Some are even ready to give up existing jobs or turn down offers if it means being separated from family. Others, working out of locations away from their loved ones, are regularly shuttling between cities to ensure they don’t miss out on family time.
A leading home-grown appliance manufacturer has been seeing a spate of mid-to-senior exits after shifting its business team from New Delhi to Mumbai. Five senior executives, including vertical heads, have put down their papers, refusing to change cities as their families are settled in the Capital, according to people familiar with the matter. At least eight other senior executives fly back to New Delhi every weekend at their own expense to be with their family and take the dawn flight back to Mumbai on Mondays, they said.
Experts said the shift, discernible across India Inc, reflects a change in mindsets of employees since the outbreak of Covid-19, when people started prioritising their personal lives.For instance, a senior executive at a new-age company quit his job to be with his ailing parent when he was required to move to New Delhi, from Bengaluru. Another senior hand at a technology, media and communications firm made a conscious decision to pursue entrepreneurship when her hectic work schedule forced her to frequently miss trips to meet family in Mumbai.
Satish NS, president of electronic company Haier India, travels to Mumbai every weekend to be with his family, while working out of Greater Noida.
“There’s a generational shift in not just going by what the employer tells you to do, but going by free choice,” said S Venkatesh, group president at Mumbai-headquartered RPG Enterprises, who has spent years dividing his time between Mumbai and Bengaluru, where his family is.
People are becoming increasingly cautious about making changes, whether it’s for a new job or even an internal movement, Venkatesh said, adding, “Incremental gains are not enough. They (executives) are checking to see if the disruption is worth it. The reward has to be very high, be it by way of compensation or the role.”
Firms offering flexibility too
He said there had been several such cases while hiring at RPG Enterprises, where candidates initially agreed but backed out later. Similarly, in cases of internal movements, many executives refused to switch locations despite being offered career progression.
“They’ve either been fine with the existing role or chosen to bide their time and move out later,” he said.
“It’s a very healthy sign and I believe it’ll only intensify,” said Prabir Jha, chief executive of Prabir Jha People Advisory.
Jha said he was increasingly meeting people in their 20s-50s, who were being more choosy about the quality of their lives. “Beyond a point, how much money do you even need? There are people turning down career opportunities abroad to stay back with family,” he said.
Many companies, especially multinationals, are also striving to offer employees more flexibility, rather than lose out on talent. “Smart companies are realising they don’t need people to be under their nose all the time,” said Jha. Kolkata-based Emami, for instance, has agreed to let several of its critical executives work out of New Delhi and Mumbai. These include heads of growth and mergers and acquisitions, product development and brand managers of some of its top selling brands, such as Smart and Handsome, Kesh King and Zandu Balm. To cite another example, the chief executive of a leading electronics brand is based out of Bengaluru, while its corporate office is in Mumbai. It makes sense, said Navnit Singh, chairman and regional managing director at executive search firm Korn Ferry, adding that this phenomenon holds even more true for the younger lot, as compared to those in their 50s, who are often empty nesters.
“There’s a change, for sure. If people don’t get the balance they want, they don’t last for more than 12-18 months,” he said.
On Saturday, the social media post of a Pune techie — on why he left the job at an IT bellwether without an offer letter in hand and despite being the sole breadwinner of his family — went viral. While his reasons for the decision were different – such as no monetary hikes despite promotions, lack of recognition and stagnant career prospects – it also reflected a greater propensity among Indian employees to prioritise their mental peace than before.
