Pune IT Firms Revise Work Policy: ‘Work from Home’ No Longer Eligible For Bonuses

Reported by Varad Bhatkhande

Pune, 9th May 2024: If you want to receive the performance bonus and incentives given during Diwali, at the time of salary hikes, and every three to six months, you’ll need to come to the office. Some major companies in the Information Technology (IT) sector have issued an order stating that ‘work from home’ will no longer be acceptable. Employees who opt to work remotely risk losing their bonuses.

This decision has sparked controversy, with employees demanding the option to work from home. Many IT companies had initially allowed remote work during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing necessary setups for employees. However, as the number of COVID-19 cases decreased, most companies began requiring employees to return to the office. Despite this, many employees objected and requested to continue working from home, citing convenience.

In response to employee feedback, some companies have adopted a hybrid work model. Nevertheless, to encourage a return to the office, IT companies seem to be leveraging bonuses. The bonus amount will be determined based on the number of days worked in the office versus those spent working remotely during the total attendance days.

The bonus distribution is structured based on attendance percentages:

– More than 85% attendance: 100% bonus
– 75% to 80% attendance: 75% bonus
– 60% to 75% attendance: 50% bonus
– Less than 60% attendance: 0% bonus

This system aims to incentivize regular onsite attendance and aligns with the company’s productivity goals.

Megh, a resident of Mumbai who has a workspace in Pune, shared his perspective with Punekar News, stating, “Instead of just having a choice between working from home or working from the office, it should be a hybrid model. Junior employees need to experience office culture, which they can only get by physically being in the office. While working from home is comfortable. For senior employees, a hybrid approach is preferable too because they have personal commitments to their families and greater responsibilities in the office. Additionally, for someone like me, I would prefer to work from home as my hometown is different. However, if my office requires me to work from the office, they should consider providing accommodation because affording accommodation in rapidly growing cities like Pune can be challenging.”

Seema, a working mother employed in an IT company in Pune, expressed her preference, saying, “I would prefer to work from home as it allows me to spend time with my kids. Whether I go to the office or not, as long as I’m getting the work done, it shouldn’t matter in my opinion. I prefer the flexibility of working from home, and it would be ideal for me to go to the office only when necessary, such as for important meetings and sessions.”

The bonus distribution will be as follows:

Attendance Percentage: Bonus

More than 85%: 100%

75% to 80%: 75%

60% to 75%: 50%

Less than 60%: 0%