The Good and The Evil of Work From Home - An Indian Perspective | Godrej Interio

1. The Good and the Evil of “Work From Home” – An Indian Perspective

2. The Good and the Evil of “Work From Home” – An Indian Perspective Introduction The term ‘telecommuting’ to denote the use of electronics and technology to work remotely was coined in the early ‘70s. Over the intervening period, telecommuting or “Work From Home” (WFH) became a means of introducing some flexibility in working conditions. However, in India, the conventional working system continued to be in place, with only a few exceptions in sectors like IT and in some MNCs. period for weeks, or even months more. Even as organizations try to define processes and support systems in line with this move, there has not been any widespread attempt to understand what the employees feel. An overwhelming majority of India’s professional workforce has not been used to working from home. This has been a drastic shift for them, especially when coupled with the pandemic-driven disruption to their personal and family life. At Godrej Interio, we surveyed over 1500 employees, working in different sectors like IT/ITES, MNCs, Educational Institutes, Government Organisations, Financial Institutions, PSUs from 50 cities in India to capture the voice of the Indian professional. We tried to identify the challenges being faced by them while working from home, as well as the benefits that they are enjoying. We also attempted to understand the effects of WFH on the health of the remote working employees with the objective of helping them overcome the challenges and stay healthy and productive. Working from home was unheard of across many sectors of the Indian economy. Even in the other sectors, it was largely adopted as the exception rather than the norm when limited work from home facilities were offered to employees in special cases, but COVID-19 outbreak and the nationwide lockdown changed everything. Today, almost all enterprises have resorted to working from homes to keep business processes running. Now as lockdown restrictions get eased in phases, social distancing norms and the risk of infections are prompting organizations to consider extending the WFH 02

3. The Good and the Evil of “Work From Home” – An Indian Perspective Background 33% of the Indians are experiencing working from home for the first time > As mentioned earlier, the majority of the Indian workforce had not experienced WFH prior to this. It is natural for these employees to have had some preconceived notions about what working from home would entail. Discussions around the topic previously used to focus on the benefits like saving on commute time, flexible working hours, and comfortable schedules. After over 6 weeks of working from home, we at Godrej Interio tried to understand if their WFH expectations were met or belied? Given the possibility that WFH could become much more widely prevalent even after lockdowns lifted, it is also worth examining what problems and challenges these employees faced over this time. Would they like to continue working from home? Did they become more productive? Did the new way of working impact their health in any way? attend team calls have drastically increased. While at home people tend to be connected more than the usual office hours as there is no hurry to finish the work and leave on time. 31.2% of the employees worked for more than 8 hours a day while 8.9% worked for more than 10 hours a day. When there is no separation of going to and from office, workday tends to blurr into home-life. The feeling of always at work could lead to burnout. 31.2% worked for more than 8 hours a day 8.9% worked for more than 10 hours a day 63.4% of respondents said that their organizations already had remote working policies in place, while 33.2% answered in the negative, which means a good 33% of the Indians are experiencing working from home for the first time. A lot of people mentioned that they are also working for longer hours at home. The need to stay connected throughout the day, respond immediately, In the following sections, we will reveal what were the hopes and expectations of the employees when they started working from home as well as how those were met. We will also identify the main challenges and issues employees face with WFH. 03

