POST COVID-19 WORK STRATEGIES AND IMPLICATIONS: INSIGHT ON INDIAN IT SECTOR

Authors

  • Kolluru Mythili Professional Studies and Undergraduate Dept., College of Banking and Financial Studies; Muscat, Oman
  • Krishnan Kumutha Professional Studies and Undergraduate Dept., College of Banking and Financial Studies; Muscat, Oman
  • Kumar Kolluru Shyam Global Computer Service L.L.C, Muscat, Oman

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2478/eoik-2021-0014

Keywords:

Post COVID-19, Work-From-Home, Work-From-Anywhere, work strategies, India, IT sector, remote working, emerging economy, agile, restructuring

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the work strategies adopted by leading Indian IT companies post COVID-19 and their institutional and individual level implications. Following the exploratory sequential mixed-method approach, in the first phase, the data were collected from 8 leading IT companies in India to understand the work strategies implemented post COVID -19 to ensure employees’ safety without disrupting client deliverables. In the second phase, the primary qualitative interviews were conducted and selected IT companies' financial statements with a systematic analysis of financial indicators were used to gauge the impact of new work strategies. The study reveals the selected IT companies were embracing Work-From-Home or Work-From-Anywhere as their work strategies by ensuring little to no disruption, were armed with a host of technology tools that allowed employees' swathes to new work-norm within hours. The study findings manifold implications of the new work-norm are that it has no negative impact on the companies' client deliverables and profitability. The paper confirms that the remote-working approach has resulted in reduced carbon footprint, work-life balance, and de-urbanization while identifying the flip side of this approach as the negative impact on team cohesiveness and employee emotional wellbeing. Tis research confirms the critical lesson learned from COVID-19 is agile companies must plan for a range of incomprehensible contingencies to ensure business continuity and growth. The research findings contribute towards understanding the Indian IT sector experiences in adopting the remote-work strategies and taken as lessons that can be useful for other global IT sectors.

References

Abhishek. (2020, June 22). Work From Anywhere (WFX): Looking Beyond the Pandemic. Retrieved from L&T Technology Services: https://www.ltts.com/blog/work-anywhere-wfx-lookingbeyond-pandemic

Arora, M. (2020, May 06). Tech Mahindra aims to move to 25% work from home permanently: CFO Manoj Bhat. Retrieved from The Forum of Economic Times: https://cfo.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/tech-mahindra-aims-to-move-to-25-work-from-homepermanently-cfo-manoj-bhat/75529177

Basu, S. (2021, February 5). HCL Technologies to add 1,000 employees in Nagpur in the coming months. Retrieved from The Econmics Times: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/information-tech/hcl-technologies-to-add-1000-employees-in-nagpur-in-the-comingmonths/articleshow/80702925.cms

Bryant, S. (2000). At Home on the Electronic Frontier: Work, Gender and the Information Highway. New Technology, Work and Employment, 15(1), 19-33.

Business Standard. (2020, April 10). Coronavirus lockdown: IBM India says 99% workforce now working from home. Retrieved from Communications Today: https://www.communicationstoday.co.in/coronavirus-lockdown-ibm-india-says-99-workforce-nowworking-from-home/

Business Standard. (2020, July 20). Redington India Ltd. - Chairman Speech. Retrieved from Business Standard: https://www.business-standard.com/company/redington-india-12586/annualreport/chairman-speech

Business Today. (2020, December 16). COVID-19 impact: Infosys to prefer flexible ‘hybrid’ work model for employees. Retrieved from Business Today: https://www.businesstoday.in/current/corporate/covid-19-impact-infosys-to-prefer-flexible-hybrid-work-model-for-employees/story/425142.html

Business Today. (2020, August 20). Wipro extends work from home till April 2021. Retrieved from Business Today: https://www.businesstoday.in/current/corporate/33-of-24-lakhinfosys-employees-to-work-permanently-from-home/story/407302.html

Cavazotte, F. A. (2014). Corporate Smart Phones: Professionals’ Conscious Engagement in Escalating Work Connectivity. New Technology, Work and Employment, 29(1), 72–87.

Chatterjee, S. (2020, September 10). Working from Home: The New Normal for the Corporate World? Retrieved from HCL: https://www.hcltech.com/blogs/working-home-new-normalcorporate-world

Choudhury, P. (2020, November–December). Our Work-from-Anywhere Future. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2020/11/our-work-from-anywhere-future

Dale, A., Arbor, S., & Procter, M. (1988). Doing secondary analysis: A Practical Guide. London, UK: Unwin Hyman.

