Google, IT firms try to lure employees with free food, reimbursements

Companies like Infosys, Tech Mahindra, and Persistent Systems are opening offices in smaller cities and are asking their local employees to report to these offices instead of the headquarters

Tech giants like Google and Indian information technology companies are facing the same challenge of getting their employees back to the office, a report in Financial Express (FE) said.

While Google tried to lure its employees back to the office by offering free-of-cost food and other perks, it has now taken a firm stand in western countries and issued a memo directing employees to come to the office three days a week. Employees failing to do so will face repercussions in their appraisals, the report said.

Indian software services companies are also working hard to get their employees back to the office. To this end, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has also mandated three-day work at the office. To make it easier to come to the office, TCS is offering free transportation facilities to employees deployed on critical projects, the FE report said.

Accounting firm Deloitte is also facing a similar situation and the company is offering free transportation to its employees to incentivise work from home. The company policy is to reimburse all the costs incurred on conveyance.

Deloitte is even willing to pay the parking charges for employees coming to the office. To this end, Deloitte India offices will reimburse travel expenses up to Rs 20,000 per month for executives of the rank of senior manager and below, the FE report added.

While tackling a similar challenge, companies like Infosys, Tech Mahindra, and Persistent Systems have devised a different solution. These companies are opening offices in smaller cities and are asking their local employees to report to these offices instead of the headquarters located in big cities like Bengaluru or Hyderabad.

IT major Infosys had informed in its FY23 annual report that it was going to open offices in Hubballi, Indore, Nagpur, and Coimbatore to expand its reach, closer to its talent pool.