Mumbai: With an intent to safeguard its workforce from the adverse effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, FCA India, as an immediate response, has permitted over 50% of its staff, from its Mumbai and Pune offices, to work from home, at least until March 31, 2020, and is taking proactive measures to ensure ‘social distancing’, which is the need of the hour.

FCA, which operates from three locations in India – Corporate Office in Mumbai, an Engineering office in Pune and the main Engineering Centre in Chennai, has prioritized the option of ‘work from home’ (WFH) for its staff in Maharashtra based on precautionary advisories by the Government of India and also the State Governments. The WFH alternative for the mission-critical Engineering workforce in Chennai is under consideration and not in play as yet.

FCA India’s President and Managing Director, Dr. Partha Datta said, “The health and welfare of our employees and various partners is of utmost importance to us as an organization. We have to endure these challenging times together as responsible citizens and care for our families, friends and colleagues, while at the same time, ensuring business continuity. Although no employee of FCA India has reported or tested positive, we are fully aware of the gravity of the situation and are taking quick, proactive steps every day that are necessary for everybody’s well-being.”

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FCA India has taken the following steps to help its workforce remain unaffected:

Work from home (WFH) option – FCA employees, who use public transport, are advised to work from home. They can remain connected via the tools provided in their laptop computers and remotely manage and attend critical meetings. Employees with business critical needs and those using company vehicles are permitted to work in the office subject to their manager’s approval. FCA field sales personnel have been advised to coordinate business from home, pan-India. A health advisory has been sent to FCA’s national dealer network instructing them on steps that need to be taken at showrooms for their own hygiene and also while dealing with customer walk-ins and sales events.

International and domestic travel – All FCA employees have been advised to cancel or postpone their domestic or international travel until further notice. For any emergency international travel, a governance process for business-essential travel has been established with concurrence from the MD and FCA Top Management.

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Social distancing – Employees have been requested to postpone meeting visitors in person, in the office premises with an intent to enable ‘social distancing’; critical / unavoidable meetings can be held only with prior permission from FCA India’s senior management. Meetings among office staff have been curtailed and, if at all, employees are advised to restrict meeting attendees to less than 10 individuals.

Office management – Most meetings are now conducted via available audio / video conferencing technology in office or remote locations. A mandatory temperature-check of all employees and visitors, during entry, is conducted through state of the art apparatus. Cleaning regime of the entire office has been stepped up and the staff is encouraged to use freely available hand sanitizers and other hygiene upkeep methods. Employees are advised to take staggered breaks with longer lunch breaks in the cafeteria to maintain distance between each other. Cafeteria and janitorial staff has been provided with masks and gloves as a precautionary safeguard to minimize their exposure to possible infection.  

FCA in India has a total employee base of 1500 across its offices in Mumbai, Chennai and Pune. Daily health advisories are being emailed to the FCA India employee base so that they take precautionary steps to remain safe along with their families.

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