Flexible Work & Inclusion Policies
(Document for Administrators)
Preamble
In the context of our collective experience of remote working and the goal of strengthening inclusion at the workplace, various policies and guidelines have been prepared and these are enclosed.
Our experience has demonstrated that it is feasible to work from a location other than the office and deliver outcomes. At the same time there are tasks and responsibilities that need collective ideation and conversations that are best done in physical presence. Further, there is social equity that develops through interactions and affiliation with colleagues at the work place. Considering these factors and recognizing the need for balance, a ‘Work-from-Home’ policy has been put together.
The second consideration driving these policies is the aspect of promoting inclusion, recognizing particularly the special circumstances of women employees wishing to pursue a career.
The intent and spirit behind these policies is to provide flexibility, recognize specific life situations and ensure employees continue to contribute in the context of their varied circumstances. Policies on working arrangements (from home or alternate location), extended child care leave, or flexible working provisions are not to be viewed as entitlements but as discretionary based on the context which includes the nature of the role, the employees trackrecord and circumstances, the business situation, and any other local considerations.
These policies / guidelines are intended for managers and associates, hereinafter referred to as employees. For non-management employees, where relevant and required, Businesses may suitably adapt these. Considering that these policies are novel and untested, the plan is to review them after six months.
This document is intended only for Administrator of the policies.
These policies are to be communicated where relevant, to employees (Managers & Office Associates). Certain policies and guidelines which are applicable in exceptional cases or require a nuanced communication based on context, are intended only for the MC Members in the Business and indicated as such below.
Policies & Guidelines
• Working From Home
• Extended Child Care Leave
• Paternity Leave
• Care-giver Travel Support
• Same/ Same Gender Partner Medical Benefit
Alternate Location Working Medical Leave – Gender related
Communication Approach
Communication to employees by Business HR Heads, and up-dation of the Staff Manual.
Part-time Work Arrangements
For circulation to MC members and HR Heads of Businesses only. To be deployed based on situations and circumstances.
Sensitization of managers as part of the D&I sensitization workshops and communication to Line Managers in Business by HR Heads.
For circulation to MC members and HR Heads of Businesses only. To be deployed based on situations and circumstances.
Performance Assessment & Staffing Guidelines (Mat Leave)
Transport Facility for Women
Work Life Integration Advisory
HR Managers to communicate the intent of the policy and share with relevant Line Managers and women managers expected to proceed on maternity leave.
This is a policy for HR teams. Implementation should include communication to women managers about the availability of the facility and an SOP to avail it, with sufficient safety measures.
For circulation to MC members and HR Heads of Businesses only. Cascading or advise to specific managers to be done as deemed appropriate by the Business.
Working From Home (WFH)
This policy refers to the provision of working from a location other than the designated office of the employees. The facility to WFH is discretionary, subject to Business’ requirements, contextual to the employees seeking the flexibility and with the understanding that this facility will not impact work deliverables.
Eligibility
The WFH Policy is primarily applicable to employees whose work allows for off-site delivery of responsibilities. The policy does not extend to those whose responsibilities require them to be present at the place of work, such as roles that involve customer and retailer interactions, buying operations, retailing, production, asset maintenance, security, logistics, warehousing, hotel operations and laboratory operations or where the work requires access to documents, databases or systems that are available only on office premises. Certain roles in factories, branches, hotels in support functions, may be amenable to be discharged from home on occasion and such roles would be eligible. The policy recognizes that even in roles amenable to off-site work, there will be a need to engage ‘on-premise’ with colleagues, and therefore a reasonable extent of presence in office is necessary and desirable.
Features & Governance
Employees may WFH up to 2 days in a week, subject to the approval of the designated authority as determined by the Business, with such approval being granted by a manager at Level 5 or above. When working from home, employees will be expected to be available for phone and video calls throughout working hours. In case of any extenuating circumstances (personal exigencies) employees may seek approval to WFH up to 15 days in a month.
