Tata Steel Adopts New Agile Working Model

Case Code: CLHR078 Case Length: 4 Pages Period: 2016-2020 Pub Date: 2020 Teaching Note: Available

Price: Rs.150 Organization: Tata Steel Industry: Metals & Mining Countries: India Themes: Remote Working, Organizational Culture, Future of Work, HR Policy

Abstract

The case ‘Tata Steel Adopts New Agile Working Model’ describes Tata Steel’s initiative to implement an ‘Agile Working Model’ policy for its employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company initially rolled out the initiative for a year beginning with select roles from digital marketing, IT support, sales and HR, strategy and planning, and quality management. The employees could also opt to work from any location (work-from-anywhere) of their choice across India once normalcy returned.

The case then looks at how this model benefited both the company and the employees. The work from anywhere policy helped the company to cut down on the huge cost of real estate and to bring down its attrition rate. Employees also benefited asit helped them to maintain a work-life balance and also ensured more opportunities to employees with disabilities.

The case also touches upon other initiatives of Tata Steel for its employees including the introduction of a five-day week and a policy allowing employees from the LGBTQ+ community to declare their partners and avail of all HR benefits permissible under the law. The case ends with the steel maker’s vision for the HR team to implement various tools and technologies quickly enough to tackle the unprecedented changes in the work environment coming its way on a daily basis.

Issues

• Understand the benefits of a flexible work policy for both company and employees.
• Learn about the importance of trust between employer and employee.
• Understand the importance of timely HR policies for organizational success.
• Learn about alternatives to traditional on-site work to build an engaged workforce.
• Know about the need for a work culture that focuses on safety, productivity, and cost.

Introduction

In the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Tata Steel, an Indian multinational steel-making company, decided to implement an 'Agile Working Model' policy for its employees with effect from November 01, 2020. The new working model would facilitate its employees to work from home up to 365 days a year. Even officers who were currently required to be based out of a particular location could work from home for an unlimited number of days a year. The new policy was intended to signal a shift in the mindset of how a workplace should operate and move toward a model compatible with the future workplace. Tata Steel decided to move toward a trust and outcome based working culture that would offer its employees more flexibility. The new policy was initiated as a pilot for one year and could be extended to allow a large number of its employees to work from home (WFH) even after the pandemic subsided...

Keywords

Agile Work Models; Work Culture; Work-life Balance; Work From Home; Work From Anywhere; Flexible Working;Trust and Motivation; Employee Benefits;Employee Productivity; Attrition; Employee Engagement

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