(Image source from: Moneycontrol.com)

Flipkart, under the ownership of Walmart, has officially terminated its work-from-home arrangement, requiring all employees to work from the office five days a week, as reported by Moneycontrol. This decision concludes a four-year period of remote and hybrid working that initiated during the Covid-19 pandemic. Initially, like many other companies in the tech and retail sectors, the e-commerce giant provided its employees with a degree of flexibility during the pandemic. However, over the previous year, the organization began to gradually retract this policy, first requesting senior executives to return to the office. Now, this requirement extends to all employees, irrespective of their position or department.

The company has indicated that the return to the workplace will occur gradually over the forthcoming months, although it acknowledged that exceptions could still be made depending on specific job requirements. Additionally, employees will have the opportunity to work from home a limited number of days each year. A spokesperson for the company reaffirmed this policy shift, stating that the transition back to the office aims to improve collaboration, cultivate a sense of community, and establish a collective focus among teams, particularly for those who are new to the organization. “As employees have gradually returned to the office over the past year, we have witnessed enhanced synergy and stronger collaboration,” the spokesperson shared with the media outlet.

This shift at Flipkart takes place against a backdrop of intensifying competition within India's fast-changing e-commerce and quick commerce industries. Competitor Amazon has already enforced a five-day workweek for its workforce in India and is relocating to a more expansive office in Devanahalli, Bengaluru. Over a year ago, Meesho transitioned its employees back to full-time office work.

In addition, quick commerce companies such as Blinkit and Zepto have embraced in-office work structures, whereas Swiggy stands out as one of the few companies maintaining a hybrid model, which consists of three days in the office and two days remote, with some teams required to be present daily based on their specific roles.