The WFH provision cannot be accumulated or carried forward to the next month. Approvals are to be sought with sufficient notice, as determined, between the employees and their supervisors.
Unit / Department Heads may adopt a roster system with pre-determined days for WFH, with any scheduling changes being approved by the supervisor. There is no provision to seek approval to work for half a day from home. Such partial working on a day, if any, will constitute as a full day’s work from home.
In evaluating requests to WFH, the supervisor will consider various factors before such approval is granted, such as any meetings that require the concerned persons’ presence on premise, the employee’s track record, the requirement to be present for tasks that are best done on premise such as collaborative solutioning, and other requests during the same period or absence of other team members for any reason.
Women Employees
Women who are expecting a child, may avail work-from-home arrangements in the third trimester beyond what is prescribed above, with requisite approvals as specified by the Business provided the role allows for such an arrangement. Employees who are nursing mothers (with a child upto 10 month of age) or undergoing a difficult pregnancy and have been medically advised to avoid commuting may avail work-from-home. Women employees with children below the age of 2 years (up to 2 children) may avail up to 15 days of WFH in a month with the requisite approvals as specified by the Business provided the role allows for such an arrangement.
IT Assets & Connectivity
Company provides laptops where required, with adequate in-built security mechanisms and precautions as well as the acceptable standards of use for employees who are seeking WFH. The employee, who is permitted to WFH, will be provided with facilities such as digital meetings (MS Teams), access to e-mail, print, data and IT applications as authorized by the Business.
If the Company has not provided a dedicated laptop to an employee in the normal course of work, the employee seeking permission for WFH may be provided a pool laptop (subject to availability). However, if pool laptops are not available, the employee needs to have his/her own personal laptop/ desktop arrangement to avail the WFH facility through VDI (Virtual Desktop Interface) method and allow the machine to be configured to comply with the Company’s IT security protocols, for example, OS version, patches, antivirus etc. In VDI mode of working, employee will not be able to store or access any data on the personal device. All data will be on the central server. Any print facility to be extended to the employee will require prior approval as per IT policy. It is mandatory that employees WFH operate from a room with the necessary privacy and adequate internet bandwidth for virtual meetings. If internet connectivity is poor and insufficient, WFH will not be feasible till such time the infrastructure is in working condition which needs to be arranged by the employee.
Requests for WFH are best placed on-line through an appropriate IT application, which will also provide the supervisor visibility of work location / leave / travel plans of other employees in the team.
Office Space
With the above conditions, the requirement of office space is likely to be lower. Businesses are expected to rationalize space based on actual requirements. Office design and IT infrastructure should allow for flexibility to employees to work from any workstation within the office.
Extended Child Care Leave
The purpose of this policy is to permit women employees extended time-off from work after child birth / adoption / surrogacy or subsequently as the primary caregiver, in addition to maternity leave.
Eligibility
Women employees who need to take a career break to devote time for child care may apply for such leave. Such leave may be sought till the child attains the age of 10 years and is limited to 2 children.
Features
• Such leave may be availed up to 4 years, cumulatively, during service.
• The extended period of leave will be considered as ‘Leave without Pay’, after the utilization of leave balance.
• The extended period of leave can be taken in combination with maternity leave, annual leave or otherwise.
• The approved SOP which covers remuneration and benefits for extended leave up to 1 year will be applicable in such cases. (The SOP is included). For such leave beyond 1 year, the terms pertaining to benefits will be determined factoring the individual’s context.
• The employee is advised to keep the Head HR of the Business / Head Corporate HR for Corporate functions informed, 6 months prior to the intended date of return. While all efforts will be undertaken to position the employee in a role commensurate to her Level, she may be required to contribute in a capacity different from her responsibility level till such time a suitable position is found.
Governance
• Approval requests for such leave must be shared at least 3 months in advance.
• Prior approval of the CMC will be required for availing Extended Child Care Leave. Terms and conditions applicable for such extended leave beyond 1 year will also need to be approved by the CMC.
