No WFH for Zoho employees: Sridhar Vembu says ‘….issues take longer to resolve’
Sridhar Vembu said Zoho will not expand its work-from-home policy after internal discussions revealed that face-to-face collaboration delivers stronger results for research and development teams. The remarks come after the company reviewed its workplace approach following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to reduce fuel consumption and avoid unnecessary travel amid rising global crude oil prices.
“Ultimately, after receiving support from many people involved in my X post, we decided not to expand WFH because the efficiency of face-to-face problem solving in R&D is much higher. I have experienced this with my own development team; problems take longer to solve when you don’t meet the people involved in solving the problem,” Vembu wrote.
‘Face-to-face collaboration yields better results’
Explaining the company’s stance, Vembu said that direct interaction between teams helps solve challenges faster and improves the quality of the solutions developed.
“Collaboration is more fluid face to face and we produce better solutions,” he said.
Vembu noted that instead of increasing remote working, Zoho will pursue alternative measures aimed at reducing fuel use and improving sustainability.
“We are considering electric bus fleets and electric cooking in our canteens to save fuel. We have already invested heavily in solar energy,” he wrote.
Previous statements suggested reviewing WFH policy
The latest statement comes just days after Vembu hinted that Zoho might reconsider its office-first model in light of Modi’s comments on fuel economy.
On May 11, Vembu said, “I hope we all heed the Prime Minister’s call. As a company, we have fully embraced Work From Office in recent months, but now we will revisit Work From Home. We have adopted natural farming on our farm and are also actively looking for ways to reduce diesel use.”
But Vembu explained that the company believes physical collaboration remains more effective for faster problem solving and stronger results.
PM Modi appeals to citizens to reduce fuel usage
Earlier this month, Modi urged citizens to take austerity measures as tensions in West Asia and pressure on global supply chains continue to impact energy markets.
Underlining that India imports more than 88 percent of its crude oil needs, the Prime Minister encouraged people to reduce their use of gasoline and diesel, rely more on public transportation and prefer car sharing whenever possible. He also advised organizations to allow employees to work from home whenever possible.
“During Covid-19, we have indulged in working from home, virtual meetings, video conferencing and many other methods. We have become accustomed to these. The need of the moment is to continue these methods,” PM Modi said while addressing a rally in Telangana.
He also appealed to citizens to reduce consumption of edible oils, refrain from buying gold for a year, promote Swadeshi products and adopt natural farming practices.
“We must save foreign exchange by any means necessary,” he added.
