Less than 10 companies have surrendered space while around 75 new companies, both big and small, have started operations in Infopark Kochi since March last year.
Infoparks Kerala is planning elaborate digital campaigns to bring back companies and restore campus life in Infoparks to the pre-Covid times.
The digital video campaigns will be held with the participation of companies, which on their part are making arrangements to bring back employees in a phased manner in the next three months. Entertainment programmes like band performances, which used to be a common feature at IT parks, would also be organised as when the government permits such events as an additional lure to woo back employees to campuses.
“We are expecting to get a clear picture of the return of employees to the parks by January as companies make arrangements for the phased return in view of school reopening and the near universal vaccination of the IT community. Unlike the speculations during the first wave of the pandemic that Work From Home (WFH) would become the new norm, companies are increasingly swaying towards the many advantages of working from the IT parks,” said Arun Rajeevan, Manager (Marketing), Infoparks Kerala.
He said that very few companies have surrendered space in the parks as was initially feared. But except for some big companies reducing their presence in multiple buildings for logistical issues and relatively small companies, which were unstable even before the pandemic, there has been no large scale surrender of space.
In fact, there has been instances in which companies, which surrendered the space had come back for that space. Less than 10 companies have surrendered space while around 75 new companies, both big and small, have started operations in Infopark Kochi since March last year.
Companies will now always have WFH as a tried and tested option that could kick in during an emergency now that they have implemented it and found ways to surmount its many shortcomings. But working from IT parks is cited to have definite advantages over WFH.
“There is the guarantee of uninterrupted power supply and adequate bandwidth not to mention the sense of community and socialising that comes with working from under the same roof. Besides, there is a definite difference in mentality towards work between WFH and work from office. While team meetings can be held over online they definitely lack the same spirit as when held in person,” said Mr. Rajeevan.
All these facets of a campus life will be showcased in the proposed digital campaign.
