- HCL Technologies allowed Chennai employees to work from home on March 12-13 due to LPG shortage
- LPG shortage disrupted cafeteria operations at HCLTech’s campus, affecting food services for staff
- Infosys issued advisories in Bengaluru and Chennai about limited cafeteria menus and stopped live counters
India's third largest IT Company, HCL Technologies Ltd, has reportedly allowed employees working at its Chennai office to work from home on March 12 and March 13 after a shortage of cooking gas disrupted cafeteria operations at the campus, the Mint reported.
The business newspaper, citing two senior executives who are associated with the development, reported that the company offered staff the option to work remotely on the two days as the situation affected food services within the office premises.
According to reports, HCLTech which is headquartered in Noida had 226,379 employees at the end of the year.
The decision was taken after several cafeteria vendors at the campus were unable to operate because of the ongoing LPG shortage. The disruption in cooking gas supply made it difficult for vendors to continue preparing food at the office, which prompted the company to temporarily allow employees to work from home, the executives were quoted as saying by Mint.
The LPG shortage has affected food services in many cities including, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. The situation has also forced many restaurants to shut their shops due to the unavailability of cooking gas.
Reports also suggest that paying guest and hostel accommodations in IT cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad have also been impacted. At the same time, businesses in India are slowly beginning to feel the wider effects of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The developments in the region are creating uncertainty for companies with operations or business exposure linked to the Middle East.
According to Mint, global search firms have indicated that companies which have existing or planned exposure to the region are beginning to pause senior-level hiring decisions due to the rising uncertainty.
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Consulting firms cited by the newspaper have also warned that employee bonuses could face pressure in companies connected to the region, as the conflict is affecting sectors such as energy, real estate, construction and logistics.
Meanwhile, the LPG shortage also comes at the same time when there is an increase in cooking gas prices. The price of a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder has been raised by Rs 60, while the 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder has become costlier by Rs 144 across major cities and states in the country.
Mint also stated that when approached by HCLTech to confirm the development, it did not receive any response at the time of reporting.
Infosys Also Issues Advisories
Alongside HCLTech, disruptions linked to food services have also led to advisories being issued by Infosys Ltd at some of its offices. At least two locations, including Bengaluru and Chennai, have informed employees about possible changes to cafeteria operations.
According to the report, in Bengaluru, Infosys issued an advisory stating that cafeterias would continue functioning but with fewer menu options "amid an impending situation regarding availability of commercial LPG."
The company has also stopped operations at live food counters inside its offices. Employees have been encouraged to bring home-cooked food as a precaution, the report added.
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