The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has allowed certain employees to work from home one day a week and has deferred internal programmes involving travel and hospitality expenses for eight weeks beginning May 25, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for energy conservation.
SEBI’s human resources department issued an administrative advisory on Thursday, allowing officers in Grades A to C to work from home once a week on a rotational basis. These comprise Assistant Managers, Managers and Assistant General Managers.
Officers in Grade D (Deputy General Manager) and above, however, will continue to attend office physically on a regular basis. “All officers in Grade ‘D’ and above, all employees posted in the offices of Chairman/WTMs and all employees in Secretarial Cadre (i.e. Secretaries, Account Assistants and Junior Assistants) shall attend office regularly,” the internal circular said.
Roster mandate
Chief General Managers, Regional Directors and heads of verticals have been asked to prepare periodic rosters to ensure that at least 50 per cent of officers in Grades A to C remain physically present in the office at any given time.
SEBI confirmed to businessline that a circular has been issued.
The regulator has also issued a standard operating procedure for employees working remotely. Department heads may define work expectations and timelines for employees availing the work-from-home facility, which may be reviewed after the eight-week period.
Employees have been advised to maintain confidentiality and remain vigilant about data security while working from home, sources said.
It has also directed departments to defer non-essential internal engagements such as conclaves, brainstorming programmes and similar events for the next eight weeks. Fresh programmes of this nature are not to be scheduled during the period, while booked ones can continue.
Energy conservation
The regulator has encouraged employees to make use of public transport, subsidised bus facility, carpooling, electric vehicles and avoid using private vehicles to the extent possible for saving energy.
Departments have also been advised to conduct stakeholder meetings virtually wherever feasible in order to reduce travel and related.