Caregiver Travel Support
The purpose of this policy is to help women employees with young children undertake business travel by supporting the accompaniment of a caregiver and child below the age of 3 years.
Eligibility
Women employees who need to undertake business travel and bring along their child of 3 years of age or below and a caregiver.
Features
i. The policy applies only to domestic travel.
ii. The cost of domestic travel of the caregiver and one child (below the age of 3 years), and additional accommodation charges as a result of double occupancy, will be borne by the Company, upto 2 children per employee.
Governance
The travel and expense claim will be approved by the immediate Supervisor.
Advisory on Transport Facilities for Women Employees
The purpose of this advisory is to ensure secure transport facilities for women employees in situations where they may be returning home late from work due to exceptional and unavoidable business critical situations.
Eligibility
Women employees who require to stay back at work beyond 7 pm on account of unavoidable critical business demands / requirements.
Features
Transport facilities to be organized for women employees returning home after 7:00 pm from work. Such transport facilities will have safety features such as a panic alarm, background verified drivers, GPS tracking and a system of confirmation of safe arrival.
Paternity Leave
The purpose of this policy is to encourage an employee to take time-off and support the spouse / partner at the time of child birth, including birth through surrogacy, or adoption.
Eligibility
Any employee, including probationers, at the time of child birth or adoption.
Features
i. 10 days of paid paternity leave may be availed in the first year after birth or adoption, upto 2 children per employee.
ii. The leave may be taken in parts or together.
iii. The leave is not encashable and cannot be carried forward.
Governance
The leave may be approved by the immediate Supervisor.
Same Gender Partner: Medical Benefits
The policy recognizes that an employee may choose to have a Partner, of the same gender and extends coverage under the Company’s medical policy to such Partners, including up to two dependent Children, below the age of 24 years.
Eligibility
Employee who declares such a Partner.
Considerations:
i. The employee, if previously married, should be legally separated at the time of declaring a same gender Partner and the former spouse should not be living with the manager.
ii. Any change in the declaration will require appropriate approval by Unit HR manager.
iii. If the person so identified as the Partner, ceases to be a Partner, the employee is required to inform the Unit HR Manager and not claim any medical benefits for such a person, with immediate effect.
iv. The manager may claim such benefits for any natural children of the manager or adopted children of the manager, provided such children are below the age of 24 years, and limited to two children.
Governance
The above will require the prior approval of the HR Head of the Business / Head Corporate HR.
Extension of coverage to Partners of employees under this policy, does not imply that statutory benefits shall also be extended to such Partners.
Medical Leave (Guideline)
The Company supports all employees with medical leave, considering their individual health situation, apart from assistance with medical expenses and access to Company medical officers, whenever such a situation arises.
The Company also recognizes that women employees, may require an with occasional day of rest for gender related medical reasons. Supervisors are requested to grant such leave when needed.
Performance Assessment & Staffing guidelines for Maternity Leave
For employees on maternity leave for some part of a year, the performance assessment is to be based on the period worked. Therefore, KRAs would need to be adjusted to recognize that the period of performance is curtailed. The assessment is to be done based on performance against such re-set KRAs for the revised performance period.
In the event that actual period worked is less than 3 months in a financial year, due to maternity leave and/or subsequent leave without pay, the APB Rank / Performance Rating of the previous year may be used to compute APB and Variable Pay. In exceptional circumstances, the businesses may consider one rank / rating below the previous years’ APB Rank / Rating. Such employees are to be excluded from the consideration set for forced ranking.
Businesses must replace the employee proceeding on maternity leave with a suitable resource capable of discharging responsibilities in the role being vacated. On return from maternity leave, the employee will be provided an opportunity commensurate to her responsibility level at the earliest and may need to be appropriately deployed in any other alternate assignment, till such time an opportunity is available.
Alternate Location Working (ALW) Guidelines
This guideline refers to the provision of working from certain designated cities, other than the base location where the role is situated. The objective of this guideline is to provide a degree of location flexibility in situations where critical talent is either not available in the base location or, for certain pressing personal requirements, such managers need to work out of an alternate location. The intent is not to promote a location agnostic working model, but only to recognize and address specific situations, in relation to critical talent.
