While wishing each other a ‘Happy New Year’, little did we know that the year 2020 will turn our lives upside down. In the month of March, the COVID-19 situation escalated so quickly that before we could understand anything, we were all locked in our homes, sitting in front of our computers, working from home. The pandemic has brought a paradigm shift in the work culture across the globe and we are no exception. Looking at the bright side, ‘Work from Home’, the new normal has come with a set of surprising benefits. As per a study, working from home is helping an average working professional in India save Rs. 5520 per month and 1.47 hours of travel time every day. Now, this is really a big deal!
Thanks to widely available collaboration tools and ubiquitous internet connectivity, the transition has been comparatively smooth. Soon after the announcement of a complete lockdown, WebEx meetings and conference calls became a routine part of Nexies’ lives. The challenging phase came with a great opportunity to hone communication and coordination skills since e-mails and phone calls were the only means to carry out cross-departmental functions. The HR and Admin department played a pivotal role in making this transition process smooth and effortless.
To keep the engine running without compromising the safety and security of the Nexies, the HR and Admin team took some prompt decisions like dropping the physical attendance system and shifting to a time-sheet based system. Members of the HR team reached out to all the employees of the organization, understood their challenges and offered relevant solutions. For example, employees were allowed to upgrade their mobile plans to ensure seamless internet connectivity and effective work from home experience. The processes of various departments were streamlined by excellent dedication and discipline from Nexies, which made this endeavour a grand success.
PMO was another department which adapted well to the new working pattern after some teething troubles. They designed a special framework for other teams so that they can easily set up their WFH tasks and review them periodically. To keep all the team members on the same page, they conducted internal team discussions at a defined time every day. However, not all Nexies had the privilege to work from home. Some from the project teams had to be onsite to keep the projects going. Despite the risks and fears, they pour their hearts into their work. The project team was greatly appreciated by one and all during the ‘Appreciation Week’.
