Maintain office environment during video-conference meetings: Govt to officials

Government officials, working from home, have to be dressed properly and maintain all norms of office environment while attending video-conference during and after the ongoing lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A draft guidelines have been circulated among all central government departments by the Personnel Ministry outlining details of the standard operating procedures that have to be followed while working from home in the new working scenario.

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

"National Informatics Centre (NIC) video-conference 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 setup.

"VCs shall also be used as far as possible in office environment to maintain social distancing during COVID 19 pandemic," the draft guidelines said.

The National Informatics Centre (NIC) has also 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," it said.

There are 48.34 lakh central government employees.

All officers of Deputy Secretary and above level have been asked by the government to work from the office. Whereas, 33 per cent of the remaining staff attend the office, that to in staggered shifts, during the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.