Ready to reduce non-essential travel: Companies open to making WFH work, again

Taking note of the Prime Minister’s appeal to effect work from home (WFH) and reduce non-essential travel, companies are taking stock of existing work options.

Executives at over a dozen firms, including conglomerates, consulting firms and financial services firms, told ET that they are monitoring the situation closely and may bring in more remote working options for employees in coming days and reduce domestic and international travel where possible.

“The announcement is being evaluated, and will be addressed suitably - keeping people, business and client commitments in mind," said a spokesperson for KPMG in India. The firm is already following a hybrid work policy.


Other firms like Deloitte, EY, RPG, Tata Motors, Mercedes-Benz India that also have hybrid working models in place, will continue to follow the same, their spokespersons said.

As part of the flexible working model, Mercedes-Benz India employees currently work from home. "We also proactively optimize business travel to ensure only business critical travel is undertaken,” said its managing director and CEO, Santosh Iyer.

“We are fully aligned with the Prime Minister’s guidance. At Diageo India (USL), we will continue to prioritise hybrid working, virtual meetings over in-person engagements at this time, with business travel restricted to essential purposes only,” said Chinmay Sharma, chief HR officer, Diageo India (USL).

“We continue to follow a hybrid working model,” said a Coca-Cola India spokesperson. Most companies are closely monitoring the situation and may change as necessary.

RPG Group already has a 50% WFH policy and a hybrid model. Meanwhile its chairman, Harsh Goenka in his tweet on X said, “PM Modi has urged citizens to help the nation by reducing avoidable imports; conserving fuel and energy; supporting work-from-home where possible…...As responsible citizens we should try our best to contribute in whatever way we can.”

A Mumbai-based conglomerate, with interests in the Middle East, has already implemented restrictions on non-critical travel both within the country and abroad. However, it has no plans to start WFH given the nature of its industry.

Axis Bank has had people in non-customer-facing roles working in hybrid mode since FY21, with only two days a week required in the office. "We will monitor this more closely," said its HR head Rajkamal Vempati.

National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) issued a statement saying that the tech industry "continues to operate on well-established hybrid work models, with organisations calibrating work-from-home and in-office arrangements based on role requirements and customer needs." "In light of the ongoing Middle East tensions, companies have adopted prudent energy management measures across campuses, including optimising non-essential consumption, rationalising select facility services, and enabling remote or hybrid work where operationally appropriate to reduce overall energy usage and commuting," it stated.

Meanwhile, the IT and ITES employees’ welfare body, Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), has submitted an official representation to the ministry of labour and employment seeking issuance of an advisory directing mandatory WFH for the sector wherever operationally feasible, it said in a press statement.

Ed-tech firm Eruditus has teams based in over 63 cities across India alone, with half of the workforce being women, as it follows a virtual working model.

“In response to ongoing war-induced ripples, our team leaders in India, and globally, have already been responding with purpose - from reducing non-essential travel to replacing face-to-face meetings unless critical,” said its CHRO Ganesh S.