Deloitte. (2020). A workforce reimagined. Deloitte LLP. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/Tax/remote-work-strategies-for-covid19-andbeyond.pdf

Deloitte. (2020). How to reduce the pandemic impact on employees: A guide for company leaders. Retrieved from Deloitte: https://www2.deloitte.com/ua/en/pages/human-capital/articles/impact-of-covid-19.html

Dén-Nagy, I. (2014). ‘A Double-edged Sword?: A Critical Evaluation of the Mobile Phone in Creating Work–Life Balance. New Technology, Work and Employment, 29(2), 193–211.

Donnelly, N., & Proctor-Tomson, S. (2015). Disrupted Work: Home-based Teleworking (HbTW) in the Aftermath of a Natural Disaster. New Technology, Work and Employment, 30(1), 47- 61.

Economic Times. (2020, November 07). About 75% of industry workforce may continue to work from outside office: IT Secretary. Retrieved from CIO.com: https://cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/corporate-news/about-75-of-industry-workforce-may-continue-to-workfrom-outside-ofce-it-secretary/79094451

Fonner, K. L., & Stache, L. (2012, November). All in a Day’s Work, at Home: Teleworkers’ Management of Micro Role Transitions and the Work–Home Boundary. New Technology Work and Employment, 27(3), 242-257. doi:10.1111/j.1468-005X.2012.00290.x

Gill, P. (2020, October 22). EXCLUSIVE: HCL Tech is bringing employees back to offices — once a week to begin with. Retrieved from Business Insider India: https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/hcl-tech-is-bringing-employees-back-to-offices-weekly-once-to-startwith/articleshow/78802219.cms

Gill, P. (2020, August 4). Tech Mahindra wants 25-30% of its employees working from home permanently by June 2021 — CFO explains how they got to that number. Retrieved from Business Insider India: https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tech-mahindra-wants-25-30-of-its-employees-working-from-home-permanently-byjune-2021/articleshow/77346959.cms

Glaser, B. G. (1963). Retreading research materials: The use of secondary analysis by the independent researcher. The American Behavioural Scientist, 6(10), 11-14.

Global Workplace Analytics. (2021). Latest Work-At-Home/Telecommuting/Mobile Work/Remote Work Statistics.Retrieved from Global Workplace Analytics: https://globalworkplaceanalytics.com/telecommuting-statistics

Gopal, V. (2020). Planning for COVID 19 Business Uncertainty. Tata Consultancy Services. Retrieved from: https://www.tcs.com/content/dam/tcs/pdf/perspectives/covid-19/Planning%20for%20COVID-19%20Business%20Uncertainty%20(2).pdf

Gopal, V. (2021). 9 Financial Benefits of Retaining the Work-from Anywhere Distributed Workforce Model. Tata Consultancy Services.

HCL. (2016). Annual Report 2015-2016. HCL Tech.

HCL. (2018). Annual Report 2017-2018. HCL Tech.

HCL. (2020). HCL Technologies Annual Report_2020. HCL Tech. Retrieved from https://www.hcltech.com/sites/default/fles/hcl-technologies-annual-report-2020.pdf

Howcrof, D., & Rubery, J. (2019, May). ‘Bias in, Bias out’: gender equality and the future of work debate. Labour & Industry a journal of the social and economic relations of work, 29(2), 1-15. doi:10.1080/10301763.2019.1619986

Howcrof, D., & Taylor, P. (2014, March 20). ‘Plus ca change, plus la meme chose?’—researching and theorising the ‘new’ new technologies. New Technology, Work & Employment, 29(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12026

Indian Mirror. (2018). Indian Information Technology at a Glance in 2017 - 2018. Retrieved from Indian Mirror: https://www.indianmirror.com/indian-industries/2018/informationtechnology-2018.html

Indian Mirror. (2019). Indian Information Technology at Glance in 2018-2019. Retrieved from Indian Mirror: https://www.indianmirror.com/indian-industries/2019/informationtechnology-2019.html

Indian Mirror. (2020). Indian Information Technology at a Glance in 2018 - 2019. Retrieved from Indian Mirror: https://www.indianmirror.com/indian-industries/2020/informationtechnology-2020.html

Infosys. (2020). Infosys Annual Report 2019-20. Infosys. Retrieved from https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-flings/annual-report/annual/documents/infosys-ar-20.pdf

Johnston, M. P. (2014). Secondary data analysis: A method of which the time has come. University of Alabama, 619 –626.

