In the bustling virtual realm of Housing.com (a part of REA India, which also owns PropTiger.com), location dissolves. Ideas flow freely, unconstrained by physical walls, and collaboration transcends geographical boundaries. This dynamic approach to work reflects a company at the forefront of the evolving work landscape, one that prioritises flexibility, productivity, and, most importantly, equal opportunity for all its employees.
Housing.com’s hybrid work policy, born from the crucible of the pandemic, thrives on constant evolution. Recognising the diverse needs of its workforce, the company implemented a tailored system, categorising roles as fully remote, hybrid, or office-based. Call centre operations, for instance, transitioned seamlessly to permanent remote work, their cyclical nature well-suited to a virtual environment. Other roles embraced a hybrid model, with employees rotating between in-office and remote work, typically spending two to three days a week at the office. This structure fosters face-to-face interaction and collaboration while preserving the flexibility of remote work.
“The results were striking”, claims Housing.com. Employee engagement and productivity soared. To track these improvements, Housing.com harnessed the power of productivity tools, a crucial element for managing a geographically dispersed workforce. “A key challenge,” says Rohit Hasteer, CHRO, REA India (Housing.com & PropTiger.com), “was keeping remote employees engaged. We addressed this by developing communication channels and initiatives to foster a sense of belonging and keep everyone informed.”
This commitment to inclusion manifested in multiple ways. Regular touchpoints were established between employees and skip-level managers through quarterly ‘Unfiltered’ sessions and monthly ‘Feel at Home Hour’ HRBP connect sessions. Remote employees were also included in celebrations, receiving Swiggy vouchers during office lunch parties, ensuring they could participate regardless of location.
“A key challenge was keeping remote employees engaged. We addressed this by developing communication channels and initiatives to foster a sense of belonging and keep everyone informed.”
Rohit Hasteer, CHRO, REA India (Housing.com & PropTiger.com)
Productivity, Hasteer claims, has seen a noticeable rise since the implementation of the hybrid policy. Technology plays a pivotal role, with tools meticulously tracking tasks and ensuring everyone remains aligned with their goals.
Housing.com further distinguishes itself through its emphasis on Learning and Development (L&D). Recognising the diverse needs of its remote, hybrid, and office-based employees, the company curates programmes encompassing a digital learning platform with accessible modules across various functions. This empowers employees to upskill at their own pace. But L&D goes beyond online content. Housing.com conducts in-house programmes for junior levels and offers customised development plans for mid-to-senior employees, crafted through performance assessments and incorporating coaching, leadership programs with prestigious institutions, and cross-functional projects with mentors.
Employee feedback plays a crucial role in programme development. For instance, a six-month leadership development programme with IIM Bangalore was meticulously shaped through pre-programme conversations with participants, ensuring its effectiveness.
Managing a distributed workforce presents unique challenges. Housing.com addresses these head-on with a comprehensive HRIS (Human Resource Information System). This in-house system caters to the entire employee lifecycle, recording conversations, tracking processes, and measuring feedback, including sentiment analysis. It ensures all employees, irrespective of location, are seamlessly integrated into the company’s ecosystem.
Physical presence is not always a barrier. The company facilitates travel for remote employees to participate in crucial training sessions and development programmes, ensuring they remain at par with their in-office counterparts.
Work-life balance, especially crucial in a remote setting, is a priority at Housing.com. Flexible work hours are offered, alongside the unique ‘Early Check-in’ practice, which allows employees to receive half their salary every 15 days, enhancing financial flexibility and reducing stress.
The effectiveness of these initiatives is continuously monitored through surveys and other feedback mechanisms. Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are a cornerstone of this process, correlating participation in development programs with engagement scores and other performance metrics to gauge impact.
“We rigorously measure various initiatives,” says Hasteer. “Our offer-to-joiner ratio has significantly improved since we began investing in employer branding. We’re attracting the right talent, reflected in a better interview-to-selection ratio. This success has allowed us to reduce reliance on external search firms, as our career website attracts a steady stream of qualified candidates genuinely interested in working with us.”