Though there are no statistics available, by anecdotal evidence, India Inc had more people affected and lost a large number of lives in Covid’s second wave. The cases have not been limited to frontline field staff, factory and project crews but also penetrated up the white collar ranks.
It is true that as a nation we dropped our guard and failed to anticipate the timing, virulence and magnitude of the second wave. But could India Inc have done anything different not only to minimise business disruptions but, more importantly, protect its most valuable assets — its people — from the vicissitudes of life in times of public health emergency.
In 2020, when Covid-19 swept the world, volumes were written on how it would change the future of work. Multinationals and IT companies led by example the WFH (Work From Home) cult and it was predicted that remote working and telecommuting will become the way of life. Trend spotters foresaw a move towards de-urbanisation - with more people preferring to live in less crowded suburbs or shift to small towns opting for lower cost of living with a better quality of life.
A fall in commercial real estate prices was anticipated as organisations invested more in Digital and Telecommunication they would cut down office space. Contactless delivery was seen as the way to go. Greater automation at the shop floor and reduction of labour intensive construction practices were recommended as ways to ensure “social distancing” in offices, shop floor and project sites.
But, as paranoia eased, true to human nature, there was an urge to return to business as usual. People were expected to be responsible for their own health by adopting “Covid Appropriate Behaviour”. There was pressure on governments to restart public conveyance. Initial recommendations of staggered working hours to reduce peak commuting hours were discarded as it was considered impractical.
In contrast, the West was much more conservative in opening up offices.Whereas India seemed to be in far greater hurry to get back to office. Appearance of green shoots in the third quarter and projection of double digit growth in the next fiscal year boosted optimism.
All large corporations have Occupational Health Services (OHS) staffed by medical professionals. Apex industry bodies have their own medical councils and many of them have Covid19 task-force. However, their focus seems to have been more minimising the business impact than softer people issues. With the result India Inc was unprepared for the second surge.
HR personnel were preoccupied in managing operational disruptions. Many of them were focused on complying with the “Unlock” guidelines and restoring normalcy. There are examples from the rest of the world that could be adopted with modifications for our conditions. At the same time, there are some uniquely Indian conditions that would call for localised solutions.
The lowest hanging fruit in this process of change is WFH. The vagaries of internet connections in India is well known. Most people do not have broadband links at home. The domestic leased line is used by all family members — with children attending online classes and working spouses.
Indian homes seldom have separate designated work or study areas. So family members have to work in shared spaces. With a little thought companies could make WFH a more comfortable experience that would increase efficiency and productivity.
In developed countries, relocation from crowded cities to smaller towns is being actively encouraged with appropriate changes in remuneration structure. One is yet to hear of such examples in India.
Another major concern for Indian industry has been ensuring the health and safety of contract workers — many of whom are migrant workers. One of the proposals thrown up during the first wave was provision of low-cost, hygienic, temporary shelters for temporary workforce at factories or work sites. It is doubtful if much progress has been made in this direction.
Today, companies are trying to outdo each other in gifting oxygen concentrators and ventilators to the government. It would be interesting to know how many corporations invested in these emergency equipment at their own units — even those with on-campus hospitals. Separate provision for Covid isolation wards for own employees and their families could have been easily made. Using CSR Funds to set up Oxygen generation units and improving Emergency Care facilities at local hospitals is another idea that could be thought of.
It is clear that somehow, along with the rest of the country, India Inc too took its eye off the ball. Even after Covid subsides, the world may be swept by other pandemics in the years to come. So we cannot afford to let down our guard.
The writer is current affairs commentator and corporate strategy advisor