4. The Good and the Evil of “Work From Home” – An Indian Perspective Why We Like To Work From Home ? Traditionally, working from home has been preferred because of its inherent flexibility, reduced commute time and stress, and the possibility of giving more time for personal and family commitments. In light of these expectations, the survey sought to understand the perspective of what the employees were liking about working from home. Let’s look at what the employees valued in this new experience. 64% saving commute time 19.9% found fewer distractions 47.1% cited more time with family as an important reason to like working from home Save commute time making it difficult to concentrate on the work at hand. As they didn’t have to commute long distances regularly, that time could be dedicated to working. Office goers in cities spend 30 minutes to an hour each day commuting to work. Commuting not only takes up time but can also be stressful. As can be expected, 64% of the respondents valued the time saved by not commuting so much that they saw this as a key benefit of working from home. The time saved on commuting enabled them to work better and they believed this enhanced their productivity. More family time Personal and professional life can peacefully co-exist while working from home. In fact, this has always been seen as a key benefit of companies that allow WFH. In our survey too, 47.1% of respondents cited this as an important reason to like working from home. There is no unnecessary wastage of time while working remotely so they could complete the day’s work quickly and take more time out for family and personal needs. More focus, fewer distractions Working in the office brings with it several distractions. This is even more true in modern offices that tend to be open and collaborative. At home, as there was no gossiping, frequent coffee breaks, smoking trips, or other colleagues on calls or talking to create distractions, about 19.9% of the respondents found fewer distractions while working from home and they cited this as a reason for liking WFH. 60% of the respondents said that they could focus more while working from home. While in office, most felt under constant pressure to complete the day’s work on time to leave for home Flexibility to work Working in comfortable home clothes with a cup of coffee in the hand and a bowl of snacks on the table is the attractive image of working from home that has prevailed. The inherent flexibility of working at your own pace with no one to micro manage has also been seen as an advantage. 04

5. The Good and the Evil of “Work From Home” – An Indian Perspective Challenges We Face While We Work From Home... Working from home is wonderful ….. has a lot of its advantages as cited by people. But that seems to be only one part of the story. We found that while employees feel that they are more productive when they work from home, they're also more vulnerable to working longer hours, a more intense work pace, work- home interference, and, in some cases, greater stress. A several bunch of them working for the first time from home also face a lot of infrastructural issues which poses several health issues. Distractions @ Home Distractions are a part of Work from Home Scenario Many employees struggled to manage a workday that now includes distractions like childcare, household chores, and in-home entertainment options such as TV and internet. 37% of the respondents reported that there were very distracted at home. 41% of the respondents reported being distracted by their kids. That apart, the noise from the home appliances (31%) and the external environment also contributed to reduced focus. 17% Kids & Family Members 9% 14% Home Appliances Household Duties Domestic duties also came in the way of work for 50% of the respondents. Not all the distractions were domestic. Some were caused by the changed ways of working and the distributed office set up. In that light, 51% of the respondents said that excessive calls with colleagues distracted them from their work. 24% 26% Unstable Internet Working Alone 05

6. The Good and the Evil of “Work From Home” – An Indian Perspective Work Infrastructure @ home day. Incorrect posture coupled with excessive gadget usage for prolonged periods can have a devastating effect on the body. More than 41% of the people reported experiencing pain at the end of the day, with a majority complaining of 52% neck pain, 51% eyes strain ,49% lower back pain, 46% headache, 45% shoulder pain, 41% upper back pain. More than 41% of the people reported experiencing pain at the end of the day 33% not having dedicated work areas at home 46% headache 51% Infrastructure emerged as a key problem area given that most employees had never had the opportunity to set up functional workspaces at home prior to the pandemic. 33% of our respondents reported not having dedicated work areas at home. With the sudden move to working from home, people are having to choose between sofas, beds, kitchen tables, or the floor, rather than office desks and chairs. Most of the people were observed to alternate their place of work, moving from a desk & chair (including dining table & chair) set up to a bed and a sofa. Some often sat on the floor to work. eyes strain 45% 52% neck pain shoulder pain 41% upper 49% lower back pain back pain Apart from different corners of the house that people worked from, we found that the incidence of incorrect postures is high due to lack of appropriate work infrastructure at home. More than 70% of the people worked without a laptop stand, or a similar number did not use external keyboard or mouse. More than 48% mentioned that their backs were not well supported while they worked. Moreover, most people were found to be putting in longer hours at work, increasing the incidence of gadget usage. A little more than half the audience studied reported using the laptop for more than 8 hours a day. Almost all of them were connected on the smart phones for more than 6 hours a day. Turning to the impact of the limited movement and physical activity, 24% of the employees said that they don’t take stretch breaks in between work, which suggests that they keep on sitting in the same position throughout the Apart from the physical infrastructural issues, tech issues slow down work and hamper productivity. Unreliable internet connections, laptop breakdowns, and phone issues all hurt activity. Most of the work is being conducted and monitored through the internet making the network a crucial piece of the infrastructure. 50% of the employees complained of reduced productivity because of unstable internet connections. It is clear that the right infrastructure is a prerequisite to being able to perform at peak efficiency. Functional infrastructure supports the employees as they seek to deliver their tasks over long hours while minimizing the strain on their bodies. While working from home, many of the things that employees may have taken for granted in the office suddenly become significant challenges that impact productivity and employee well-being 06

