[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by am1m

I had a question about the kind of IT work that cannot be done on laptops and is desktop-specific.

Almost all work can be done on laptop. In some industries, laptops introduce significant costs. Even though laptops are issued to employees, these laptops are so locked down that they are only good for "dumb terminal" usecase (VPN to network and then remote into actual PC).

This is much cheaper than budgeting for data leakage from laptops, specially with zero days from USB.

https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/14/ci...r-source-code/

Originally Posted by DDIS_RE650

I feel, if it is not a financial burden, remote working employees must arrange a comfortable setup at home.

+1

Remote must only be allowed if proper resources are available. Fortunately, it only takes ~3k USD per developer (company issued laptop, furniture, monitors, headphones, 5G data for backup during power outage etc) as long as developer has an isolated environment to work from. Otherwise :

https://www.hrgrapevine.com/content/...rom-home-calls

[mathewspaul]

Regarding the ongoing water crisis in bangalore.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/.../108358735.cms

[am1m]

God bless understanding management and great, flexible company culture.

An extended family member had an unexpected health crisis and we were required to help out urgently. Had I still been with a couple of previous companies, with the inflexible company culture, old-school management I remember from there, work would have been yet another thing I would have to worry about.

As it stands, all I had to do was pack my laptop and go. In the time I had where I was just waiting around doing nothing, I was able to work and deliver something urgent that I needed to by the end of last week. Both the employee and the company benefited. And I now have another very compelling reason to remain loyal to this company and management even if I get a better financial offer from another company.

[chennai-indian]

Indeed!! I also work completely remotely and it is a blessing. I'm productive and also able to get personal things done. Another big positive is avoiding the office commute.

[efgritesh]

I wonder if there were some scientific studies done to understand the impacts of being able to WFH on economies. COVID gave us an opportunity to conduct/study such experiments, which otherwise wouldnt have been possible. I was trying to understand the larger impact on economies and couldnt find anything that can be rated as gold standard.

I believe if there are sufficient benefits for economies such as ours where cities are chocking due to historical wrongs in terms of policies and infra that can't be sustainably developed if we continue with metro based development approach.

If it helps, Govt shd provide incentives for redistributing growth. I know it might not be possible for everyone to WFH, but those who can are often educated and well paid. These people can support local economy and ease pressure from otherwise red hot economic engines of metros.

Any thoughts on this?

@mods please see if a new thread will help for this discussion.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by efgritesh

I wonder if there were some scientific studies done to understand the impacts of being able to WFH on economies.

To be quite blunt, when there is no talk/interest about measuring the ill-effects of lock downs, and if any of them really helped in any way, I have no hope of any such study every materializing.

Originally Posted by efgritesh

These people can support local economy and ease pressure from otherwise red hot economic engines of metros.

That's one way to look at it. And certainly there is the sustainable development angle to look at too. But even as someone who supports remote work for roles like in the IT industry (that can actually be done remote), I don't think the economic justification for remote work will fly.

Because here's the thing, cities and massive urban agglomerations, the 'red-hot metro engines' as you correctly put it, just...work.

May not be sustainably, may not seem to be working for those looking beyond for 'quality of life', but for the majority of people, they work.

For employers, especially those following the assembly line model (whether it's cars or code) you want access to a large labour force that is attracted to cities. You want options for setting up the industry and cheap land banks and policies in your favour.

For employees, you want a range of options for employment, entertainment, schooling for your children, healthcare, housing. All possible only with a larger population of consumers.

For politicians, you want access to vote banks that you can dole out favorable policies in favor of. Employment in and around IT parks, taxi unions who will get contracts for cabs, electricity, water, drawn from property and other taxes. You want exorbitant land rates to keep your builder friends and next-election financiers happy. A even more crowded city makes perfect sense.

[efgritesh]

Originally Posted by am1m

For politicians, you want access to vote banks that you can dole out favorable policies in favor of. Employment in and around IT parks, taxi unions who will get contracts for cabs, electricity, water, drawn from property and other taxes. You want exorbitant land rates to keep your builder friends and next-election financiers happy. A even more crowded city makes perfect sense.

I agree with you that we may not have sufficient motivation at home to do this kind of reasearch, but I codun't find any reliable study even from sources abroad.

Few paper here and there, but no one has covered the sustainability theme. Universities must look into the learnings, else those critical evidences will be lost in time and may need another pandemic to create conditions conducive for any such experiments at such large scale.

