CHENNAI: The Union of IT and ITES Employees (UNITE) – Tamil Nadu plans to submit a fresh representation to the newly formed State government seeking wider work-from-home (WFH) options for IT employees, amid PM Modi’s recent appeal to do that, thus avoiding unnecessary travel and return to virtual meetings amid the Gulf crisis in order to reduce fuel usage.
Speaking to DT Next, the union president Bharanidharan said that while there has been no formal advisory from the Centre or written communication from companies mandating work from home, the demand among employees has been there for long.
“Work from home is definitely feasible. Companies themselves enabled it earlier. But no company will take that call on its own unless there is some form of government direction or advisory,” he said.
Bharanidharan pointed to companies that have been doing cost-cutting measures inside the campuses. “In many places, canteens are running with reduced menus. Some reduced their pick-and -drop vehicles. These are all linked to fuel and operational costs,” he added.
The bigger issue, however, was the mounting cost of living for young employees relocating to Chennai and other IT hubs for work. “The pressure is mainly on freshers and junior employees staying in PGs. Rents that were around Rs 6,000 have now crossed Rs 7,500 or Rs 8,000 in many places. If this continues, more than half their salary will go only towards accommodation,” Bharanidharan opined, adding that many employees were increasingly seeking permission to work from their hometowns.
Siva Shankar, a young IT employee working along the OMR stretch, lamented: “The PG am staying at has heavily cut down on menu but the rent has increased. Earlier there were proper meal options in cafeterias, now there isn’t any. I’ve been spending around Rs 8,000 just for food now.”
The union had, in March this year, issued a representation claiming that over one lakh young IT workers were affected by reduced food services, poor sanitation, overcrowding and arbitrary restrictions imposed by some PG operators. It had also demanded regulation of PGs and hostels functioning around IT corridors and called for a formal grievance redressal mechanism
While no formal government notification on WFH measures so far, Bharanidharan said that the union was preparing to place fresh demands before the new administration, arguing that flexible work arrangements could help ease both commuting and living costs for employees.