[PreludeSH]

Lot of MNCs in technology have started mandatory office work hours. Have heard from friends working at these on how its affecting their physical (back) health plus the time wasted in traffic.

I think its also due to many employees working for home more than from home and its impacting everyone else. Wish companies had a better way of following up on work since most of these companies I hear from are product companies.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by PreludeSH

Lot of MNCs in technology have started mandatory office work hours. Have heard from friends working at these on how its affecting their physical (back) health plus the time wasted in traffic.

I think its also due to many employees working for home more than from home and its impacting everyone else. Wish companies had a better way of following up on work since most of these companies I hear from are product companies.

Again rubbish HR and real estate tactics going on. Back then during COVID every organisation showed off how open their work culture is, working from anywhere and sorts and justifying how avoiding long commute times have worked towards better productivity. Later the real estate bosses realised that the reckless exploitation of land they are doing in Bengaluru especially around whitefield wont find takers if companies can have their employees work from anywhere. PG owners saw their money rotting. So then the pressure started on top bosses of companies to call people back and expand office spaces. Thats what we are suffering from now. Now one cares any more about Metro work on ORR, thousands of man hours spent in traffic and the worsening dust pollution. As long as tech parks find takers, all is good. This is more true with product companies who invested on sprawling state of the art campuses.

End of the day, we as employees should bear all this for the good of the real estate mafia and nothing else. Not like the company is gaining one rupee more by people travelling everyday to office. My commute time has increased over the past few weeks, even though its not close to pre covid levels. Not sure if I have to be happy or sad about it.

But one thing is for sure, I have observed that there is a flip in traffic patterns post covid. My commute from Banashankari to Whitefield over the last ten years saw traffic increasing till 2019 and the bulk of traffic was in my direction. But now, I see its in the opposite direction. Every morning, there are more people commuting from whitefield to ORR and Bellandur and going back to Whitefield. So somehow my direction hasnt worsened.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by PreludeSH

Wish companies had a better way of following up on work since most of these companies I hear from are product companies.

Probably better suited to the remote work thread, but even back when we had desktops and there was no notion of remote work, there have always been ways to track work in software product companies.

Most big companies have a streamlined workflow or process where product features are broken down into tasks and assigned. If someone is slacking off, it will become obvious very soon because that will cause the entire workflow to stop. If I don't deliver my component, the task won't be closed and the entire product development workflow will be impacted. And believe, me project managers can get pretty obsessive about such things. I know people who have been fired for repeatedly impacting 'velocity'.

The key is tracking 'work' and results as opposed to 'hours spent'. Something some managers and some business models (that depend on low resource cost but high hours billed - even some product companies operate by this model for the India office - basically as a client of the 'head' US office) have difficulty adjusting to.

Originally Posted by audioholic

Again rubbish HR and real estate tactics going on.

Poor HR, they get the blame for just doing what senior management says they need to do! When I used to work on the ORR with a truly awful commute, HR was equally frustrated and suffered equally by the decision of senior management to move to that location. But they could not do anything about. It was not their decision, but it was their job to enforce the decision. The decision makers (3 senior managers) of course never had to ride a motorbike/take a bus/auto/cab or drive themselves to work every day. They were either in the US, or were chauffeur driven to work in a big car.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by am1m

Poor HR, they get the blame for just doing what senior management says they need to do! When I used to work on the ORR with a truly awful commute, HR was equally frustrated and suffered equally by the decision of senior management to move to that location. But they could not do anything about. It was not their decision, but it was their job to enforce the decision.

I believe if the HR has an effective role, they should be able to influence what works for employee well being which is not only some workplace yoga or dancing events around the cubicle. Of course, the top bosses are the ones who are pressurized by the mafia but they could definitely offer some midground. But that doesnt seem to be happening. Not blaming the entire HR population But blaming those who proudly posted in LinkedIn about how WFH is the new norm and now sitting silently.

This problem at least in India can be specific to Bengaluru and ORR, so I feel it is still apt for this thread. The Ecospace cluster is a prime example to this. There is still an unending growth to construction and I cant imagine which companies sign up for office spaces in this area despite knowing about the traffic snarls.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by audioholic

Of course, the top bosses are the ones who are pressurized by the mafia...

I'm not sure this is the case. I'd say they were insensitive to the employee commute certainly, but collusion with real estate interests? I'd not go that far. Or maybe I am ignorant of this aspect of Bangalore real estate. I know politicians are hand-in-glove with big builders, no doubt. But I don't think IT company management have any sort of such affiliation.

Originally Posted by audioholic

The Ecospace cluster is a prime example to this. ...I cant imagine which companies sign up for office spaces in this area despite knowing about the traffic snarls.

