‘Work from home’ to be new normal for govt offices post lockdown, draft guidelines issued

‘Work from home’ to be new normal for govt offices post lockdown, draft guidelines issued

New Delhi: Asserting that central government employees may have to work with staggered attendance and variable working hours, the Personnel Ministry has come out with a draft framework for ‘work from home’ for the staff post-lockdown.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) may provide option for work from home to the eligible officers/staff for 15 days in a year as a matter of policy, it said. There are 48.34 lakh central government employees.

In a communique to all central government departments, the Personnel Ministry said the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated many ministries to operate from home to maintain social distancing.

“Many of the ministries/departments in Government of India have successfully managed and rendered exemplary results in combat against the ongoing pandemic outbreak during the lockdown period by leveraging e-office and video conferencing facilities of National Informatics Centre (NIC). This was the first-of-its-kind experience in the Government of India,” it said.

It is quite likely that for the near future, the central secretariat will continue to go for staggered attendance and variable working hours to maintain social distancing at workplace, the ministry said.

“Therefore, a broad framework for work from home is important to standardize the operating procedure even post lock down situation and to ensure safety and security of information, while accessing government files and information remotely from home,” it said.

Accordingly, a new set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been finalised for the employees to ensure smooth and seamless functioning of the government for continuity of the office works besides imparting resilience in the ecosystem even post lock down situations.

Employees will be provided with the logistic supports in the form of laptop/ desktop by the respective ministries/departments.

“Ministries may use the inventory of laptops on rotational basis for the officers who are working from home and needed such logistic support, the draft guidelines said.

They may also get reimbursement for internet services that they would use while working from home.

“Department of Expenditure may consider reimbursement for data uses to the officers working from home and if required may issue separate guidelines in this regards,” the draft guidelines said.

It proposed extra protocol for all VIP and Parliament matters that require utmost attention.

“Therefore, SMS alerts be sent for all such receipts and files to the next officer in the channel,” it said.

The draft guidelines said ministries/departments concerned, who are not yet using the e-office module, would make endeavour for its expeditious implementation in their secretariat, attached and subordinate offices in a “time bound manner”.

Presently, about 75 ministries/departments are actively using e-office platform of which 57 have achieved more than 80 per cent of their work. E-office refers to digitization/computerization of office working.

However, “classified papers/files” cannot be processed while working from home.

“As per instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs no classified information shall be handled through e-office. Therefore, classified files shall not be processed in e-office during work from home,” it said.

The NIC may evaluate the existing security protocol for remote access of classified file/ information in consultation with Home Ministry and propose suitable guidelines and standard operating procedures for handling classified information in e-office, the guidelines said.

“Till the time classified files shall be processed on standalone computers only as specified in the Central Secretariat Manual of OfficeProcedure(CSMOP),” it said.

The Personnel Ministry said the officers to whom official laptops are provided shall ensure that they do the official work in official device only.

“NIC shall ensure that their devices are well protected against malware and malicious websites. The officers who are working on their personal computers/ lap tops shall ensure installing regular updates, running antivirus scans, blocking malicious sites, etc with the help of NIC to ensure safety of their device against information theft,” the guidelines said.

Officers who are working from home shall be available on phone as per requirements and directions of their officers, it said.

To facilitate inter ministerial consultations, exchange of files between the ministries may be made seamlessly in e-office, the guidelines said.

“NIC video conferencing facility shall be leveraged to organise important meetings while working from home. Officers and staff shall attend the meetings by activating VC link forwarded to them by NIC in formal meeting set up. VCs shall also be used as far as possible in office environment to maintain social distancing during COVID 19 pandemic,” it said.

The NIC has been asked to strengthen the VC to make it more facilitative.

“Officials working from home shall adhere to all norms of office environment while attending VC meetings,” the guidelines said.

“All central government departments have been asked to send their comments by May 21, failure of which would be presumed that the ministry/department is in agreement with the proposed draft,” it stated.

Work from home: Professionals complain of stress, insomnia, anxiety

Work from home: Professionals complain of stress, insomnia, anxiety

New Delhi: Insomnia, backaches, restlessness, stress and anxiety are among the side effects people are facing from prolonged work from home as the country entered the fifth week of the lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Many companies and firms shut office operations after the nationwide lockdown was announced on March 25. Initially imposed for 21 days, the lockdown was extended to May 3 as the number of COVID-19 cases increased in the country.

Suresh Sharma, a Delhi-based techie, said he spends most of his time either in front of his laptop screen or on his mobile phone, sometimes hours at a stretch.

“I was initially enjoying working from home. However, with the passage of time, I realized it had taken a toll on my health. While working in my office space, I would be attending meetings and interacting with people. But, now, absolutely everything is online,” he said.

Sharma says back problems have cropped up and headaches have become frequent.

For Geeta Malhotra, a techie based in Bengaluru, work from home has not only blurred the line separating her personal and professional life but has also made her insomniac.

