The office comes into focus, the home fades away

Amazon recently joined the procession of companies heading towards a hybrid work model, turning thei

Amazon recently joined the procession of companies heading towards a hybrid work model, turning their back decisively on a fully-remote work arrangement.

This June, eCommerce company Meesho would be replacing “work from anywhere” with “work from office” but with flexibility built into the new format.

Further down the work landscape, there are companies that had experimented with hybrid models, but are making work synonymous with office, setting the clock back to pre-pandemic times.

Mumbai-based tech company Fynd resumed the five-day office week this year, but not before introducing “inducements”, including perks relating to transport and food, to make the switch back to pre-pandemic work systems palatable.

The return-to-office programme by EY Global Delivery Services is pointedly focussed on making the cubicle an inviting space — efforts include “spinning the wheel of fortune” contests and team visits to sports carnival.

Tarun Kochhar, founder and CEO, Carpediem, notes the “work from anywhere” model was a contingency born out of the pandemic. As the crisis has gone — at least, lost its virulence — the work arrangement it birthed might have to go or continue with changes.

“Going forward a blended model of working from home and office is what will be the way to go,” says Kochhar.