In Bengaluru, often called India's "Silicon Valley", the campuses of tech firms wear a deserted look. As daily Covid cases continue to surge - with the figure hovering around 15,000 - the IT industry has once again opted for the hybrid work model. Nearly 70 per cent of the workforce is working from home.
Signdesk.com, a software provider, that assists businesses in digitising and automating the documentation process, is now operating with 30 per cent staff physically at the premises.
Abhishek Saseedran, CEO, Signdesk.com, says, "In Bengaluru, we have three offices. We have operations in all metros as well. If you look at the overall employee, we would be running at 30-40 percent capacity."
It was only in December that the big IT firms - like TCS and Tech Mahindra - had asked employees to come back to the office.
While some call 'Work From Home' a relief, others find the lack of human interaction dispiriting.
Dileep Adiga, Head, Finance, Signdesk.com, "You don't get to interact with colleagues. All the calls and meetings are online. There is no human interaction. Only when you meet people, you get new ideas. WFH has made it difficult for all of us."
In a statement, NASSCOM has said, "The industry remains optimistic about continued demand for its services and solutions and is fully prepared to continue uninterrupted operations in a hybrid environment."
Botman is a Bengaluru-based cyber security startup - it has just four employees working in the office. The co-founder feels the hybrid model has hit operations.
Raja TN, Co-Founder, Botman, "Especially if you are a start-up, if you are a small team where collaborations are required, the decision has to be made faster. We are a small team taking huge responsibilities. Sometimes I feel it is not very productive to work from home."
For many employees with young children at home, WFH has proven to be a boon, while some say it is bogging them down without human interaction.
What remains to be seen is if the remote work culture will be the future beyond the pandemic.
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