Tell me about it! Suffered 3 years in that cluster, 'Eco' World. What a shitty place! All fancy and swanky inside, a nightmare to enter and exit. All the fancy food courts and posh gyms can't lure me back there ever! (At least not till the Metro starts, so 2030!) Worst 3 commuting years of my life!

Originally Posted by audioholic

But blaming those who proudly posted in LinkedIn about how WFH is the new norm and now sitting silently.

One of the big bosses who insisted we move to that office used to tell his subordinates to enforce mandatory office hours and things like that. Eventually he left and joined a company that had a remote work policy. Now I watch his posts on LinkedIn with great amusement, he seems to have become a champion and expert on...'making remote work effective!' Wish I had the guts to comment on his posts calling out the hypocrisy. But I need to work in this industry for a few years more.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by am1m

I'm not sure this is the case. I'd say they were insensitive to the employee commute certainly, but collusion with real estate interests? I'd not go that far. Or

What a shitty place! All fancy and swanky inside, a nightmare to enter and exit.

One of the big bosses who insisted we move to that office used to tell his subordinates to enforce mandatory office hours and things like that. Eventually he left and joined a company that had a remote work policy. Now I watch his posts on LinkedIn with great amusement, he seems to have become a champion and expert on...'making remote work effective!' Wish I had the guts to comment on his posts calling out the hypocrisy. But I need to work in this industry for a few years more.

Call the fellow out as a charlatan and a fake. Such people are the basest level of hypocrisy.

I wouldnt put it past some of these guys being hand in glove in some way - maybe a discount on a home or part investor in a commercial property etc.

I try to avoid the ORR, EcoSpace, RMZ, Adarsh Palm Retreat, Umiya Business Park and the rear side road near Gear school and all.

Living there must be a real nightmare. Same story goes for Bagmane and Manyatta and L&T complex on the Airport Road and all.

Actually, much of Bangalore is a nightmare nowadays, except in the early mornings.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by am1m

...maybe I am ignorant of this aspect of Bangalore real estate...

...But I don't think IT company management have any sort of such affiliation.

Not kidding or being snarky, ignorance truly is bliss on this subject. Don't look under that rock, it's a dark murky world beneath the shiny edifices of glass and concrete.

[ValarMorghulis]

Originally Posted by am1m

...I know politicians are hand-in-glove with big builders, no doubt. But I don't think IT company management have any sort of such affiliation...

Originally Posted by audioholic

... Of course, the top bosses are the ones who are pressurized by the mafia but they could definitely offer some midground. But that doesnt seem to be happening...

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Not kidding or being snarky, ignorance truly is bliss on this subject. Don't look under that rock, it's a dark murky world beneath the shiny edifices of glass and concrete.

I think, and take it with a truckload of salt, the nexus is between builders, taxi unions, shopkeepers' union and politicians who then pressurise the State Administrative Service who then talk to companies for taxation, SEZ benefits, etc. They then trickle down said orders to company owners and leadership who have no issues in asking others to do the hard job of navigating through the traffic.

We had a client visit recently where the client said to leadership he doesn't care where people work from as long as work gets done. But this was said to 5 leadership executives. What trickled down to the team was we have to come to office to improve collaboration and partnership for better delivery.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by am1m

I'm not sure this is the case. I'd say they were insensitive to the employee commute certainly, but collusion with real estate interests? I'd not go that far. Or maybe I am ignorant of this aspect of Bangalore real estate. I know politicians are hand-in-glove with big builders, no doubt. But I don't think IT company management have any sort of such affiliation.

.

I dont want to point fingers or show live examples. But whoever in any organisation, be it facilities, leadership team, HR who have the power to call shots on office space requirements, leasing etc would definitely be influenced by various forces. Same with purchasing. Their decisions will have economic impacts that will go all the way till politicians. So there will definitely be reverse impacts and influences. Thats the reason today in Bengaluru IT zones we are seeing such nonsense happening. We can draw huge diagrams of influences and impacts.

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

I think, and take it with a truckload of salt, the nexus is between builders, taxi unions, shopkeepers' union and politicians who then pressurise the State Administrative Service who then talk to companies for taxation, SEZ benefits, etc. They then trickle down said orders to company owners and leadership who have no issues in asking others to do the hard job of navigating through the

Thats one of the chain link. During Covid entire Whitefield area would have become a desert, depriving lot of classes of people from auto ricks to roadside eateries to big businesses like facilities and security. Today they are all given their grazing pasture back. Does anyone in any org talk about any difference in productivity during covid and now with return to office? I don’t think so. Because that was never the reason to call people back to office.

