Supporting Working From Home and Workplace (WFH&W) to protect people and economy both from Covid-19 Pandemic

Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on India and specifically Maharashtra has been severe leading to Maharashtra Government ordering shutdown in four major cities including Pune. Hon. Prime Minister Modi suggested working from home and other measures in his recent address to the nation. He made exception for those working for National Critical Infrastructure (NCI) namely, telecom, water supply, electricity grid, health care facilities, petroleum and natural gas, transport, Defence and Police. Maharashtra Government has exempted designated essential services. At this point the entire focus of the national State and local Governments is on social distancing to arrest spread of Corona virus and, rightfully so.

Working from home or WFH has emerged as a preferred way. However, many businesses can’t have WFH for some of their operations. For example, how does a truck driver, a shop floor mechanic or someone does electronics assembly work from home. Should we not think about such businesses. We can withstand a shutdown for a short duration. However, it will deliver a fatal blow to a large number of small businesses that are the lifeline of Indian economy. I am not talking about sick or badly run businesses. Those will need to tone up to survive. It’s about good and upcoming companies but are small in their life’s journey. Even if these remain small over their life, very large number of such very small companies contributes more to the economy than several mega companies put together. Economy is already weak, and jobs are very hard to come by. These companies provide a crucial lifeline here.

Several founders of startups and CEOs of such businesses want to find a way to continue the business and protect from Covid-19. I happened to have detail conversation with three founders / CEOs since March 19. And all of them are close friends as we support TiE (The Indus Entrepreneur), world’s largest not-for-profit organisation for entrepreneurs and by entrepreneurs.

First Founder & CEO runs a fast growing brick and mortar company with manufacturing facilities, warehouses, dealers and most crucial a mobile work force of truckers. Some of these are permanent employees while others are on contract but nevertheless part of my friends’ workforce. As a good employer, he never differentiates between contract staff and those on company payroll.

Second Founder & CEO in fact runs a software product company. One may think most of the people can work from home. Wait, they have a specialised computing environment in which impact and containment of computer malfunction is tested. How do you make such a team work from home? Similarly, a wireless radio company may have an anechoic chamber that will make it difficult to work from home.

The third Founder runs an electronics products company, one of the few in India. He was at pains to explain that he has to shut down. He mentioned they have received shipments of components but can’t put together their own end products because of the shutdown. Anyone will notice, one has to pay for components but no way to sell end products.

These three companies will survive temporary shutdown but many others that are small and too early in their life’s journey will disappear. And, Pune with diverse base of manufacturing, electronics, software businesses and a long-standing tradition of engineering entrepreneurs, there would be tens of thousands of such businesses.

So, I decided to create a mixed mode model where people can work from home as well as work from a workplace and not home. Workplaces can be geographically distributed and, can be mobile pan India. My mixed model is given at the end of this article for those who are interested. However, I want to bring few points for Government, business and industry to think about.

1.     Government unfortunately has a problem of unprecedented nature on hand – weak economy, Covid-19 pandemic and people’s social and other habits. It will be most desired if one can create a mechanism by which as many businesses as possible can continue to operate without risking people’s lives thus reducing Covid-19 impact on the economy.

2.     Small to medium businesses (please note many startup businesses belong to this category) will need specific financial; infrastructure and supply chain help to tide over this crisis. Can this be supported by the Government and large corporations in a participative model. For example, a mobile work force requires medical facilities at multiple places or help with wages and other costs because of increased cost of operations.

3.     Government and say top 200 corporations by profit can create a corpus to support business continuity of small businesses as these businesses implement protection of their employees, contract staff and the families from Covid-19.

4.     All or major portion of CSR funds for 2 to 3 quarters can be directed to this initiative.

5.     Economic Task Force being constituted under Hon. Finance Minister of Government of India can devise the mechanism working with industry association and chambers of commerce. Same can be done at the State and even city level for businesses under their purview working with National task force and local industry associations and chambers of commerce.

This help is not for sick or badly run businesses. It’s for small and young companies that have been hit hard because of the pandemic and have to invest significant resources to provide safety to its work force during this time. Money can be returned once climate improves and the beneficiary company can afford to return the funds provided to them. Detail mechanisms can be worked.

Above founders by the way are all IIT alumni. These and many other founders I know are socially conscious, run ethical businesses and worry about job creation and social welfare as much as the profit. They can be trusted and if needed contractually bound to return the subsidy once their businesses improve and are back on track.

My shot at guidelines for businesses which require Work from Home and Workplace (WFH & W) to ensure same level of protection and care whether one is at work or working from home:

1.     Close specific locations if the Government / relevant authorities have mandated shutdown. This is complex for businesses distributed in geography with multiple regulators and Governments. Many pan India Indian businesses fall into this category. But this will have to complied with.

2.     Organisational guidelines and remediation for non-home workplaces:

2.1.   Onsite medical professional – doctor or a paramedic for each working shift. If work force is mobile, medical help needs to be extended over a geography.

2.2.   Extend work to more shifts if it helps to decongest the working say in a warehouse or on shop floor (by spacing production)

2.3.   Daily thermal check during entry and departure of workers. Self-check for mobile workers or at both starting and destination points.

2.4.   Adequate supply of soaps sanitisers throughout the premises and with mobile work force.

2.4.1.For shop floors and warehouse with large floor areas, create temporary facility for hand washing so that workers don’t have to walk long distance to wash hands.

2.4.2.Mobile hand washing kit for each mobile worker.

2.5.   All machines, bins, door handle, vehicles and other objects to be sanitised frequently and fumigated at least once a day.

2.6.   Surveillance cameras to be installed and live eyeballing of the premises from a central location. Videos captured to be analysed every day to detect unwell workers who have been skipped in live surveillance, for medical attention.

2.7.   Large screens connected to personal computers for video conferencing for the CEO / Senior Executives to address people at workplaces (shop floors, warehouses etc.). Screens to be in enough quantity so that not more than four people gather around a computer and that people are standing sparse (more than 2 meters away) while attending a video conferencing call. Enough wireless mikes (sanitised) to be provided so that staff can interact with CEO / Senior Executives live.

2.7.1.Mobile connectivity with easy to log into corporate website and for Executive video call.

2.8.   Help at residences of workers

2.8.1.Sanitisers / soaps etc. to be made available to staff at home as the people travel to and back from the workplace / home.

2.8.2.Staff asked to strictly prohibit visitors to their residences. If that happens, the person checked and if needed to be sent home for home quarantine. This is to be enforced strictly.

2.8.3.Staff to identify medical facility close to their residence. Organisation to inform all such facilities that it will take care of testing and other expenses for the worker and the family if needed.

a.     If a worker lives in congested community or a house with more than 3-4 family members, special attention and remedial steps such as organisation sponsored sanitisation of the residence.

No disruption in wages for people who are not able to attend the work temporarily during this emergency because of Covid-19.