Khetarpal, S. (2020, August 20). Infosys mulls permanent work from home for 33-50% employees. Retrieved from Business Today: https://www.businesstoday.in/current/corporate/33-of-24-lakh-infosys-employees-to-work-permanently-from-home/story/407302.html

Lai, Y., & Burchell, B. (2008). Distributed work: communication in an ‘officeless firm’. New Technology, Work and Employment, 23(1), 61-76. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-005X.2008.00203.x

Larzen & Toubro. (2020). 75th Annual Report 2019-20. Larzen & Toubro. Retrieved from https://investors.larsentoubro.com/upload/AnnualRep/FY2020AnnualRepL&T%20Annual%20Report%202019-20.pdf

Limburg , D., & Jackson, P. J. (2007). Teleworkflow: supporting remote control with Workflow Management Systems. New Technology, Work and Employment, 22(2), 146-167. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-005X.2007.00190.x

Lund, S., Madgavkar, A., Manyika, J., & Smit, S. (2020, November 23). What’s next for remote work: An analysis of 2,000 tasks, 800 jobs, and nine countries. Retrieved from McKinsey Global Institute: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/whats-next-forremote-work-an-analysis-of-2000-tasks-800-jobs-and-nine-countries#

Mann, S. a. (2003). The Psychological Impact of Teleworking: Stress, Emotions and Health. New Technology, Work and Employment, 18(3), 196–211.

Mann, S., & Holdsworth, L. (2003, October). The Psychological Impact of Teleworking: Stress, Emotions and Health. New Technology Work and Employment, 18(3), 196-211. doi:10.1111/1468-005X.00121

Mint. (2020, December 29). For Indian IT companies, hybrid work models could be part of post-covid world. Retrieved from www.livemint.com:livemint.com/industry/human-resource/forindian-it-comp anies-hybrid-work-models-could-be-part-of-post-covidworld-11609226450111.html

Mint. (2020, December 29). For Indian IT companies, hybrid work models could be part of post-covid world. Retrieved from www.livemint.com: https://www.livemint.com/industry/human-resource/for-indian-it-companies-hybrid-work-models-could-be-part-of-postcovid-world-11609226450111.html

Mishra , B. R., & Ishwar, S. (2020, July 13). 25/25 staff model will become a reality quicker than expected, says TCS CEO. Retrieved from Business Standard: https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/25-25-staff-model-will-become-a-reality-quicker-than-expectedsays-tcs-ceo-120071300042_1.html

Mishra, B. R., & Ishwar, S. (2020, July 13). Business Standard. Retrieved from business-standard. com: https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/25-25-staff-model-willbecome-a-reality-quicker-than-expected-says-tcs-ceo-120071300042_1.html

NASSCOM. (2019). Strategic Review: IT-BPM Sector In India 2019: Decoding Digital. Noida: The National Association of Software and Service Companies.

NASSCOM. (2020). Technology Sector In India 2020 - TECHADE- The New Decade Strategic Review. Noida: The National Association of Software and Service Companies.

Nasscom. (2021). 2021 NASSCOM CEO Survey - Tech Industry Outlook. Retrieved from www.nasscom.in: https://nasscom.in/knowledge-center/publications/2021-nasscom-ceosurvey-tech-industry-outlook

NASSCOM Insights. (2020, July 21). NASSCOM Strategic Review 2020. Retrieved from NASSCOM: https://community.nasscom.in/communities/bpm/nasscom-strategic-review-2020.html

Panteli, N., & Stack, J. (2004). Editorial: Gender Issues in the Digital Society: Research Practices, Temes and Reflections. New Technology, Work and Employment, 19(3), 156–159.

Powell, G. (2020). Work–family lockdown: implications for a post-pandemic research agenda. Gender in Management. An International Journal, 35(7/8,2020), 639-646.

Randolph, S. (2017). Computer Vision Syndrome’. Workplace Health & Safety, 65(7), 328-328. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/2165079917712727

Redington group. (2021). Financial Performance Towards Success. Retrieved from Redington group: https://redingtongroup.com/india/fnancials-and-reports/

Sharma, N. (2020, April 22). Indian IT Firms’ Covid-19 Working Model Is Here to Stay. Retrieved from Bloomberg: https://www.bloombergquint.com/coronavirus-outbreak/indian-itfrms-covid-19-working-model-is-here-to-stay

Sharma, N. (2020, September 2). Reimagining the modern way of working post COVID-19. Retrieved from HCL: https://www.hcltech.com/blogs/reimagining-modern-way-working-postcovid-19

Smith, E. (2008). Using secondary data in educational and social research. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

Taskin, L., & Edwards, P. (2007, October). The Possibilities and Limits of Telework in a Bureaucratic Environment: Lessons From the Public Sector. New Technology Work and Employment, 22(3), 105-207. doi:10.1111/j.1468-005X.2007.00194.x

Tata Consultancy Services. (2016). Annual Report 2015-2016. Tata Consultancy Services.