[krishnakumar]

I don’t think there is any point blaming the organisations for deciding to pick offices in this belt. Most companies are on long term leases and they don’t own/develop them. And office spaces are a highly illiquid asset, so finding spaces as per the requirement will be hard. So they will pick wherever it is available in a particular city. As long as real estate continues to build commercial spaces in this belt, the inventory availability will also be concentrated in this area. Naturally, companies will also have to make do with what is available. Now the reason real estate is building here is straightforward (1) no urban planning (2) politicians don’t care about the civic issues (3) politicians very much care about the kickbacks.

But above all, we don’t have a functioning corporation. We first of all need the very basic to begin with. An elected and functioning corporation for the city. We don’t have the very thing that is supposed to address these kind of issues. What is the point then blaming these companies!

[whitewing]

One rain yesterday, and the airport road was a mess. Happened to be traveling to Shakarnagar from city side hence was spared the nightmare. Saw traffic backed up on the up ramp itself.

Come the monsoon in a few months now, flyers will also have to know swimming !!

[nareshtrao]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

I try to avoid the ORR, EcoSpace, RMZ, Adarsh Palm Retreat, Umiya Business Park and the rear side road near Gear school and all.

Living there must be a real nightmare. Same story goes for Bagmane and Manyatta and L&T complex on the Airport Road and all.

Originally Posted by am1m

Tell me about it! Suffered 3 years in that cluster, 'Eco' World. What a shitty place! All fancy and swanky inside, a nightmare to enter and exit. All the fancy food courts and posh gyms can't lure me back there ever! (At least not till the Metro starts, so 2030!) Worst 3 commuting years of my life!

Ask me about it. In the last 9 - 10 years, I have seen this place deteriorate from a nice location on Ring Road to an epicenter of the Traffic congestion in India. Getting out of Ecoworld (or getting in) at peak times can vary between 20 mins to somewhere 1 hour+ on a bad day. I remember some days the car showing an average of 1.2 km/pl. Weekends are a little better but the two junctions namely the Bellandur flyover and Ecoworld/Sakra are a total mess all though. With over 10 lanes converging with multiple U turns, the area is so hopeless that cops just stand by. Many a times I have engaged with asking them to interfere and they have in fact said that they have given up. The traffic lights were fitted over 6 months back but yet to become operational. One of the cops said the algorithm to manage this junction is just not doable.

Add to that the horde of Tempo Travellers and Cabs hog the sides of the road and the areas inside behind the business parks. They are parked all day as they only do morning and evening runs.

As you mentioned, the Metro may not be ready till 2030. I recall in March 2020 when they closed the central lanes for Metro, the notification said 2025 as completion date. But by the looks of it even half of work is not done. Unplanned and haphazard all over the Ring Road.

I do not see any hope for this area in the near future. I am stuck as I live exactly here :-(

[am1m]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

As you mentioned, the Metro may not be ready till 2030. I recall in March 2020 when they closed the central lanes for Metro, the notification said 2025 as completion date.

Am a huge supporter of the Metro, I use it almost everyday, but the Bangalore Metro deadlines are a big joke. Every single one of them. Things that they say will be done in months will inevitably take years and announced deadlines 2 years away are in reality at least 5 years away. That is the buffer one needs to keep when consuming news about the Metro. But it will happen and once it comes up, it will transform areas and the commute.

Since we live in times where all governments talk about our glorious past and the traditions we had in ancient times, I would like to suggest one glorious tradition that our present rulers, government and private/corporate follow:

It is said that in ancient times, some kings would often roam the streets in disguise, so they could see first hand what the situation was for their subjects.

Likewise, our MLAs and CEOs should try commuting on our Bangalore roads like us ordinary citizens. Try getting an auto to office on a rainy Bangalore morning. Try timing your exit from office on your scooter to pick up your 5-year old, cooking for the family, and then making it in time for evening calls with the US West Coast. And then seeing a 20-minute jam just to leave the IT park, because of the amazingly bad design. Try finding an affordable place to rent anywhere close to the office. Try finding a 200m stretch of continuously walkable, un-obstructed footpath near any Metro station (outside of the CBD area)! (And so on.)

Am sure we'll see better roads (after all, we pay for them!) and more flexible work options pronto!

[m2maddy]

Another day, another long traffic, for 17kms from home to Marathahalli took 1hr 40mins at 9am on a Monday, crazy. Evening is even worse, close to 2 hours.

[ShreyG]

Originally Posted by am1m

Likewise, our MLAs and CEOs should try commuting on our Bangalore roads like us ordinary citizens.

What lovely albeit wishful thinking.

And here they are getting green traffic channels, fancy chauffeured SUVs and intercity air transport just to avoid us, mere common folks.

How often does it happen that traffic is brought to a standstill so that some lowlife, 2 bit politician / guv functionary can pass through dense traffic corridors in their illegal, black tinted vehicles with tax payer funded police escorts. The bubble between the privileged and the regular folks is very real and palpable.