“I am eating whenever I want. Sometimes two meals a day, sometimes four times a day. The little walking I used to do has also stopped. I have put on four kgs of weight since the lockdown and I am having trouble sleeping at night so much that I have been sleeping for less than four hours,” she said.

Like Sharma, she too complained of suffering from headaches frequently. Several large IT companies, according to estimates, has 90 to 95 percent of its employees working from home.

Health experts have advised people to practice meditation and do physical exercises to keep the mind and body fit. People should also use this opportunity to pursue their hobbies to de-stress, they said.

Clinical psychologist at the Paras Hospital in Gurgaon, Preeti Singh, said people might be experiencing these issues as they are not getting enough opportunity for physical activity. This is also sometimes due to lack of motivation or anxiety, she said.

“Workload has increased along with responsibilities at home, this has left people exhausted. Insomnia might have become a problem as many are tensed over job security,” Singh said.

Shailaja S, who works in Bengaluru as an architect, said she has been having “anxiety attacks and nightmares”.

“When at work, I would see my colleagues, go on coffee or lunch breaks, but now I am sitting at home the whole day working,” she said.

“I am always restless, I keep checking my phone assuming there is a message from the office. There is no respite even after working hours are over, as I keep getting work messages,” said Shailaja.

Rahul Kumar, a consultant with a Gurgaon-based multi-national company, said his body posture has worsened and he is suffering from severe back pain, restlessness and anxiety.

“In the first two weeks, I was relaxed but as time passed, I have been restless and anxious. My diet and exercise routine have all been hit. Now all I do is sit in front of the computer and work in my room,” Kumar said.

Some health experts also said that distressing news on the novel coronavirus pandemic is also taking a toll on the mental health of people.

Pankaj Gupta, president, Indian Institute of Health Management Research University, in Jaipur, said distressing information related to the coronavirus is making people scared and worried about their and their family’s health.

“We know that good mental health promotes good physical health, therefore involve yourself in dancing, yoga, gardening that brings in positive thoughts and happiness,” he said.

“Practising meditation early in the morning, and devoting time to reading and spiritual activities will generate positive vibes around you and your loved ones. Keeping the house clean and bright with lights, walking on the roof will help them stay mentally healthy during this tough time,” Gupta said.

Shanu Srivastava, a senior psychologist at Indian Spinal Injuries Centre advised people to limit news consumption on COVID-19.

He said frequent updates on the pandemic is creating anxiety and insomnia in many people. The government has launched a toll-free helpline number – 08046110007 — for people who may face any mental health issue due to the ongoing countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus.

In a document ‘Minding our minds during the COVID-19 pandemic’, the Union Health Ministry said staying at home can be quite nice for some time, but can also be boring and restricting.

It advised people to stay busy and distract themselves from negative emotions by listening to music, reading, watching an entertaining program on television, pursuing hobbies, and doing simple indoor exercises.

The deadly coronavirus disease has claimed 934 lives in the country and currently, there are 21,632 active cases, according to the health ministry. On the bright side, 6868 people have been cured of the infection.

Around 50 lakh mobile devices may need repair to support work from home

Around 50 lakh mobile devices may need repair to support work from home

New Delhi: Mobile phone players estimate that over 50 lakh mobile devices, including laptops, may require repairing during the lockdown period to support work from home.

About 97 per cent of the broadband connections in the country operate through mobile devices, as per data published by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).

“There are around 80 crore mobile devices operational in the country out of which around 50 lakh need repair every month. Many players are providing online support but in most of the cases, customers need to visit repair centres. Based on the data consumption growth trend, usage of mobile devices have gone up. Therefore, load on the devices has also increased,” a senior official of a home-grown mobile phone company said.

According to after sales services firm Onsitego, around 71 per cent of mobile phone repair issues are related to screen damage, followed by problems in switching on of devices.

Onsitego Chief Delivery Officer Sunil Gandhe said the smartphone protection market in 2019 was estimated to be around Rs 540 crore. This means repair work of around Rs 45 crore is carried out every month.

When contacted, India Cellular and Electronics Association said it has written to the government requesting to bring mobile devices under the essential category during the lockdown.

“Depriving citizens repairs and purchase of extremely badly needed feature phones for poor people is not appropriate. Citizens particularly farmers also want to upgrade to entry level smartphones to keep their enterprises going. Education of children also requires at least an entry level smartphone. All of this must be enabled,” ICEA Chairman Pankaj Maohindroo said.

ICEA has sought government permission to only allow opening of “company-owned” or “company-authorized” service centers as it will automatically bring down the number of service centres to a small fraction of the total outlets that sell or service mobile devices.

The industry has also requested the government to allow online sale of mobile phones during the lockdown.