7. The Good and the Evil of “Work From Home” – An Indian Perspective Left out @ Home The office environment also provides a more formal work environment that helps create a sense of urgency while addressing work-related tasks. Office also gives employees an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues and learn more. For people, who are not accustomed to working remotely, it’s a very different scenario to work all alone at home. Thus, it comes as no big surprise that 45% of the people feel isolated while working from home and 24% reported not being able to have casual conversations with their colleagues. Perhaps more worryingly, 31.4% of the respondents said that they felt “moderately depressed and alone at home”. Isolation is, obviously, a widespread problem amongst remote employees. Humans are wired for social contact and sure enough, 61% of the respondents felt the urge to connect with their colleagues. What people missed the most out of office !! Coffee breaks with... 41% Casual Conversations 50% Formal Work 65% Face to Face 69% Discrepancies @ Home 23% don’t follow a regular schedule 28% don’t start work at the same time of the day 49% 23% don’t follow fixed meal timings skip breakfast The sudden WFH change has overturned the regular schedule of many people. Humans are creatures of routines and breaking those routines has ramifications on physical health as well as on elevated stress levels. Good habits can break and bad habits, that can have severe consequences, can set in. a regular schedule anymore, and 28% of them don’t start work at the same time of the day. Food habits seem to be a key casualty. 49% of the respondents reported that they don’t follow fixed meal timings, and 23% of them even skip breakfast. Increase in consumption of junk food, increased caffeine intake and reduced water intake – all were observed and can have serious health implications on people. Our study revealed that 23% of the workers don’t follow 07

8. The Good and the Evil of “Work From Home” – An Indian Perspective Conclusion A major change in lifestyle always has its downsides along with the advantages. Being able to work from home is a dream that many Indian professionals have had for a long time now. The COVID-19 outbreak has forced 90% of the Indian workforce indoors. As this has happened, many of their expectations of benefits have been met but several other challenges have emerged. To become productive, content, and energized, employees need to make themselves comfortable in a dedicated work area in the home. Once seated at the desk, adopting the right posture with adequate support from ergonomically designed chairs and desks will help improve the focus of the employees while addressing the needs of their health too. The COVID-19 outbreak has forced 90% of the Indian workforce indoors It seems clear that the WFH story played out differently from what many thought initially. Despite early expectations of great benefits and employee acceptance, it is evident from the findings in our survey that some important problems exist that are preventing employees from becoming productive. That apart, it is also apparent that employees miss several things about working in the office and are longing for human contact and social connect working with their colleagues brought them. In that light, perhaps it is not surprising that 81% of the respondents don’t prefer to work from home always, while 93% of employees want flexibility between working from home and offices. Distractions, infrastructural issues, feelings of isolation, and health issues have become apparent. The drastic change is a significant reason for the stress and anxiety that many employees report facing. 81% don’t prefer to work from home always 93% of employees want flexibility between working from home and offices 08

9. The Good and the Evil of “Work From Home” – An Indian Perspective Making Work From Home Work !!! We suggest a three-pronged approach towards staying healthy and productive while working from home. Organize The Home Workspace One should have a dedicated work area at home with reduced clutter, fewer distractions, and maximum privacy. This will not only help increase productivity but also improve physical and mental health. Create a dedicated work area The employees should find a secluded area in the home with proper charging points and fewer distractions, according to their personal preferences. Remove clutter The work area should be clean and made clutter-free, as much as possible. Neither the kitchen nor the bed is a good area to work, as it will affect the concentration. Inform the family One should request the family members not to disturb while at work and treat the work time like time at the office. 09