Therefore, provision to work from an alternate location is discretionary, contextual to the employee seeking the flexibility, and subject to Business requirements.
Eligibility
The ALW guideline is applicable only to employees (Level 5 and above) positioned in roles which are otherwise based out of CHQ or DHQ. Businesses are expected to exercise discretion in extending this provision, so that only in exceptional cases where such talent continuity is critical or where such talent is not available in the base location, such a benefit is extended. Criteria include the following:
- Circumstances and reasons for such a request. Ideally such a request should be of a temporary nature, not exceeding 3 years. However, in case of exceptional talent, in Level 3 and above, the duration may be longer or waived subject to CMC approval.
- Track record of the employee
- Criticality of the skills and the role.
- Team context, team member(s) already operating from an alternate location.
- Requirements and acceptance of key stakeholders of the role – internal / external customers / partners.
- Willingness and flexibility to travel.
The ALW guideline is not available to leadership positions such as MC Members. In exceptional cases, where the leadership role is more akin to that of an individual contributor, and not operationally intensive, such an arrangement for a short period of time may be considered by the CMC.
Features
An employee may work from an ITC office of another Business at any of the following alternate locations – NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, if the Business does not have office space in the location. For Hotels Division, the following additional alternate locations may be considered: Coimbatore, Guntur, Jaipur, Agra, Amritsar, Bhubaneswar, Port Blair, Goa and Vadodara. A cabin / workstation may be provided, as would have been provided at the base location. In case of non-availability of space in existing ITC offices, the employee may work from home or the Business may make arrangements for office space in the alternate location if there are a reasonable number of employees at that location. If there are substantial numbers when aggregated across Businesses, there would be merit in enhancing office space in such locations, the cost of which would be shared by Businesses.
Employees working at an alternate location must continue to be available for travel to the conventional location or any other location, whenever required, for whatever duration necessary. They must travel at least once a quarter, to meet members of the team, internal customers and other colleagues at the conventional location. Cost of travelling on business purpose will be borne by company.
All other terms and conditions of service remain the same. Where eligible, Company leased accommodation will be provided in the alternate location. Company owned housing will only be provided if there is any surplus, after allocations to employees in roles based at the alternate location. The Company vehicle, for those eligible, will be provided at the alternate location. No transfer expenses will be reimbursable for relocation, to and from, between the alternate location and the conventional location of the role. Club membership will not be available at the alternate location.
The Business Division’s offices where the employee is located at the alternate location will provide administrative support such as reimbursements, asset purchase, vehicle and house maintenance, where required and as per eligibility. IT assets will be provided by the Business to which the employee belongs, and maintenance support by the Business at the alternate location.
Governance
Such arrangements will be approved for a period of not more than one year at a time by the DMC / Corporate HOD & Head CHR, for employees at Level 4 & 5. A note for information to the CMC will be provided once such a request is approved or renewed. Prior approval of the CMC will be required for managers at Level 3 and above. Any other exceptions to these guidelines will require CMC consideration and prior approval.
Part-time Work Arrangements
This provision is intended for employees, who for reasons related to their personal life circumstances, or for reasons of child care, are not able to devote, for a temporary period of time, the conventional time commitment and engagement required in a role. Apart from the individual’s context, track record and situation, such an arrangement would be subject to availability of work that can be done part-time.
Eligibility
Any employee with at least 3 years of service. In the case of a women employees, the service condition will not apply if they have children below the age of 10 years.
Features
i. Such work arrangements will include some combination of fewer hours in a day or some days in a week / month.
ii. A part-time work arrangement may be availed for up to a cumulative period of 2 years.
iii. Such an arrangement would be subject to the availability of assignments / work that can be done part-time.
iv. Such working arrangements will require a re-setting of terms and conditions. Terms will be based on the extent of engagement required and expected contribution from such an assignment. To illustrate, if such part time work requires engagement of 3 days a week, then remuneration terms will be revised proportionately. Further, no LTI grants will be awarded for any part-time contribution.
v. Any part-time employment or retainership or engagement in any capacity with any other entity or firm or freelancing would not be permissible concurrently.
