Work From Home for IT employees soon? Read NITES full letter in which IT union has urged govt to issue mandatory WFH advisory

To,

Shri Mansukh Mandaviya Ji,

Hon’ble Minister – Labour & Employment,

Ministry of Labour & Employment, Govt. of India,

Shram Shakti Bhawan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi – 110001

Subject: Request for issuance of advisory mandating Work From Home for the IT/ITES sector in the national interest.

Respected Sir,

Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), representing employees across the Information Technology and IT-enabled services sector, writes this representation with a deep sense of responsibility towards the nation, its economy, and the workforce that powers India’s digital infrastructure.

Recently, Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to citizens and establishments to adopt measures such as Work from Home, virtual meetings, and reduction of unnecessary travel in view of fuel conservation and the larger economic situation arising from global geopolitical developments. The statement was not merely an operational suggestion. It was a national call for collective responsibility during a sensitive period where reducing fuel dependency, traffic burden, and unnecessary consumption becomes part of contributing towards national interest. The IT/ITES sector is one of the very few sectors in India that has already demonstrated, on a massive scale, that remote working can be implemented effectively without disruption to productivity or business continuity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, almost the entire Indian IT industry transitioned to Work from Home within a very short period. Major technology companies, multinational corporations, support services, software development teams, customer operations, backend functions, and digital delivery units continued functioning efficiently from remote locations for several years. Despite one of the most difficult global crises in modern history, the Indian IT sector maintained operations, delivered international projects, supported global clients, protected economic activity, and contributed significantly to the stability of the Indian economy. The experience of the pandemic clearly established that mandatory Work from Home in suitable IT and digitally deliverable roles is practical, technologically feasible, and operationally sustainable. Companies invested heavily in remote infrastructure, cybersecurity systems, cloud operations, digital collaboration tools, and virtual management systems. Employees adapted successfully. Productivity targets were met. International business continued uninterrupted. The sector itself repeatedly acknowledged during that period that operations remained stable under remote working conditions.

In such circumstances, requiring lakhs of employees to undertake long daily commutes despite the availability of proven digital alternatives places unnecessary pressure on fuel consumption, urban infrastructure, public transport systems, road congestion, and employee well-being. Employees in metropolitan cities spend several hours daily travelling despite performing work that can effectively be delivered remotely. This not only impacts physical and mental health, but also results in avoidable fuel usage and environmental burden at a time when the nation is consciously discussing conservation and efficiency.

We respectfully submit that the IT sector carries a larger responsibility towards the country. India’s technology workforce represents modern India’s digital capability. If any sector can immediately support national conservation efforts without affecting productivity, it is the IT/ITES sector. Work From Home in such roles should therefore not be treated merely as an employee preference or corporate flexibility measure. It should be viewed as a responsible economic and national-support measure aligned with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s appeal.

NITES therefore humbly requests the Ministry of Labour and Employment to issue an advisory directing IT/ITES companies and digitally deliverable service sectors to implement mandatory Work from Home, wherever operationally feasible, for an appropriate period in the larger national interest. Such an advisory would significantly contribute towards reduction of fuel consumption, traffic congestion, environmental burden, and unnecessary travel while preserving uninterrupted economic activity through digital means. This would also reinforce India’s image as a modern digital economy capable of responding intelligently and responsibly to global challenges through technology-driven governance and employment practices.

We further submit that the objective of such an advisory is not confrontation with employers, but collective national cooperation. During the pandemic, employees and employers together proved that the Indian IT sector can function effectively under Work from Home arrangements. The same capability can now be utilised once again in support of national priorities and public interest.

NITES remains committed to constructive engagement with the Government of India and all stakeholders towards policies that balance economic growth, employee welfare, environmental responsibility, and national interest.

We sincerely request your kind and urgent consideration in the matter.

Sincerely,

Harpreet Singh Saluja

Advocate, Bombay High Court,

President,

Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES)