Paytm Shuts Offices For Two Days, Zoho Works From Home: How Companies Have Reacted To Coronavirus

OfficeChai Team

The dreaded coronavirus is finally in India, and it’s bringing about the sort of disruption that it has caused around the world.

Startups and companies have been taking steps prevent the spread of the virus. After an employee tested positive for coronavirus following a trip to Italy, Paytm has shut all six of its offices for two days. “One of our colleagues based out of Gurugram office who recently returned from Italy post a vacation has sadly been tested positive for Coronavirus. As a precautionary measure, we have suggested his team members to get health tests done immediately. We have also advised all our colleagues to work from home for a couple of days while we get our offices sanitised,” a Paytm spokesperson said.

Other companies too have been asking employees to work from home. Zoho has asked all its nearly 10,000 employees worldwide to not come to office. “We have adopted work from home as the default for all our offices worldwide as a matter of precaution, though we have not had any cases. Our employees are encouraged to come to the office only when absolutely essential. We will continue this policy until the virus threat passes,” said Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu.

Heathcare wearables startup GOQii is also working from home. “100% Attendence in our first every Remote Working Drill,” tweeted CEO Vishal Gondal, showing employees working through video calls.

In Hyderabad, the Raheja Mindspace tech park is partially closed after an employee working on the premises tested positive for coronavirus. Cognizant, which works out of building 20 of the tech park, has asked its employees to work from home. “An employee of a company with offices in Building 20 of Raheja Mindspace in Hyderabad has tested positive for COVID 19. As a matter of abundant caution, we are closing our office in Building 20, Raheja Mindspace for disinfection and sanitisation,” Cognizant told employees in an email.

Meanwhile, Freecharge and CRED founder Kunal Shah said that the world was undergoing a mass travel of working from home. “World is on a mass trial of reducing business travel and learning how to truly work from home. Some learnings from this mass behavior change will be irreversible,” he tweeted.