Governance
Prior approval of the CMC will be required for such arrangements Businesses would need to balance the cost associated with such an arrangement by appropriate adjustments in the actual staffing of relevant full-time roles.
Advisory on Work-Life Integration
As a step towards promoting a positive work climate and helping employees balance their professional responsibilities and personal commitments, this advisory proposes desirable practices, consistent with ITC’s Value of ‘Respect for People’. A shared understanding of good practices on this subject will promote a consistent and progressive experience at the workplace.
The adoption of these guidelines is also a function of efficiency and overall effectiveness in discharging one’s responsibilities. Each of us remains accountable to deliver the outcomes expected from our roles, while staying agile and responsive to Business requirements. It is in that spirt, that these guidelines must be viewed. Communicating and encouraging the practice of these guidelines will help strengthen our commitment-based culture, focusing on outcomes and results achieved while remaining sensitive to the need for balance between professional and personal time.
Guidelines
1. As far as possible, avoid official meetings on weekends (Sat/Sun for 5-day locations and Sunday for 6-day locations) or calling meetings that are likely to stretch late, well beyond working hours, unless critical and unavoidable. While managers may choose to attend office and work on Saturdays they may not be available for meetings.
2. Maintain “silence hours” from 08:00 pm to 8:00 am by avoiding making official phone calls. While emails and messages may be sent, the colleague
may be able to respond only the next day or during normal hours of work. Operationally intensive roles or those in roles with 2 or 3 shift operations, will require some degree of interaction beyond shift hours. Care must be taken that this is not frequent. Alternatively, sufficient time-off should be provided in the formal work schedule to provide down-time to meet personal commitments.
3. Managers must be encouraged to maintain the normal office hours and not repeatedly stay late in office. If needed, managers can return home and complete an assignment that is urgent. During festival holidays and weekends, it is best that official interactions are minimized unless essential.
4. Team leaders should agree to a stipulated lunch break of 45 minutes to an hour (particularly in the work from home scenario) with their team members. This avoids disruptions during meals.
5. As far as possible, meetings should be planned in advance, using the calendar feature. Agenda and pre-reads for the meetings should be shared in advance. The meeting chair or organizer must take the responsibility of maintaining the schedule, with any extension being not more than 15 minutes, if at all necessary. Providing calendar visibility of one’s schedule to the team and other colleagues with whom interactions are frequent, will help in scheduling of meetings and avoid disturbances.
6. When taking time off or travelling, managers should adhere to the discipline of “Out of Office” or “Out from Work” messages to relevant stake holders to avoid unnecessary disturbances. Unless there is a critical requirement, managers should not be called or expected to respond to messages or emails while on leave.
7. Team leaders should use the leave management feature in SAP Success Factors to manage leaves of team members. All team members should be encouraged to utilize their leave each year. At the very least managers must utilize the minimum that cannot be carried forward i.e. 13 days for a 6-day working location and 12 days for 5-day working location.
8. In spite of the best of intentions, situations will arise which will require reaching out to colleagues outside the normal working hours or entail longer working hours or some disturbance during time-off. While this must not be the norm, when necessary, it is important to deal with sensitivity, seek the manager’s consent and remain flexible to their availability during such occasions. Equally, planning one’s work, anticipating issues, taking timely and pre-emptive actions, clarifying expectations and exercising diligence and thoroughness in execution of responsibilities will reduce such incidences.
9. It is essential to bring one’s best self to work to be able to make a meaningful and personally satisfying impact. Pursuing holistic wellness, by focusing on both, physical and mental wellbeing is desirable. Healthy eating, sleeping well, meditating, exercising regularly and pursuing a hobby or sport will contribute to overall wellbeing and sustained productivity and efficiency at work.
