Zoho founder and Chief Scientist Sridhar Vembu has said the company will not expand work-from-home arrangements, even after Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged businesses to adopt remote work to reduce fuel consumption.
According to Vembu, Zoho believes employees work better together in person, especially teams involved in research, development, and product innovation.
The decision comes after internal discussions within the company about whether remote work should be expanded further.
Why Zoho Prefers Office-Based Work
Vembu said face-to-face collaboration helps teams solve problems faster and improve productivity.
According to him, employees working physically together can communicate more smoothly and make quicker decisions compared to remote setups.
He especially highlighted that technical and research teams benefit more from direct interaction inside offices.
Zoho believes in-person collaboration leads to:
Faster problem-solving
Better innovation
Improved teamwork
Stronger coordination between departments
Because of this, the company has decided not to increase work-from-home options for now.
PM Modi Recently Encouraged Remote Work
The discussion around work-from-home gained attention after Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently appealed to citizens and businesses to reduce fuel usage.
The Prime Minister suggested:
Work-from-home arrangements
Online meetings
Virtual conferences
Reduced unnecessary travel
Greater use of public transport
The suggestions came amid rising global fuel concerns and increasing energy costs linked to tensions in West Asia.
Zoho Had Earlier Considered WFH Expansion
Interestingly, earlier reports suggested Zoho was open to revisiting its work-from-home policy after the Prime Minister’s appeal.
Vembu had indicated that the company would internally discuss whether partial remote work could help reduce fuel consumption.
However, after reviewing employee feedback and operational requirements, Zoho decided against broader WFH expansion.
Company Still Plans Sustainability Measures
Although Zoho is not increasing remote work, the company says it is still exploring other ways to reduce environmental impact and fuel usage.
According to Vembu, Zoho is considering:
Electric bus services for employees
Electric cooking systems in office cafeterias
Greater investment in solar energy infrastructure
These steps are part of the company’s larger sustainability efforts.
Debate Over Hybrid Work Continues
Zoho’s decision reflects the ongoing debate across India’s technology industry over office culture and remote work.
While some companies continue offering hybrid flexibility, others are increasingly pushing for employees to return to offices full-time.
The discussion has become even more important as companies deal with:
Rising operational costs
AI-driven workplace changes
Employee expectations after the pandemic
Productivity and collaboration concerns
For now, Zoho appears firmly in favour of office-based collaboration over expanded remote work policies.