10. The Good and the Evil of “Work From Home” – An Indian Perspective Adopt the right posture One should adopt an appropriate ergonomic posture which can help manage challenges faced due to improper postures and also help increasing productivity and good health. Select the right desk and chair Stand and work The work desk and chair should be chosen according to personal comfort and ergonomic requirements for work. If possible, the employees should look for chairs with adjustable features like seat height, armrest, backrest, and others. Working while standing can help reduce backaches, improve concentration, and reduce some calories. Employees could transform the storage cabinet into a standing workstation, or even use the kitchen cabinet for that purpose. Sit properly One should adjust the chair in a way that one’s elbows are at right angles to the keyboard while typing and that the legs are at 90-degrees to the chair, resting properly on a footrest or the floor. This will help relieve the pressure from the back besides providing excellent lumbar support. Keeping the back straight helps prevent musculoskeletal injuries. Adjust screen height The screen height should also be adjusted to be at the height of the eyes to prevent slouching or lowering the neck to work. Investing in a laptop stand, an external keyboard, and an external mouse, if possible, is also a good idea. For those who prefer working on the sofa or a bean bag, it is important to raise the laptop screen to the level of your eyes to prevent slouching that could lead to neck pains and headaches. 10

11. The Good and the Evil of “Work From Home” – An Indian Perspective Taking care of health Disrupting the regular routine can have far-reaching effects on the health. While working from home, one should be careful to rebuild a routine that helps create focus. Follow a healthy diet While working from home, it is necessary to follow a healthy diet regularly, avoid junk food, and stay away from processed food, refined sugar, and the like as much as possible. This will not only improve health but also provide more energy to work tirelessly. Drink enough water Cut down on caffeine and drink water instead. Employees could keep a bottle of water close by and take frequent sips from it throughout the day. Having one or two coffee breaks while working for long hours is a good idea. It is also good to replace coffee with green tea (or herbal tea) if possible. Exercise regularly & Keep moving Gyms will be closed for some time now but it is better to follow a daily work-out regime to stay fit and active. Just some stretches, free-hands, and sit-ups will serve the purpose. Taking breaks in between work and stretching the limbs a little is very important. Employees could walk to the balcony and take some time to gaze at the view outside or call a friend for a casual chat. Follow fixed meal times Skipping meals or not having food on time has severe health consequences. Hence, make sure to follow fixed meal times like in the office. 11

12. The Good and the Evil of “Work From Home” – An Indian Perspective About Godrej Interio Godrej Interio (GI) is India’s premium furniture brand in both home and institutional segments with a strong commitment to sustainability and centers of excellence in design, manufacturing and retail. aesthetics while delivering well-designed, fun and functional furniture solutions. Briefly, Godrej Interio transforms dream spaces to life! GI commitment to the environment has resulted in manufacturing products with lesser environment footprint. Our pioneering efforts include designing less environment burdening products, usage of eco-friendly materials and setting up less polluting and consuming processes, ensuring eco-friendly packaging and transportation and finally the extended responsibility of recycling/reuse of used furniture and scrap, thus ensuring a lifecycle approach to green. Led by the largest in-house design team in the country in the furniture category and awarded with 34 India Design Mark Awards till date, GI aims to transform spaces with its thoughtfully designed furniture to create brighter homes and offices with products that have the highest design quotient in aesthetics, functionality and technology. With consistent pursuit of excellence and a special focus on health and ergonomics, GI’s product portfolio comprises a massive range. Currently present in over 650 cities with 250 exclusive showrooms and 800 dealers, GI is one of the largest divisions of Godrej and Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., part of the Godrej Group, one of India's largest engineering and customer product groups. Today, we design and manufacture furniture for office spaces, homes, educational institutes, healthcare facilities, laboratories and more. Along with furniture we offer Audio Visual and 360 Degree Turnkey solutions. Each of our product range revolves around comfort and Disclaimer This paper represents the opinions of the authors and is the product of professional research. This report has been prepared for the exclusive use and benefit of the addressee(s) and solely for the purpose for which it is provided. Unless we provide express prior written consent, no part of this report should be reproduced or distributed. While every attempt is made to ensure that the information contained in this document is true to its best. However, Godrej and Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., its employees, representatives, affiliates or any of its divisions, etc. shall not be responsible for any reliance made on this paper or for any errors / omissions in information obtained from the source while preparing this paper. 12