ANNEXURE 1SOP FOR EXTENDED LEAVE
Conditions when extended leave requests from Managers and Office Associates could be considered
a. Accident/ critical illness of spouse, children, dependent parents/in-laws
b. Bereavement in the immediate family (Spouse, Child, Parents/In-laws)
c. Extended child care
d. Personal Exigencies
The current system of medical leave in case of illness of employees (as applicable to Managers and Office Associates) will continue.
Approval Process
DMC/MC of a Division/ SBU or Corporate HOD to seek approval of the CMC, through Head of CHR.
Period of Leave
a) For leave upto 90 days, the existing leave approval policy to apply. Existing process of seeking no objection for leave beyond 90 days from the CMC will continue for medical cases of employees.
b) Any leave beyond 90 days will bextended treated leave can be availed up to a maximum of 12 months (inclusive of the first 90 days leave for any reason under the existing leave policy) subject to CMC approval.
c) For any extended period of leave, initially the available leave balance is to be utilized, subject to retaining a minimum balance of 10 days (applicable also to point ‘a’, above) which during may the balance be part required of the year post return from such extended leave.
Compensation and Benefits-related administration
• Salary:
After leave balance as mentioned in point ‘c’ is exhausted, the employee will not be paid salary during the extended leave period and it will be considered as ‘Leave Without Pay’.
• Remuneration Revision:
o If in the 12 months preceding the effective date of the remuneration review, extended leave exceeds 3 months but is less than 6 months, then the category considered for remuneration revision will not be higher than Category C.
o If, in the 12 months preceding the effective date of the remuneration review, extended leave exceeds 6 months, then the category considered
for remuneration revision will be Category D for managers at Level 4 and above, and Category C for managers at Level 5 and below.
o Remuneration increase, will be effective from the date of return from extended leave, if the employee is on extended leave on the effective date of remuneration revision.
• Annual Performance Bonus / Variable Pay:
o For any period of leave without pay, APB / Variable Pay will not be payable. Computation for the period worked will be pro-rata for completed months.
o For leave with pay more than 90 days but less than 6 months,APB / Variable Pay will be computed for the period of presence, pro-rata for completed months.
o APB / Variable will not be payable for any absence from work under the extended leave policy, with or without pay, for more than 6 months.
• Equity Linked Long Term Incentive Grant:
o In the preceding 12 months from the date of grant, if the period of leave, with or without pay, is more than 6 months, the manager will not qualify for the grant.
• Exercise of Stock Options during Extended Leave: The respective manager on extended leave can exercise stock options as per applicable rule during the extended leave.
• Vesting of ESAR Units: Vesting and accrual of ESAR Units will take place as scheduled.
• BRLI: Any period of leave without pay will be excluded in the computation of BRLI.
• Promotion during Extended Leave Period: If promoted during extended leave, the remuneration change on promotion is to be impacted from the date of return from extended leave.
Benefits
• Company Housing: The employee/family can continue staying in the Company provided accommodation during the extended leave period.
• Company Car: The employee/family can continue to use Company Car during the extended leave period.
• Club Entitlement: To continue as per the applicable rules.
• Medical Reimbursement: The employee/family will continue to get medical benefits as per the grade linked eligibility.
• Product Sampling: Any period of leave without pay will be excluded for computing sampling eligibility.
• Leave Travel Allowance: Any period of leave without pay will be excluded for computing the amount.
• Accrual of Leave during Extended Leave: The employee will not accrue any leave during the period of ‘leave without pay’.
Superannuation Benefits
• Pension Contribution: There will be no contribution to the Defined Contribution Pension Fund during the leave without pay period. Service continuity will be maintained and therefore the period of leave without pay will be considered as period of service.
For those covered under the Defined Benefit Scheme , service continuity will be maintained.
• Gratuity Contribution: It will be treated as continuity of service.
• Provident Fund Contribution: No contribution during the leave without pay period.
Resignation during extended leave period:
• The last working date is the date of commencement of Extended Leave.
• The period of service for pension and gratuity will be determined basis such date.