, the number of employees being called in will depend on how close to the workplace these employees reside as well as their work profile. The limited space in office will not allow social distancing, the company executive said.
“We understand that the government is yet to restart Metro services, which is the primary mode of transport for most of our employees, many of whom are women. Those living close by and having private vehicles may be called in. It will also depend on whether they are needed urgently in the office or if they manage from home,” Gurpreet Singh Chahal, co-founder MeetRix, said
Many employees were worried that not resuming Metro services in the national capital will limit travel options.
“Not everyone can afford to travel in cabs and auto rickshaws daily. There should have been some consideration for people who travel on public transport as well,” Rituraj Ray, who works in a private firm in Vasant Kunj, south Delhi, said.
