‘Please go home’: IT firm in India uses software to clock out staff on time for work-life balance (VIDEO)
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 — A caring IT firm in Indore, India has implemented a creative method to ensure its employees maintain a healthy work-life balance.
The company, Softgrid Computers, has created software to remind staff when their shift is up and it automatically shuts down their computers once it’s time to go home.
According to Reuters, the computers are equipped with a notification system that notifies employees 10 minutes before their shift is over.
“Your shift time is over. The office system will shut down in 10 mins.
“Please go home,” reads the warning on the computer screen.
The firm’s chief executive Ajay Golani was quoted saying that the idea behind the implementation of such measures was to provide employees a good work-life balance so that they can spend time with their families and loved ones.
The initiative created a social media buzz recently after an employee, Tanvi Khandelwal shared a picture of the warning on LinkedIn.
The post has since garnered over 410,000 likes and received over 7,000 comments.
While many praised the company for the idea, some had differing views over such an initiative.
“That is not really in the spirit of flexible working.
“That is enforced working hours and I would have a real problem with that, having worked in a truly flexible workplace,” wrote a user.
Another user said such measures may have some very negative backlash.
“What should happen if I am in a call with a client when the system locks?
“Does it automatically end that call and potentially end the relations with that potential client?”
The initiative comes after recent studies warned of the adverse effects of long working hours on the health and relationships of employees across the world.
The World Health Organisation warned in 2021 that working 55 or more hours a week may lead to a 35 per cent higher risk of stroke and a 17 per cent higher risk of dying from heart disease.
