Remote Workspaces: A Sustainable Approach For Urban Planning And Stakeholder Welfare


Thanks to the pandemic experience, most large corporations are now equipped to handle the logistical challenges and digital infrastructure necessary for WFH.
Image: ShutterstockThanks to the pandemic experience, most large corporations are now equipped to handle the logistical challenges and digital infrastructure necessary for WFH.
Image: Shutterstock

In the modern concept of workplaces, one significant development has been the emergence of the ‘Work from Home’ (WFH) model. The deadly COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the widespread adoption of remote workplaces. Thanks to the pandemic experience, most large corporations are now equipped to handle the logistical challenges and digital infrastructure necessary for WFH. The question, therefore, pertains: Why hesitate on a remote model of work, especially for the sectors that permit such a scenario without compromising productivity or efficiency?

Prior experience has shown us that sectors like technology, consultancy, and finance can not only survive but also thrive with remote work availability for employees. In fact, on a global scale, around 67 percent of employees are working partially or fully in the technology sector. In the Indian context, from 2020-2023, the revenues for the Information Technology (IT) and Business Process Management (BPM) industry grew at a healthy CAGR of 8.65 percent. Hence, the model’s viability has already been tested in recent years.

Multiple perspectives warrant such work flexibility. I classify these advantages into five categories: benefits to the host town (existing work hub), hometown (employees’ native place), company, employees, and the community.

Firstly, the inward migration pressure that metropolitan cities (host towns) face is reaching the threshold of a full-fledged crisis. Lack of meaningful employment opportunities in hometowns forces people to move towards host cities. Every third person living in urban areas is a migrant, moving largely for employment [1]. Over time, this movement has led to a systemic breakdown of civic amenities like public transport, water supply, sewage disposal, green cover, and so on, to name a few. Excessive dependence on a few economic clusters will only exacerbate the adverse effects of climate change. Last summer, Bengaluru faced unusually high temperatures during summers and acute water shortage. We had visuals of high-rise residents forced to head to gyms to take a shower. It would be ignorant to assume that such instances would be few and far going forward. The choking smog in Delhi or the endless traffic in Mumbai has already become mainstream. In fact, India is home to 9 out of 10 most polluted cities in the world.  In such a scenario, it is even more essential to curb the population density around economic clusters. The planned expansion of civic amenities cannot catch up with the influx of people migrating for employment opportunities. As such, WFH would do wonders to ease the pressure on the existing metropolitans.

Secondly, if people working remotely consume within their hometowns, it would provide massive economic impetus to the local economy. This would automatically lead to rising demand for real estate, malls, leisure spaces, eateries, and so on. Once economic activity picks up in the region, there will be greater opportunities for native residents and a reduced migration need. In the long term, the local talent pool and thriving infrastructure from small towns can become avenues for investments in multiple fields, such as IT parks, global capability centres (GCCs), and R&D facilities.

Also read: Take 5: Work is changing. What does the future hold?

From the employers’ perspective, it would be a win-win scenario as existing studies reveal a 20 percent higher level of happiness for employees with remote working options. This can enable them to ensure long-term commitment and reduce the attrition rate. Further, the rental cost of co-working spaces in tier two/three towns would be minimal compared to the cost of office spaces in metro towns. Some workers are constrained to stay near their hometowns for family commitments or otherwise. If companies provide WFH facilities/co-working spaces, it will lead to a greater talent pool availability for selecting employees.

The transportation sector is one of the major contributors to human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. If people work remotely, the need for work-related commutes will decline. Remote work can reduce carbon emissions by lowering peak traffic, reducing reliance on private vehicles, and reducing office-related energy consumption. Thus, it ensures overall environmental and societal benefits.

One of the primary goals of any society should be the emotional well-being of the people. The lack of family bonds in the host towns has created a working class full of loneliness and anxiety. Monetary compensation and incentives can never substitute or compensate for the need for human kinship. In the present work culture, families are rapidly getting isolated. Childcare has become increasingly difficult with the rising tendency of employment of both parents. Moreover, In the absence of grandparents and other family members in the host town, the children are losing touch with their roots, culture, and values. Why should our children bear the brunt of the reluctance of organisations to adopt remote work and be deprived of family bonding? Hence, to the greatest extent possible, flexible and remote working options should be adopted to improve the emotional well-being of employees.

Despite the numerous economic, social, and emotional advantages of remote work, there has also been some rational criticism of this approach. For example, without physical interaction, it is difficult to develop team spirit or integrate the organisation’s cultural values with the employees’. 

A proper framework is required to enable work flexibility without compromising productivity or socialisation opportunities. First, based on the job requirements and experience of the employees, choices can be made regarding a full WFH setup or hometown co-working spaces. Second, a dedicated communication system should be integrated within the organisation to minimise the barriers and time loss associated with conducting online meetings. Thirdly, rather than having a hybrid model (weekly presence and therefore mandatory stay at the host town), more relaxed monthly or quarterly physical team gatherings can be organised to boost team spirit and cultural integration.

In my opinion, the benefits of remote work far outweigh the potential costs associated with it. Thus, in consultation with the relevant stakeholders, a multi-level approach to remote and flexible workspaces can contribute massively to sustainable development, employee wellness, and community welfare.

Author Shreyansh Chaurasiya is a professor of Finance and Accounting at IIM-B

[This article has been published with permission from IIM Bangalore. www.iimb.ac.in Views expressed are personal.]



Source link

Leave a Comment