In a precautionary move against the deadly COVID-19 (aka coronavirus), Flipkart has made it mandatory for its entire Bangalore staff to work from home. The e-retailer has decided to continue this disposition that begun on Wednesday for three days in its Bellandur Campus.
The workforce of 8000-10,000 employees is working from home as a part of the ‘dry-run’ of its day-to-day operations of the e-tailer in light of COVID-19 which was recently declared a pandemic. The company also informed its employees that their Business Continuity Plan takes into account, the potential risks that COVID-19 can have on their strategic operations and customer obligations. The e-tailer has made the precautionary trial mandatory for all its employees and requested them for their cooperation. Flipkart has not recorded a case within its employees but is taking precautionary steps to ensure its critical functions and technology operates effectively in case of an emergency.
In a memo to the staff, the company told its executives with a recent travel history and flu-like symptoms to refrain from coming to the office for two weeks and to consult with their managers. The precautionary move is of critical importance as Flipkart is using the trial to check on its system-preparedness for working through digital means throughout the duration of a time window. The company asked it employees to not postpone important meetings, campaigns and regular work but to use digital means to conduct the same.
Flipkart’s customer experience teams will work from partner locations and relevant details will be shared with them by their managers. Spokespersons have highlighted in a statement that the facilities of the company are being sanitised at regular intervals. Flipkart is also raising awareness among the delivery staff who make direct contact with customers. The pandemic is also affecting the supply-chain management of the company. Flipkart like its market rival Amazon is trying to minimise the disruptions in securing goods from China. COVID-19 will thus, assuredly have an effect on availability and pricing in the coming months.
COVID-19 had had a catastrophic effect on the way life in general functions. Over 4000 deaths have been reported globally so far, while financial markets across the globe continue to tumble. Companies have closed down offices and supply-chain management has suffered, in addition to work regiment. Paytm has closed down in its offices in Gurgaon after an employee tested positive and PhonePe’s 1200 employee work force is set to work from home for at least a week. IT firms have not escaped the pathogen either- employees and Dell and Mindtree have tested positive in Bangalore.