ವರ್ಕ್‌ ಫ್ರಂ ಹೋಮ್‌ ಕತೆಗಳು

ವರ್ಕ್‌ ಫ್ರಂ ಹೋಮ್‌ ಕತೆಗಳು

ಆಫೀಸಿನ ಅಷ್ಟೂ ಮಂದಿಗೆ, “ವರ್ಕ್‌ ಫ್ರಂ ಹೋಮ್‌ ಮಾಡಿ, ಸಂಜೆ 6 ಗಂಟೆಯಷ್ಟೊಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ದಿನದ ಫೈಲ್‌ಗ‌ಳನ್ನು ಮೇಲ್‌ ಮಾಡಿ’ ಅಂತ್ಹೇಳಿ ಬಂದಿದ್ದೆ. ಸಹೋದ್ಯೋಗಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಮನೆಕೆಲಸ ಕೊಟ್ಟಾಗ, ನನ್ನಂಥ ಬಾಸ್‌ಗೂ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಜಾಸ್ತಿಯೇ ಕೆಲಸ, ಟೆನ್ಶನ್‌, ಎರಡೂ ಇರುತ್ತೆ. ಎಲ್ಲಿ? ಏನಾಯ್ತು?- ಅಂತ ನೋಡಲು ಸಿಸಿ ಟಿವಿ ಇರೋಲ್ಲ. ಇನ್ನೊಬ್ಬನ ಡೆಸ್ಕ್ಟಾಪ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಏನಾಗ್ತಿದೆ ಅಂತ ಚೆಕ್‌ ಮಾಡೋಕೂ ಆಗೋದಿಲ್ಲ.

ಬಾಸ್‌ ಇದ್ದಾಗ ಆಗುವ ಕೆಲಸದ ವೇಗಕ್ಕೂ, ಇಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದಾಗ ಆಗುವ ಕೆಲಸದ ಸ್ಪೀಡ್‌ಗೂ ಬಹಳ ವ್ಯತ್ಯಾಸಗಳುಂಟು. ಆದರೆ, ಕೊರೊನಾದ ಭಯದಿಂದ ಅನಿವಾರ್ಯವಾಗಿ ರಜೆಯೇನೋ ಕೊಟ್ಟೆ. ಮರುದಿನ ಬೆಳಗ್ಗೆ ಎದ್ದಾಗ, ಮನೆಗೆಲಸದ ಸಂಜೀವಮ್ಮ ಬಂದರು. ನಾನು ಲ್ಯಾಪ್‌ಟಾಪ್‌ ಹಿಡಿದು, ಪ್ರೋಗ್ರಾಮ್‌ಗಳ ವಿಡಿಯೋ ನೋಡ್ತಾ ಇರೋದನ್ನೆಲ್ಲ ಅವಳು ಗಮನಿಸಿದ್ದಳು.

ಅಷ್ಟರಲ್ಲಾಗಲೇ ಅವಳು ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಯ ಹತ್ತಾರು ಕೆಲಸ ಮುಗಿಸಿದ್ದಾಯ್ತು. ಹೋಗುವಾಗ ನನ್ನ ಹೆಂಡ್ತಿಗೆ ಕೇಳಿದಳು. “ಅಮ್ಮಾವ್ರೆ, ಯಾಕೆ ಯಜಮಾನ್ರು ಮನೇಲೆ ಕುಂತವ್ರೆ?’. “ಅವರದ್ದು ಇವತ್ತಿಂದ ಹತ್ತು ದಿನ ವರ್ಕ್‌ ಫ್ರಮ್‌ ಹೋಮ್‌. ಅಂದ್ರೆ, ಮನೆಯಿಂದಲೇ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡೋದು’ ಅಂದಳು, ಹೆಂಡ್ತಿ.

“ಹೌದಾ, ಅಮ್ಮಾವ್ರೆ… ಹಾಗಾದ್ರೆ ನಾನೂ ವರ್ಕ್‌ ಫ್ರಂ ಹೋಮ್‌ ಮಾಡ್ತೀನ್ರೀ. ನಂಗೂ ಕೊರೊನಾ ಬಂದ್ರೆ ಕಷ್ಟ’ ಅಂತ್ಹೇಳಿ ಹೋದವಳು, ಮತ್ತೆ ಮನೆಕಡೆ ಬರಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಇವತ್ತಿಗೆ ನನ್ನ ವರ್ಕ್‌ ಫ್ರಮ್‌ ಹೋಂ, ನಾಲ್ಕನೇ ದಿನ. ಸಂಜೀವಮ್ಮ ಮಾಡಬೇಕಾದ ಕೆಲಸ, ನನ್ನ ಪಾಲಿಗೆ ಬಂದಿದೆ. ನಮ್ಮನೇಲಿ ಇಷ್ಟು ಪಾತ್ರೆಗಳಿವೆ ಅಂತ ನನಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗಿದ್ದೇ ಈಗ.

* ಶರತ್‌ ಪಿ.ಎಚ್‌., ಖಾಸಗಿ ಕಂಪನಿಯ ಮ್ಯಾನೇಜರ್‌