We recently conducted the SWE Chennai Affiliate Virtual Meeting on May 29, 2020. During the meeting, SWE members and friends from Capgemini, Caterpillar, Dell, Dow Chemicals, Ford and IIT Madras Alumni Association participated to share impactful insights on how to handle the crisis and support each other by best practices employed by their organizations in Chennai, India.
The 25 key points discussed during the meeting were:
- Some sources believe up to 70% workforce will be WFH indefinitely.
- More challenges for engineering manufacturers for processes that involve the need to work in the workplace. E.g. 3D modeling needs to be done in-office environment. Companies looking for ways to workaround.
- Also, Physical presence needed to test the applications in terms of mechanical processes and need an office for the large design activity which can also be time-consuming.
- Digital checklist creation for the new work process management.
- Ample preparations to make the employee be ready for remote working: Making remote working convenient and efficient, providing additional laptops, connectivity improvement for home offices.
- Return to work policy – Large companies get recommendations from medical professionals to create plans for safe staff re-entry to offices in a phased manner.
- Attrition management for equipment recovery– 1. Relieving letter given only when company property is returned. 2. The devices can be remotely locked. 3. The facility team can collect the company property or given it to a working employee nearby. 4. Final compensation paid only after the equipment is returned. 5. Courier services such as Bluedart and DHL are utilized.
- For new joiners – The company system is enabled to their personal device remotely.
- More productive time as travel times are eliminated.
- Huge time loss when a device stops working during remote working.
- Connectivity and engagement for employees – common challenges faced.
- Internal resource groups formed to assist employees.
- Virtual puzzles in Microsoft team, meet up, webinars, online games to bridge bond.
- Less paperwork – traditional need to be virtual and digitalized.
- Leadership program/ forum for networking – Training virtually for engagement.
- Tools for virtual collaborations: Miro, Microsoft teams, Slack.
- Have a virtual meeting day-offs to combat Zoom fatigue.
- Companies published and share blogs on transitioning from the office to WFH.
- Bank operations are required to protect sensitive data – so clients don’t allow work from home due to security reasons – Contacting clients and dispatching desktops for employees planned from February itself to ensure the client’s trust and smooth workflow.
- Daily reporting to clients to keep them comfortable and leadership communications for constant updates.
- More employee engagement programs to improve motivation and morale.
- Music contests and engagement programs for Family members on virtual meetings.
- Infrastructure and asset purchases cost more.
- Many believe it will be Oct-Nov before offices will open completely.
- Phase-in plans for back to work vary by location and need. All companies represented intend to return everyone to the office. No permanent plans for wide-spread WFH.
If you have further points to add, please add in the comment section for all of us to learn and grow from each other.
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