Friday, July 1, 2016

Office turning into home as work goes 24X7

Office turning into home as work goes 24X7

IT and financial companies are introducing height adjustable desks, day and night crèches to staff

Companies are increasingly caring for the health of employees who put gruelling hours at their work desks.

From height adjustable desks to showers to day and night crèches, they are offering their staff home-like comfort.

The change is prominent in the financial and IT industries.

"About 5% of the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) industry is already creating height adjustable workstations. For example, if there are 500 workstations, 25 are height adjustable desks in almost all the BFSI sector," said Shrinivas Rao, chief executive officer (Asia Pacific), Vestian Global Workplace Services Pvt Ltd, a consultant, which conducted a survey along with Nielsen on workplace trends.

JP Morgan (Mumbai), Citibank (Mumbai and Pune), Bank of America and American Express (both in National Capital Region), Mphasis (Pune), Tech Mahindra and Maple (Mumbai) have such desks.

Recent ergonomical studies have pointed out continuously sitting long hours at work desks leads to health issues particularly related to back, neck and swollen foot, which gets aggravated if the sitting posture is incorrect.

Therefore, it is suggested to have a mix of sit and stand while at work. After every hour, an individual should stand for at least 10 minutes.

While talking about changing trends in offices, Rao said that 24x7 crèches, where parents can get their children ready in office itself for their morning schools, are becoming a norm in the services sector, especially in southern India. About 10% IT sector offices have crèches.

"Manufacturing sector, for example, is bringing in alternative for example being home at work. A lot of companies are giving space for day-care and crèches," said Seema Kapur, director, consumer insights, Nielsen.

In IT sector, were companies operate 24x7, employees often leave their children at crèches at office while they do night shifts.

"In first of its kind facility, Microsoft is opening a centre in Hyderabad where kids can actually shower, get ready and for school. So parents can pick them up, get ready and take them directly to school," Rao said.

Such crèches are more of the workspaces in Bengaluru and Hyderabad as there are a lot more nuclear homes, due to migration there during the IT boom.


Regards

Pralhad Jadhav
Senior Manager @ Library
Khaitan & Co


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