As fear goes viral again, companies bring back travel curbs
As worries over the spread of the new SARS-COV-2 variant Omicron grow, companies in India across sectors have stepped up vigilance and started curbing work-related domestic and international travel.
“We have put on hold any planned relaxations we may have been considering with respect to team gatherings and travel,” said a spokesperson for Nestle India, the country’s largest packaged foods company. “We continue to monitor the situation.”
Many companies have reiterated travel-related Covid-19 protocols to curb the spread of Omicron, which has now spread to over 30 countries.
“We will respect all government guidelines and assess business criticality prior to undertaking any travels,” confectionery and chocolates maker Mars Wrigley India’s country general manager Kalpesh Parmar said.
Carmaker Maruti Suzuki’s senior executive director (HR & IT), Rajesh Uppal, said, “We are following a policy of travel whenever essential.”
These measures come at a time when the Indian economy is showing signs of recovery. Most companies do their financial and strategic planning for the new year in the January-March quarter.
“The emerging realities have made us move back to travel safe mode,” said Ashish Kumar, chief executive of Arvind Advanced Materials, a division of textiles group Arvind.
The Centre revised guidelines for international travellers coming to India starting December 1.
Whether Omicron is more transmissible than the other variants of SARS-CoV-2–the virus that causes Covid-19–and leads to a more severe form of the disease is expected to be clearer in about two weeks’ time, say experts.
Amway chief executive Anshu Budhraja said, “We are encouraging all meetings to be digital unless absolutely necessary to travel.”
The direct selling company, which makes Nutrilite powder and Glister toothpaste, said it is gearing up for any unforeseen exigency that may be brought on by any new variant. It said it has partnered with medical service providers and is offering discounts on medicines and lab tests for employees and their families.
“The level of precaution we are taking is much higher for international travels; there are some more restrictions for these travellers,” said Mayank Kumar, cofounder of ed-tech company upGrad.
While some companies have issued advisories on travel, others said they have stepped up communication with employees on travel protocols.
“We have increased our communication to our employees, urging them not to let their guard down and continue to practice Covid protocols,” said Sunil Ranjhan, senior VP and director HR at consumer durables and appliances company LG India.
SV Nathan, chief talent officer at consulting and advisory firm Deloitte India, said, “We have always asked our people to be circumspect when it comes to travel and use travel advisories to guide their decisions.”
Several states have announced new regulations and stepped up checks and restrictions for travellers. Passengers arriving from ‘at risk’ countries have been mandated to undergo an RT-PCR test on arrival, while domestic travellers will have to be fully vaccinated or carry a negative RT-PCR report not older than 72 hours.Some others said they have accelerated vigilance for unavoidable business events. B Santhanam, chief executive, Asia-Pacific, at construction and home interiors material company Saint-Gobain, said, “We are exercising 100% compliance on protocols, especially as we have started to have more face-to-face interactions and events.”