Is WFO stressing India's PR professionals?

Rachna Baruah, founder, of Madchatter Brand Solutions shares that for her the, "Pressing issue is the anxiety and stress we go through dealing with multiple stakeholders — clients, journalists, bosses, managers, and so on. Agencies need to go top-down on cutting toxic relationships, be it with clients or other parties, to prioritize the larger well-being of the organization. 

At Madchatter, our core ethos is "Business with Kindness," and that comes on top of any other priority when we are signing a new client or onboarding a new employee.

Baruah adds, "Another aspect is to provide employees with the tools for counselling and therapy whenever they need it, no questions asked. We have health programs wherein employees can check in with counsellors about any challenges they may be facing at work or otherwise."

Commenting on the ongoing trend of trying to get back to WFO, Baruah says, We have been remote since our inception but in the past few months, we have realized the need for work-from-office to a large extent. We do not want to be in the office every day because that just equates to more commute hours and lesser productivity but having team camaraderie and physical face-to-face brainstorming a few days in a week helps move work much faster."

Other PR firms also dealing with the same challenge. WFH or WHO. Managing the transition is a source of stress for employees and employers.

Kiran Ray Chaudhury, Co-founder of 80dB Communications, says that shifting from a hybrid model to a full work-from-office (WFO) setup is an idea they’ve been toying with. However, for now, they continue with the hybrid model, recognizing the balance between the flexibility of working from home (WFH) and the pressures of long commutes.

Chaudhury also highlights that WFH has enabled companies to tap into talent from beyond the metro cities, showing that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to this ongoing debate.

Ritika Sharma, associate director, of MSL India stated, "Working remotely can sometimes lead to feelings of isolation and a lack of socializing, which working from the office (WFO) naturally provides."

MSL India provides counselling at the workplace, and Sharma shares, "I personally enjoy the routine of coming to the office every day, meeting my immediate team and other colleagues. It provides a sense of community that might not be possible with a remote or hybrid setup." 

Misbah Quadri, senior PR specialist, believes a major cause of stress is unrealistic client deliverables, saying, "One must ensure that we are honest and upfront with client expectations. No sugar coating on the volume of achievable deliveries - that should be a game changer in avoiding mental health crises."

Unlike the current trend of moving to WFO Quadri currently has a remote role with her agency and prefers it that way, "Thankfully, I made the switch from journalism to PR at the right time many years ago and built my portfolio in a way that allows me the opportunity to work from anywhere - I perform the same role as an in-office publicist but possess the autonomy to do so remotely.

That comes with its own pros and cons - but majorly it is a great stress cutter - helps me keep my focus solely on the quality of work rather than appeasing certain senior management!"