Sassing up the workplace

Today’s workplaces are evolving from being run-of-the-mill and monotonous to accommodative, sassy ambience for its employees. Many Chennai-based companies are setting precedents for employers to nurture more productive workforce. DC speaks to two such companies in city that are going that extra mile to ensure a stress-free environment for the millennial.

PickYourTrail, (a travel-tech company) allows employees to bring their pets to work as a part of their HR policy. Srinath Shankar, co-founder of PickYourTrail, shares, “For people with pets need somebody at home to take care of them. Average age of our workforce is 22-23 and many of them stay alone and leaving the pet alone for 8-9 hours was bothering them. As there was a lot of conversation going on about their problems, we decided to welcome their pets at work and at the same time sensitised the pet owners to make sure the environment here was made friendly and safe for everybody including the non-pet owners.”

Liri enjoying the company of PickYourTrail employees.

Srinath found that the pet-owners were willing to take up that additional responsibility. He now sees a difference in the office environment, which has a renewed energy among the workers, besides new talent acquisition.

Srinath, who was himself recovering from the loss of his 15 year old Labrador, also found he could cope better. “Even the usual introverts now play with these pets and there is an increased communication between them and the pet owners.”

Anupama Kadambi of Gofrugal, an ERP software company, was working as a manager with Hewlett Packard when she had to take a break for her second child. “Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough support system at home”, she confesses. “In the digital era, ways of working have undergone a sea change and adapting to a new way of learning after a long break is difficult. So after my break, I spent ample time figuring out my area of interest”.

“I then joined Gofrugal as a digital analyst. Taking a cue from my own experience, I started this initiative called ‘Good Mother’ in 2016 that aims at bringing back women to work after a break.”

With flexible work hours reduced to as few as 5 hours a day to ensure that women can work without having to worry much about the family conditions, this helps reinstate people after a career break.

“These employees, in fact, often double up as Good Mothers and maintain discipline in the team they are working with. They provide advice, inculcate professional habits, help other employees deal with issues and point out the flaws too. They hold the team together and what matters is their own experience that helps them tell others how to handle situation. We have 6 Good Mothers at present.”