The chilled out working zone

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Gone are the days when a seven-figure salary and stock options were ways in which you could definitely attract the professional crème-de-la-crème. Young people of today are more interested in being lured by cooler stuff like casual dress codes and flexible work hours.

A survey by careerbuilders.com shows that employers are now relaxing set schedules and dress codes in their quest to enhance the overall work experience. The survey goes on to state that when asked, a third of the employers said that they would offer more flexible work schedules while 15 per cent said they would allow a more casual dress code this year.
“When I started my company, I decided not to insist on a formal dress code. My team members are free to wear what they want. I just want them to dress decently,” says Pawan who owns a PR firm, adding that he also tries to keep work schedules as flexible as possible. “We usually start around
10 am and wrap up by 7 pm. But even if someone comes in late, it’s okay. As long as the work gets done, I’ve no issues. You can’t make youngsters follow stereotypical work schedules and norms,” he says.
Since Gen Next is against fixed work schedules — a nine to five routine, more and more corporates are making office hours flexible. “With so much work pressure, it’s difficult to manage with fixed work schedules. You can’t leave your workplace at 5 pm and be there at 9 am. Flexibility has got to be the buzzword,” says young professional Samhita Tanti.
Meetu Sahajwani, a 23-year-old who is busy applying to MNCs at present, is unsure if she would like to wear “boring formals” to work every day. “MNCs offer great money, but you can’t really wear trousers and formal tops every day. Companies are adapting now. My friend works with this international firm and they’re allowed to dress casually on weekends,” she says.
For someone who lives alone in Hyderabad, IT professional, Vani Kumar, is happy that her working hours give her ample time to catch up with friends at least on weekends. “Most of us want happy working environments. I usually have to reach office by
10 am but even if I don’t, my boss is chilled out. He’s fine with us coming in by 11 am if we’re running late. When you have deadlines to meet, wearing formals or following set schedules are the last things you care about,” she says.