Beyond Business: India Inc steps up to ensure employee safety amid heavy rains

For the first time in 45 years, Yamuna river's flood waters reached the walls of the Taj Mahal in Agra, leaving the garden behind it submerged.

As floods continue to rage in the country, including in the capital Delhi and nearby areas, some companies have sprung into action to offer relief to their employees.

Major firms such as Wipro, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Deloitte, and Bisleri, among others, are constantly in touch with their employees and have amended their operating processes to support their flood-hit colleagues.

For instance, Wipro implemented its business continuity plans and allowed employees to work from home. As a result, there has been no disruption to its business, the IT major has said.

Consulting firm Deloitte has taken a similar approach, and issued advisories to professionals to work from home and defer travel plans to locations facing inclement weather.

“Managing deliverables from home worked well during the pandemic and we would like our people to use it whenever needed,” Deepti Sagar, Chief People and Experience Officer of Deloitte, told Moneycontrol.

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Danger in Delhi

At Future Generali India Insurance, employees were instructed to work from nearby branches or from home, depending on the situation. “Moving forward, the organisation will continue to monitor the flood situation and maintain regular communication with employees to ensure their safety and well-being,” said Sunil Wariar, Chief People Officer of Future Generali India Insurance.

The Yamuna River has been in spate for the last week, swelling to 207.71 metres and breaching its record of 207.49 metres set in 1978, and inundating several key areas in Delhi, after submerging the flood plains.

Furthermore, less than 12 hours after it dropped below the threshold, the water level of the Yamuna in Delhi breached the danger mark again on Wednesday morning amid rains in the national capital and the upper reaches of the river. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh until July 22, and moderate showers in Delhi on Wednesday, PTI reported.

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Though L&T, a conglomerate, was not majorly impacted by the floods, Nabha Power, one of its business units based in Punjab, was affected temporarily and the company has been working to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its employees.

“We have implemented measures such as regular and timely updates to employees, evacuation plans, and providing necessary support like the option to stay in field hostels / guest houses to employees affected by the floods,” said Dr C Jayakumar, EVP and Head of Corporate HR, L&T.

Similarly, to ensure the safety of its factory employees, Bisleri is providing pick-up and drop services, while those working at its offices have the flexibility of working from home.