OCTOBER 20198IN MY OPINIONWith an experience of over 25 years, Harsh is currently working with one of the world's leading flexible workspaces that builds the key drivers for the growth By Harsh Lambah, Country Manager, Regus Indiahe workplace in India, as we've known it, is rap-idly changing. The need for a healthy work-life balance, difficulties faced by longer commut-ing times and higher commute costs as well as the recent start-up boom have all transformed the way Indians work today. Productivity and profitabili-ty is paramount, but so is the employees' well-being. Organizations understand that to be successful, it is critical to retain good talent and in their endeav-our to do so, the work environment is now becoming increasingly flexible. The Importance of Work-Life BalanceWork hours are no longer the only measure for pro-ductivity. This is particularly excellent for women who are returning from their motherhood break, and also for professionals looking for a better work-life balance. In one of the surveys that Regus conducted globally in January 2015, over 68 percent of the respondents re-ported that fixed working hours are no longer suitable for them to complete their duties. Over 50 percent re-ported that traffic jams cause delays in getting to work or meetings, and therefore hamper their productivity. Shortening or doing away with the commute would definitely help them stay focused on work without the stress of commuting. This is why several organi-zations today provide this flexibility to work remotely, thereby enhancing their productivity while ensuring a work-life balance. Some organisations also encourage employees to work from home. This is a particularly recent develop-ment to the Indian work scene. In the west, work-from-home has been a growing trend. The only challenge with working from home though is the need to create a special space for work and that is difficult to do in most Indian households. This then forces professionals to work out of cafes and that's not always ideal. With the rapid emergence of co-working spaces and special-ized office spaces like Regus, professionals and orga-nizations now have options that are both convenient and productive. It's much easier to conduct meetings, interviews or video conferences out of these spaces rather than at a cafe or one's home. THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF THE INDIAN WORKPLACETThe needs of remote workers are strongly driving the take up of cloud applications that provide them with cost-effective access to office tools wherever they are
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