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 as it 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.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• 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

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;