Page 48 - Impact of WfH study report _SCOPE-ILO_Neat

instance, a simple thing that I could do, dial a number on the intercom and speak
to my colleagues or the assistance I could draw from my office staff was missing. I
had to facilitate, manage my own calendars and meetings from home. Further,
some decisions in regular times that I would take collectively after rounds of
consultations were not feasible. I feel the pandemic tested us as leaders; and our
pressures and responsibilities increased. As a leader, I was responsible to ensure
that everything goes as planned and provide direction when something seems to
be going wrong. I was positive, up and shining and ensured that I was available to
meet any organizational eventuality. This did put additional pressure and
responsibility but the satisfaction for me is that despite the pandemic this instilled
in my employees immense confidence, and a spirit to perform and excel. I am
happy that our company broke a decade old record by reporting highest quarterly
profits when the economy was actually going down, and businesses in the country
suffered lockdowns.”

Dr. Alka Mittal, Director (HR), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited
Dr Alka Mittal, the first woman Director - Human Resources of Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation Limited, a Maharatna Company, had this to say:

“The covid-19 pandemic has certainly altered the workplace in unexpected ways.
If not for the pandemic, new ways of working such as Work from Ho me (WfH)
would have taken years to be adopted
We need to develop inclusive WfH by organisations globally, across the
policies that are clear, objective and board. In these times when health and
safety has assumed top priority, WfH
integrated into the organisational
has enabled continuity of operations for
culture. Line Managers and
many businesses, and has also opened
Supervisors need to be trained and a wider range of opportunities for
sensitised on WfH modalities and employees, with flexible working
expectations, because I see mind-set arrangements.

change as one of the biggest
challenges. We need to learn to From a gender perspective, we need to
focus on the implications of remote
evaluate output and contribution, rather
working/ WfH in context of the role of
than those who are ‘present’ . Going
women in our societies where caring for
forward, we should use this crisis to children and the elderly, and household
transform our workplaces to be more chores fall disproportionately on women.
flexible and agile, integrate new-age Stress, fatigue, feelings of isolation,
disconnect and being over-burdened
technologies and flexible ways of
due to working from home as lines
working that contribute to increased
between personal & professional space
productivity and performance for blur, can be concerning pitfalls, if not
sustained business growth.” managed properly.

Dr Alka Mittal, Director (HR), Oil and
As we move ahead, we need to develop
Natural Gas Corporation Limited
inclusive WfH policies that are clear,
objective and integrated into the

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