IT firms, startups, GCCs unlikely to move back to work from home model completely

Bengaluru: After the Covid pandemic, IT services firms, startups, and GCCs gradually settled into a hybrid model - employees in the office for 2–3 days, WFH for the rest.

But that balance could be tested as Prime Minister Narendra Modi nudges Indians to consider working from home. HR leaders say GCCs, IT firms, and startups have the infra to flip back to full remote.

Yet a complete return to work from home (WFH) looks unlikely. Hybrid remains the middle ground companies prefer - preserving collaboration, mentorship, and culture while giving talent the flexibility they now expect.

An industry expert told DH it took IT services firms nearly two years to get employees back to the office, even one day a week. A three-day WFO model is now standard across most companies. The exception is TCS, which mandates five days a week in the office for all staff.

According to Aditya Narayan Mishra, MD and CEO of CIEL HR, a fully remote working model is unlikely to happen, especially after many firms have spent the last few years rebuilding office-led collaboration and implementing structured hybrid policies.

However, PM Modi’s appeal amid the fuel supply concerns may prompt companies to temporarily increase flexibility around work from home, particularly in large metro cities where daily commuting can become challenging.

DH sent queries to multiple IT services firms regarding their WFO policies, but none responded. The expert noted that Cognizant mandates three days of WFO while Infosys limits staff to 10 WFH days a month. Though policies may loosen gradually and firms could become more flexible, he added that a complete shift to WFH isn’t feasible.

Reacting to the WFH advisory by PM Modi, Nasscom said that the technology industry in India 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 West Asia 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.

"These measures are not new but are part of the industry’s broader approach to operational resilience and sustainability. India’s technology sector has well-established business continuity frameworks and distributed delivery models, which enable seamless operation with flexibility when required while ensuring uninterrupted service delivery. While this remains an evolving situation, we are closely monitoring developments and remain engaged with industry stakeholders and government authorities to ensure a coordinated and responsible response," industry body Nasscom added.

In sectors where flexible operations are already viable, such as GCCs, technology firms, digital services, and large enterprises, adoption is likely to be faster and operationally seamless. For much of corporate India, however, the approach may remain calibrated and evolving owing to business realities, Sunil C, Country Manager, Adecco India, said.

Adecco is an HR solutions provider, and from its perspective, the priority will be to enable agile workforce models that balance business continuity with broader national priorities and sustainable operations. Adecco has continued with a hybrid model of three days WFO and two days WFH since the pandemic period.

India’s workforce includes white-collar, grey-collar, and blue-collar roles, and one model cannot work for everyone, stated Neeti Sharma, CEO, Teamlease Digital. White-collar jobs such as software development, analytics, finance, HR, and customer support can work well in full-time WFH or hybrid setups.

Grey-collar roles may need some on-site presence, while blue-collar jobs in manufacturing, retail, logistics, healthcare, and infrastructure still require people to be physically present at work.

"Most companies today have settled into a balanced 2–3 day office model that combines flexibility with collaboration. Also, not every employee prefers permanent WFH. Many young professionals stay in PGs or shared accommodation where space, internet, and work infrastructure may not be ideal for remote work. Organisations also play an important role in collaboration, mentoring, learning, and team culture. Going forward, our workplace model is likely to be balanced hybrid flexibility rather than extreme WFH or strict office-only mandates," Sharma said.

Zinnia, an Insurtech GCC company, follows a global hybrid work policy. "When organisations empower people, foster ownership, and focus on outcomes, where the work gets done becomes far less important than the value it creates. The future of work will belong to companies that prioritise agility, trust, and results over presenteeism," Surbhi Sharma, Head of People, Zinnia India, said.

IT employees' body NITES urges govt to mandate WFH

Meanwhile, IT employees' body NITES has asked the Labour Ministry to issue an advisory directing IT/ITeS companies and digitally deliverable service sectors to implement mandatory WFH, wherever operationally feasible, for an appropriate period in the larger national interest.

"Such an advisory would significantly contribute towards the reduction of fuel consumption, traffic congestion, environmental burden, and unnecessary travel while preserving uninterrupted economic activity through digital means," Harpreet Singh Saluja, President, NITES, said.

NITES further said that reducing daily commuting by lakhs of IT employees can significantly contribute towards fuel conservation and reduction in traffic congestion.