Would you rather work from home or go to the office every day? Just a few years ago, employees had more control over this decision. But today, the choice is increasingly out of their hands as companies rethink work structures, balancing between hybrid and fully on-site models.
The debate over remote versus in-office work continues to intensify. While some companies are leaning into flexible models, others are calling their workforce back.
JPMorgan, for instance, recently announced that employees must return to the office five days a week starting in March 2025, ending its pandemic-era hybrid policy. A memo from the leadership acknowledged employee preferences but stated firmly, “We think it is the best way to run the company.”
This shift isn’t limited to Wall Street, India’s tech and IT companies are also refining their work models. Accenture, for example, has been allowing employees in Bengaluru to visit the office once every three months. However, starting February 2024, they will now be required to come in once a week.
Infosys has also moved towards a more structured hybrid policy. By late 2023, the company mandated that employees must work in the office at least 10 days per month, making full-time remote work an increasingly rare option in 2025.
Some leaders strongly advocate for in-person collaboration.
Rizwan Khan, VP of people and culture at Porter, told AIM, “At Porter, we believe direct, in-person interactions foster innovation, mentorship, and strong team bonds. On-site exchanges at the workplace drive employee motivation, enable mentorship, and promote knowledge sharing, all of which contribute to individual and collective growth.”
He added that while the pandemic highlighted the challenges of fully replicating these benefits in a remote work environment, they also recognise the importance of flexibility for their employees.
To support the team, the company has implemented a set number of work-from-home days annually and remains open to accommodating additional flexibility based on genuine needs.
Balancing Flexibility and Productivity
The State of Recruitment Trends (SORT) survey provides insights into how hybrid work impacts businesses. Recruiters rate hybrid productivity at 6 out of 10, suggesting that while effective, it may not be optimal for all companies.
At the same time, 73% of employees cite work-life balance as the most valued aspect of their work environment, reinforcing the idea that flexibility, when managed well, can support both well-being and efficiency.
In an exclusive interaction with AIM, Venkataramani Suresh, CEO, foundit, mentioned, “Employee retention and satisfaction are paramount in today’s competitive talent market. Companies are under pressure to balance flexibility with productivity, creating work environments that meet the diverse needs of their workforce.
“As businesses explore hybrid structures, the ability to manage distributed teams effectively while ensuring alignment with organisational goals remains a key challenge.”
He further explained that the financial considerations of office space utilisation cannot be overlooked. Hybrid models offer potential cost savings, particularly as companies optimise their real estate footprints. However, recent trends suggest a subtle shift in the market.
Many companies are optimising their office space costs, but a subtle market shift is underway. Hybrid roles have declined by 9% in the past six months, while in-office positions have risen by 7%.
The conversation about work models is complex, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Arvind Krishnan, president and CEO (wellness) at Happiest Health, believes that work preferences are subjective. While some find hybrid arrangements perfect, others are more productive working entirely from home.
“Ultimately, someone has to pay for the work I do, so the nature of the job dictates what’s feasible. For example, if I were a surgeon, I wouldn’t say that I’d like to work from home; it just wouldn’t work! Some jobs simply require being on-site,” he said.
What’s Next?
The COVID-19 pandemic forced companies to reevaluate office leases as remote work led to increased office vacancies. By 2022, India’s office vacancy rate hit 16.4%, with major hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai witnessing sharp declines in occupancy. Now, businesses are recalibrating their strategies.
The 2024 SORT survey revealed that 33% of organisations have fully adopted a hybrid model, with another 9% in transition. Co-working spaces have also surged in popularity, with a 42% year-on-year increase, reflecting both cost-optimisation efforts and evolving employee preferences.
As companies like Infosys, Wipro, and Google India maintain hybrid models, others like TCS and Amazon are steering back to full-time office setups. foundit’s survey highlighted that 47% of companies continue to operate with a traditional five-day office schedule, while 33% have embraced hybrid models, 9% are transitioning, and 10% have gone fully remote.
While the debate continues, one thing is clear, the future of work isn’t about choosing between home and office, but about striking the right balance between flexibility, productivity, and business needs.
