The Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), a registered union representing IT and IT-enabled services employees, has appealed to the Central government to issue a temporary work-from-home advisory for technology companies amid heightened national security concerns and rising regional tensions.
In a letter addressed to Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the union requested that IT firms be advised to allow employees to work remotely wherever operationally feasible. The appeal follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent call urging citizens and institutions to remain prepared and vigilant in the current environment.
NITES said the advisory was necessary to safeguard employees who travel long distances, work late-night shifts or operate from densely populated technology corridors across cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Noida and Gurugram. The union argued that reducing physical commuting could help minimise potential risks while ensuring uninterrupted delivery of critical technology services.
According to the union, India’s IT industry has already demonstrated during the pandemic that large-scale remote work can be implemented without major disruption to productivity or global client servicing. It maintained that temporary work-from-home flexibility would not only support employee safety but also strengthen operational continuity for companies managing international projects and round-the-clock business functions.
The union further urged the government to advise employers against taking punitive action against employees opting for remote work during the current situation. It also requested organisations to adopt flexible attendance policies, especially for women employees, workers with health conditions and those dependent on public transport for daily commuting.
NITES highlighted that anxiety levels among employees have risen in recent days, particularly among professionals working in shifts tied to overseas operations. The organisation said companies should proactively communicate safety protocols, emergency preparedness measures and contingency plans to reassure employees.
The appeal has once again brought the remote work debate back into focus within India’s technology sector. Over the past year, several large IT firms have increased return-to-office mandates as companies attempt to restore in-person collaboration and workplace culture. However, employee groups have continued to push for more flexible hybrid models, citing concerns around commuting fatigue, safety and work-life balance.
Industry observers note that while the government has not issued any formal directive so far, the development reflects how work-from-home policies continue to remain closely linked with employee wellbeing, crisis preparedness and organisational resilience in India’s evolving workplace landscape.