Tata Consultancy Services. (2017). Annual Report 2016-2017. Tata Consultancy Services.

Tata Consultancy Services. (2018). Annual Report 2017-2018. Tata Consultancy Services. Retrieved from https://www.tcs.com/content/dam/tcs/investor-relations/fnancialstatements/2017-18/ar/annual-report-2017-2018.pdf

Tata Consultancy Services. (2019). Annual 2018-2019. Tata Consultancy Services. Retrieved from https://www.tcs.com/content/dam/tcs/investor-relations/fnancial-statements/2018-19/ar/annual-report-2018-2019.pdf

Tata Consultancy Services. (2020). A New Beginning; TCS’ Secure Borderless Workspaces™ shows the way. Retrieved March 6, 2021, from www.tcs.com/: https://www.tcs.com/tcs-secure-borderless-workspaces-shows-the-way#:~:text=TCS’%20Secure%20Borderless%20Workspaces%E2%84%A2%20(SBWS%E2%84%A2)%20is%20a,ecosystem%20to%20maximize%20business%20opportunities.

Tata Consultancy Services. (2020). TCS Annual Report 2019-20. Tata Consultancy Services. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/kumutha/Downloads/annual-report-2019-2020.pdf

Tech Mahindra. (2017). Annual Report 2016-2017. Tech Mahindra. Retrieved from https://www.mahindra.com/resources/pdf/listed-companies/techm-annual-report-fy16-17.pdf

Tech Mahindra. (2018). Annual Report 2017-2018. Tech Mahindra. Retrieved from https://www.mahindra.com/resources/investor-reports/FY18/Announcements/Mahindra-andMahindra-Annual-Report-2017-2018.pdf

Tech Mahindra. (2019). Annual Report 2018-2019. Tech Mahindra. Retrieved from https://techwebstorage.blob.core.windows.net/content/static/img/pdf/Tech-Mahindra-integratedReport-2018-19.pdf

Tech Mahindra. (2019, February 11). Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2030 and 50% by 2050. Retrieved from Tech Mahindra: https://www.techmahindra.com/en-in/techmahindra-commits-to-22-percent-reduction-in-greenhouse-gas-emissions-by-2030-and-50-percent-by-2050/#:~:text=Dallas%2C%20New%20Delhi%20%E2%80%93%20February%2011,from%20a%202016%20base%2Dyear.

Tech Mahindra. (2020). Annual Report 2019-2020. Tech Mahindra. Retrieved from https://cache.techmahindra.com/static/img/pdf/Annual-Report.pdf

The Hindu BusinessLine. (2020, August 14). How the IT sector has emerged as a pillar of modern India. Retrieved from The Hindu BusinessLine: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/how-the-it-sector-has-emerged-as-a-pillar-of-modern-india/article32357389.ece

The News Minute. (2021, February 16). Indian IT sector to add 1.38 lakh employees in FY21: NASSCOM. Retrieved from The News Minute: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/indian-it-sector-add-138-lakh-employees-fy21-nasscom-143545

The News Minute. (2021, February 16). The News Minute. Retrieved from thenewsminute.com: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/indian-it-sector-add-138-lakh-employeesfy21-nasscom-143545

Townsend, K., & Batchelor, L. (2005). Managing Mobile Phones: A work/Non-work Collision in Small Business. New Technology, Work and Employment, 20(3), 259-267.

Valsecchi, R. (2006, July). Visible moves and invisible bodies: The case of teleworking in an Italian call centre. New Technology Work and Employment, 21(2), 123-138. doi:10.1111/j.1468-005X.2006.00168.x

Wilson, M., & Greenhill, A. (2004). Gender and Teleworking Identities in the Risk Society: A Research Agenda. New Technology, Work and Employment, 19(3), 207–221.

Downloads

Published

2021-12-18

How to Cite

Mythili , K., Kumutha, K., & Shyam , K. K. (2021). POST COVID-19 WORK STRATEGIES AND IMPLICATIONS: INSIGHT ON INDIAN IT SECTOR. ECONOMICS - INNOVATIVE AND ECONOMICS RESEARCH JOURNAL, 9(2), 49–72. https://doi.org/10.2478/eoik-2021-0014