[iskandariya]

Everything seems to be covered from all aspects. HYBRID REMOTE is going to happen; companies are just being blindsided or leveraging it as an opportunity to shed weight. Trying to act as schoolmasters

Value my QWL and family over the torment of metro and traffic and just don't have the strength for office gossip and stuff anymore.

They want fine , else no issues. One should know their self worth.

[m8002?]

There have been lot of members in this thread mentioning how moving jobs to Tier2 cities is a great solution to decongest large cities and they would be happy to move there. Well, here is your chance.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...9.cms?from=mdr

The policy applies to employees at band 2 and above handling projects (delivery) from any development centre in India. Employees at band 3 and below will get Rs 25,000 at the time of relocation (transfer) and Rs 25,000 every six months thereafter for two years. Employees at these levels will get Rs 1.25 lakh at the end of 24 months. Others will get Rs 2.5 lakh (level 4), Rs 5 lakh (level 5), Rs 6 lakh (level 6) and Rs 8 lakh (level 7), including the initial relocation allowance, at the end of 24 months.

Looks like no one wants to move there. They are happy to take the pollution, cramped roads, high cost apartments and continue to live in the Tier 1 cities. I am sure there would be a lot of Infy employees from Hubbali, Dharwad and surrounding areas making this option "look" like a no-brainer but the reality is different.

[Bhargav7]

Originally Posted by m8002?

Looks like no one wants to move there. They are happy to take the pollution, cramped roads, high cost apartments and continue to live in the Tier 1 cities. I am sure there would be a lot of Infy employees from Hubbali, Dharwad and surrounding areas making this option "look" like a no-brainer but the reality is different.

This is the unfortunate reality. We had plans to have a couple of smaller offices in Mysore, Mangalore or Vijayawada. We ask the new hires their preference - and it is always Bangalore. I believe the potential future opportunities which Bangalore or other cities has to offer is too immense.

Unless there is a full fledged eco system and growth opportunities, not many people will opt for tier 2/3 cities, more so in the younger folks. We need a good 20-30 big companies to put a coordinated effort to kickstart that ecosystem. Not sure if one company can achieve much alone.

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by m8002?

Looks like no one wants to move there. They are happy to take the pollution, cramped roads, high cost apartments and continue to live in the Tier 1 cities. I am sure there would be a lot of Infy employees from Hubbali, Dharwad and surrounding areas making this option "look" like a no-brainer but the reality is different.

The actual issue is more than what meets the eye. Infosys was given land and privileges on the promise of creation of a certain level/number of jobs which sadly hasn't happened in all these years. The current government, in all it's wisdom, is asking the company to deliver on the promise or else! That one of the major shareholders is/is projected to be on the other side of political fence too doesn't seem to be helping.

All in all, the incentive issue has nothing/very less to do with the propogation/endorsement of Work from Home idea

More here.

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

All in all, the incentive issue has nothing/very less to do with the propogation/endorsement of Work from Home idea

My point was never about Infy endorsing Work from Home.

It has been repeated many times in this thread ( and probably the Bangalore Traffic thread ) that jobs need to move to Tier 2/3 cities and how people will be happy to move there to enjoy low traffic, clean air & water, large houses with low cost/rent, etc etc.. This myth has just been broken.

In fact, kudos to Infy for trying to setup an office there. Now, who is to blame if employees do not want to work there?

[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by m8002?

In fact, kudos to Infy for trying to setup an office there. Now, who is to blame if employees do not want to work there?

Didn't they have office in Hubballi since early 2000?

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by m8002?

My point was never about Infy endorsing Work from Home.

But this thread is!

However, I do get the import of your post and fully agree with it's spirit.

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Didn't they have office in Hubballi since early 2000?

They do. But the setup isn't as big and as successful as it was envisioned to be by the founders and the facilitators. Hence the brouhaha.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by m8002?

It has been repeated many times in this thread ( and probably the Bangalore Traffic thread ) that jobs need to move to Tier 2/3 cities and how people will be happy to move there to enjoy low traffic, clean air & water, large houses with low cost/rent, etc etc.. This myth has just been broken.

In fact, kudos to Infy for trying to setup an office there. Now, who is to blame if employees do not want to work there?

What myth? This has nothing to do with encouraging people to move out of Bangalore. If that would have been the intention, the option should have been to move to any Tier 2 city of the person's choice, like Trivandrum, Coimbatore, Mangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, etc.

And I am pretty sure Infy will not welcome anyone and everyone to Hubli with open arms. There could be many who might be willing to move but can't do so due to their projects, skillsets, department, etc.