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HRM Review Magazine:
Telecommuting: Formatting in the Indian Context
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The opening up of boundaries for international trade and commerce in the name of globalization, projects the need for redefining workplace frontiers keeping in view the intensity of employee demands and organizational objectives. The evolution of virtual teams in knowledge-specific firms is leading the way towards the expansion of the workplace, which can be described as telecommuting. This article examines how the concept can be used in Indian firms.

 
 
 

The most visible changes in the direction of revamping organizational resources towards achievement of excellence are associated with the management of human element. The growing relevance for the effective utilization of human potentialities and creative skills finds ample justification from many quarters. The trustworthiness of human efficiency, in the midst of technology boom, is hailed with unequivocal support from management thinkers and practitioners in equal terms. The imperativeness in finding out the remedies for employee-related problems in the workplace is also found with priority, as it would help in creating a healthy atmosphere for the energetic performance of the workforce. The evolution of `Telework' concept transcending the barriers of geographical boundaries, cultural disparities, infrastructural deficiencies, and managerial pitfalls is a breakthrough for promoting quality in HR management. Widely acclaimed as `Telecommuting', the system enables the potential workers to deliver goods by working away from the formal workplace, in most cases sitting at home, with the help of communication technology. The long pending demands for `Flexible Work Options' (FWOs) find a logical conclusion in the Telecommuting phenomenon. Viewed from the right perspective, it gives equal strength to both management and employees and so there needs to be proper education on both the sides for leading towards productive usage. As most of the surveys conducted in the western countries had given positive impression about their productive benefits, pointing out the need to consider for active application in countries like India there needs to be proper framework and context in this regard. The growing strength of workforce and their legitimate demands in the corporate sector, amidst technology drive, further projects the need to evolve an alternative mechanism for carrying out the work-related schedules. The diversified nature of projects in knowledge-based industries also enables the corporate pundits to search for a solution if not for achieving firm's objectives but for dealing with the employee demands. In the changed scenario of social relations, the rationale for spending maximum amount of time on workplace is being questioned from many quarters. The evolving pattern of family relations in the materialistic society further imposes a soul-searching exercise on the employee that makes him to opt for an alternate life-style. The quest for an alternative mode of life-style is being testified by the growing importance of spiritual matters among the corporate fraternity and the roots for this phenomenon can be traced to workplace. Viewed from sociological perspective, the impact of workplace matters on the employee psyche is found to be much heavier leading to many changes in the family relations. As discussed earlier, the justification for staying more time on workplace and unmindful of personal agenda needs to be put in a fresh perspective in the light of many path-breaking developments on the technology front. The growing intensity of workplace conflicts and the work-related stress also denote the necessity of finding an alternate mechanism for discharging responsibilities as an employee and at the same time enabling him to manage the individual priorities. This observation stands valid in Indian context where the institution of `family' has got strong roots further imposing undeniable obligations and commitments on the people in various forms.

 
 

HRM Review Magazine, International Trade and Commerce, Globalization, Organizational Resources, Telecommuting, Communication Technology, Flexible Work Options, FWOs, Corporate Sector, Multimedia Technologies, Internet Technologies, BPO Sector, Telecommuting Mechanism, Corporate Firms.