Net slowdown, power cut and roommates, WFH’s long list of troubles

Even though Work from Home (WFH) is not a new concept, Indians are not too familiar with it. The West might have adopted it years ago, but here the working population is used to a building called office or a workspace that is not their own home. All that changed in a few, dramatic days.

To combat the spread of Covid-19, the government’s 21-day lockdown has clearly taken WFH to the center-stage. Here’s a cross-section of Bengalureans talking about the challenges of working from home, and how their lives have changed.

Amrutha M, who is an Implementation Engineer at 6D Technologies, has already come face-to-face with many of these issues. She explains, “I work using a mobile hotspot, which sometimes shows low range. Internet connectivity and power cut sometimes delay the process.”

The work environment in the office and home, she says, is entirely different. “While working eight hours from home, there are a lot of distractions around me.”

If employee availability over calls, unexpected power cuts and Virtual Private Network (VPN) issues are widespread, the lack of options for hardware issue solutions are bound to reduce productivity, fears Amrutha.

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The distraction during working hours and lack of environment is worst in the case of people who are working from Paying Guest accommodations and hostels. Certain companies have told not to leave the city because employees want to report when it is required.

Shuhail TK, relationship manager at Cleartax has this to say: “Even though work at home sounds good to hear, it totally depends on the nature of work you are doing. Since I am working in sales and staying in a PG, the environment is totally against my work requirements.”

Unavailability of a good chair, reasonably fast WiFi, convenience of the other roommates are all factors that makes work more complicated and difficult to manage with.

While he complains about the disturbance at a hostel, online tutor Vindhya Rao says her own parents do not exactly understand the meaning of work from home. “I get stressed, because now colleagues are not here to talk. The company expects the same standard while working from home which is not completely possible,” she explains.

Internet is another issue, and the fact that the actual work ends up exceeding the usual time limit. “Amidst all these, parents fail to understand that they should not disturb.”

But not everyone has faced problems. Shirley Sampath, a Senior Content Reviewer at Amazon Development Center, finds it easier to work from a home environment. “I achieve a much better work-life balance working from home.”

She elaborates, “For one thing, not having to commute to office through maddening traffic saves ample time. I find myself engaging more in reading books, art, learning and pursuing other interests which were otherwise on the back burner. WFH also gives me the flexibility to do essentials around the home even while working.”

WFH, she is convinced, “is the best option as we are all going through a tough time to fight against the spread of novel coronavirus.”

Since her’s is a desk job that mostly requires undisturbed focus, working from home suits well. “I set up to-do’s that help me have a clear distinction of my personal space and achieving my work productivity,” she reveals a strategy.

However, Shirley is aware of the challenges. “For inherently social creatures like us, prolonged work from home may prove to be a challenge. Keeping in mind that it is the need of the hour, I try to maintain a healthy routine that keeps my spirit up and motivated,” she says.