The future of work from office: will it exist? What will it look like?

Before the pandemic, the instances and expectations of work from home were few and far between, both for employees and employers. But ever since the pandemic began receding, there has been an ongoing debate about the future of work - is it going to be work from home, work from office, or both?

Another dimension in the future of work debate is 'Moonlighting'. Should employees be allowed to work for another organisation during their off hours? This seemingly innocuous question takes a controversial tone when employees take up work with competitor organisations.

While these debates rage on, today's workplaces need to evolve with changing expectations while staying true to their work culture. Here's where policy comes into the picture. Effective policies that are relevant to the times we live in are the need of the hour.

Companies that choose to return to the office do so to foster genuine collaboration among employees and to nurture a carefully crafted work culture. In doing so, they create policies that are flexible and inclusive in workspaces that make employees feel at home.

Leave policy: One that doesn't leave you hanging
Most companies allot a fixed number of paid leaves an employee can take each year. These leaves are usually subject to approval from reporting managers. Such policies can leave employees with insufficient leaves when they might need more or unaccounted amounts of time for emergencies. Additionally, requiring manager approval on leave requests can put pressure on employees when taking time off, especially in cases involving mental health.

Bengaluru-based fintech Fi Money has taken a different approach to its leave policy by putting the physical and mental health of employees before everything else. While one can always plan for a fixed number of casual leaves, health issues and emergencies cannot be anticipated. A policy of unlimited wellness leaves addresses such issues and can be made more inclusive by covering maternity leave, paternity leave and mental health issues.

A flexible leave policy, when combined with auto-approval on all leave requests, implicitly places a high level of trust in people. “We felt that requiring manager approval on leave applications put pressure on taking time off. This can be especially true when it comes to issues related to mental health. Instead, we encourage our people to take the time off they need, no matter what the reason may be,” said Poornima Kamath, Head of People and Culture at Fi Money.

Along with flexible work hours, employee-centric policies like these empower people to have more control over their time, be it at the office or at home.

Insurance that's more than just a cover
Many organisations view employee insurance as a cost to bear and try to minimise it as much as possible. Another way to look at it is ensuring that the organisation's most valuable resources are well taken care of.

With this philosophy in mind, Fi Money provides its employees with an industry-best insurance policy covering everything from OPD visits and pharmacy bills to mental and dental health, and even pet consultations. Having such a comprehensive insurance policy allows people to get the kind of care they need without worrying about the costs.

Progressive workplaces are not only aware of but proactively emphasise the importance of mental wellness. One way they achieve this is by partnering with mental health service providers to offer employees a range of therapies and mindfulness activities. All these benefits are made inclusive by covering family members, including same-sex partners.

Going the extra mile
If there's one thing the future of work needs to plan for, it's upskilling. As technology and tools advance, professionals in every field need to learn to keep up with the constant pace of innovation. Organisations in the business of innovation or who simply want to benefit from it know they have to invest in the upskilling of their teams.

While many organisations have upskilling policies in place, they tend to be either restrictive or tokenistic. Fi Money's 'Learning Stash' policy gives its people the flexibility to upskill in areas that are not directly linked to their role. Not only does this foster an environment of constant learning, but it also gives employees a versatile skill set that enables them to contribute in a wider capacity.

To ensure a transparent and hierarchy-free workplace, benefits like these can be made equally applicable to all Fi employees from day one on the job. “We do not believe in differential benefits based on grade, position or seniority. All benefits from ESOPs and upskilling to travel and insurance are equally applicable to all employees,” Kamath said.

The future of work is organisations empowering people with more trust, more control over their time and all the resources they need to bring out their best work. Fi Money is one such organisation offering a balanced career with all these benefits and more.