A number of IT companies in Bengaluru have urged their employees to adopt flexible working hours in the wake of increasing traffic on major IT routes in the city. This comes against the backdrop of persisting traffic congestion on major roads like Outer Ring Road, Electronic City Road, Whitefield Road, and Sarjapur Road. The problem especially arises during peak business hours.
Company representatives reported that flexible reporting and logout times are strongly promoted to help employees avoid peak traffic hours and thus relieve their commuting-related pressure and stress caused by excessive travel time. Some organisations have also extended hybrid and remote working opportunities, so that employees can work from home on select days, thus relieving pressure on employees as well as urban infrastructure, according to company officials.
Bengaluru, also known as the technology capital of India, has observed a considerable rise in the number of offices and employees in the past ten years. But when it comes to the development of infrastructure, it has failed to keep up. Residents are no stranger to traffic congestion on a daily basis, often spending two to three hours to get to or back from work. This has a significant effect on their productivity, according to industry experts.
HR departments of various IT companies have observed that the travel times remain unpredictable. To counter this situation, flexible working hours have been suggested as a temporary fix to allow the team to work productively despite the traffic conditions in the city. Employees have been encouraged to report to work early in the morning or in the evening depending upon their job requirements.
Many organizations have also modified their internal meeting timings. Virtual meeting tools are being emphasized for effective coordination between teams working at different timings. Issues such as commuting limitations are being kept in mind while deciding deadlines and offline participation by top-level managers.
The employee reaction has been largely positive towards this decision. Professionals surveyed who work in big IT cities have found flexible timing useful, which has reduced traffic during peak times, thus enabling faster commutes and eliminating exhaustion. It has enabled some of these workers to work efficiently after understanding traffic patterns, thus increasing concentration.
According to traffic specialists, staggered office hours can be quite effective in smoothening traffic congestion if implemented on a larger scale. It can be ensured that the traffic congestion on roads, as well as on public transport, is reduced if more offices implement flexible office hours. This may also result in better traffic flow during office hours.
The advisory from the IT companies is coming at a time when there are various infrastructure development projects going on in Bengaluru. Such projects include the development of the metro railway network, construction of flyovers, and road development. Even though such projects are intended to improve road mobility in the future, they continue to constrict the various major roads and thus cause traffic congestion. It is during this time that flexible working has emerged as an important means of helping employees cope.
Some organizations have also introduced alternative ways to commute to work. Carpooling, transport arranged by the companies themselves, and the use of public transport whenever possible have been encouraged. Internal campaigns regarding sustainable transport practices have also been introduced to reduce congesting on the roads and lower carbon emissions.
The city administration has appreciated the effort by information technology companies, with officials stating that it is important for companies to take part in city mobility challenges in order to succeed in handling traffic in the city. The government can make a major impact in reducing traffic until major renovations take place.
Though flexible working hours are not the answer to the traffic nightmare in Bengaluru, they are seen as a temporary solution for the situation by the industry leaders. As Bengaluru gets bigger, it’s understood that the policies of the companies would have to change to accommodate the employees. Currently, flexible working hours are giving much-needed relief to thousands of IT professionals, providing an effective means to tackle the complex traffic scenario in Bengaluru to achieve continuity in operations.
