Remote desktop technologies and cloud capacity to become essential

Almost everything in the digital world is connected to the cloud in some way or another — unless it’s specifically kept in local storage for security reasons.

Digit Insurance has been making insurance simple; simple products and simple processes. Whether it’s buying or claiming, we give you a simply awesome experience.

Here, Amrit Jaidka Arora, Head Human Resource at Digit Insurance, talks about how the Covid-19 situation has enhanced the future of work. Excerpts from an interview:

DQ: How is Digit dealing with the Covid-19 situation? What plans have you put in place?

Amrit Jaidka Arora: Digit has managed to work from home successfully and has derived the best possible results from the business continuity plan.

We have taken a number of Initiatives to continue the pace of work:

* Launch of our ‘At Home training’, by which we have addressed knowledge gaps through product training across geographies and teams.

* Online Huddle day - for all those who joined us virtually during the lockdown. * Sessions have been informative, interactive, and truly a success.

* Daily team calls and e meetings to track work.

We have also introduced Virtual Happy Hours’ to boost the morale and reinforce human connections, where the idea was to have a video call just to chat, play a game, meet and greet each other’s families.

Following all government directives, we are also ensuring that post lockdown, the guidelines are being followed. We have created ‘post lockdown handbooks’ to help employees and necessary equipment like masks, sanitisers , Thermal temp guns have been shared / sent to all our offices across the country.

DQ: Are you giving employees more control over their schedules?

Amrit Jaidka Arora: We are following regular office timings, as this brings in discipline in working hours.

However, wherever requested, flexibility is given by respective function heads. As an organization, we trust our employees and we do nit imposes any number of hours on them. As we know, at the end of the day, getting the work done is what matters.

DQ: How are you assessing learnings from enforced experiments around WFH?

Amrit Jaidka Arora: We have learnt that good resources can be productive, no matter where they work form. While we faced some challenges, our simplifiers have shone in times of need.

We have realised that we need to continue to improve, which is the only way we can stay differentiated and grow despite the lockdown. This period has given us the opportunity to cross-train team members in different sub functions.

The focus is on increasing productivity and in evaluating what we have built so far and how we can improve it. Productivity, specially for those managing individuals, and project-based work has gone up.

One of the biggest learnings from the lockdown was meaningful e-meetings with clear focus on goals to be achieved. Autodialling through the Teams App has saved a lot time which generally gets wasted in meeting rooms to wait / call people to join physically

Amrit Jaidka Arora, Head Human Resource, Digit Insurance

DQ: How does work/life balance work in a crisis like this?

Amrit Jaidka Arora: We understand that this is not the best of situation for many of us. Work and life has become one, with physical space of family members overlapping with their personal and professional activities going on.

Thus, managers have tried to make sure people are not expected to be available beyond work hours all the time, just because they are home. Also, team members are encouraged to spend time doing some recreational activities, with their families or if they are alone, over video call with their team members. As HR, we are also conducting breakout sessions to play virtual games, fun sessions amongst the teams.

DQ: How is Digit facilitating digital work?

Amrit Jaidka Arora: We have used technology to the maximum to keep communication going in our teams. From Lifesize, Microsoft Teams to Zoom – all mediums have been utilised. Manual process have been automated.

DQ: How are the latest technologies going to redefine workplace?

Amrit Jaidka Arora: Remote desktop technologies and cloud capacity will become essential. With social distancing and staggered shifts, online meetings and long distance collaboration will become the norm.

DQ: What are the solutions provided by Digit for improved productivity?

Amrit Jaidka Arora: All employees have been equipped with laptops / Wi-Fi connections and dongles to help the stay connected. Online trainings and e-learning modules have been created.

For ensuring that mental health is looked after, we have provided all employees free online doctor consultations through our health partner Ekincare.