Hey folks, remember the good ol’ pandemic days when meetings meant just switching off Netflix (or not), brushing your hair (or not), and pretending to nod through a Zoom call?
Well, Google’s latest mandate to tighten remote work and bring people back to a hybrid routine has sent ripples across the working population. For some, it’s exciting — finally escaping the same four walls, and sipping overpriced lattes again. But let’s be honest, for many, it feels like being pushed out of a warm blanket on a rainy Monday morning, and with the monsoon setting in, things are only about to get wetter… and trickier.
India’s monsoon is no joke. From waterlogged roads and train delays to WiFi blackouts and power cuts, it’s a logistical war zone out there. Hybrid work sounds great on paper — but in real life, it’s the equivalent of asking someone to run a marathon with one leg in a cast!
So the big question is: Will a stringent work-from-office routine backfire?
In my honest opinion, it possibly will.
Forcing rigid schedules without empathy or local context could tank productivity, trigger burnout, and disengage your best talent. Not everyone has a chauffeur or access to a reliable public transportation system. And navigating knee-deep water in formal wear is not exactly the Monday motivation we signed up for.
A hybrid routine will be effective if we stop viewing it as a control tool and start treating it as part of a collaborative culture.
For employees, this is your moment to build resilience without losing your rhythm. That means planning ahead, being vocal about weather-related constraints, and leaning into flexibility (even if your boss doesn’t get it yet). Don’t be afraid to ask: “Is this meeting possible on Zoom?” or “Can I shift my in-office day to avoid heavy rain?”
And to employers reading this — forcing butts into seats isn’t a strategy. It’s a shortcut. If productivity during work from home (WFH) didn’t drop, then maybe it’s not about where people work but how they’re managed.
Start by listening more. Measure less by hours clocked and more by outcomes delivered. Support your teams with flexible timing, cab allowances during storms, and the occasional ‘Work From Dry Home’ day.
Here are five solid research-backed tips from my playbook
1. Ditch the clock-watchers — measure outcomes
Gartner’s December 2024 survey of 3,061 managers found that hybrid and onsite employees are equally likely (21%) to be “highly productive.” The secret isn’t where people work, it’s how they’re managed. Shift from tracking hours to tracking deliverables, and watch engagement...and results — soar!
2. Radical flexibility fuels top performers
Employees granted radical choice over where, when, and with whom they work have shown a high performance rate, more than half see a 55% increase, compared to around 35% for rigid 9-to-5 office workers.
Dear bosses, monetise flexibility by offering core “office windows” rather than fixed days — your stranded-by-rain star player will definitely thank you!
3. Build climate resilience into well-being
Climate events like flooding aren’t just operational headaches — they’re employee health hazards. A July 2024 Harvard Business Review study urges firms to prioritise mental and physical safety, from emergency stipends for cab rides during storms to on-demand teletherapy on rainy days.
4. Leverage asynchronous collaboration
Monsoon-triggered network blackouts are inevitable. Normalise asynchronous tools — recorded messages, shared docs with clear action items, and “rain days” where all check-ins are via message. This preserves flow without forcing everyone online at once.
5. Offer localised schedule buffers
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) flagged an early monsoon onset on May 23 — the earliest since 2009 — meaning flash floods and transport snarls are real threats this summer.
Let team members swap their in-office days at the last minute based on commute viability. Streamlining stuff even when there's a stream right in front of the office, literally!
Hybrid work + monsoon chaos doesn’t mean catastrophe.
By adding a little flexibility, lots of empathy, and an outcome-oriented approach, organisations can transform weather-driven pain points into a competitive edge.
With soggy regards,
Adarsh Benakappa Basavaraj
Your rain-n-shine coach
