- Arvind Jain, Managing Director – Pride Group
Pune, 12 July, 2016: The work from home culture has been steadily gaining popularity across the globe, and several corporates have already adopted as core offerings. According to Forbes, 75% of professionals will be working in their pajamas by the end of 2017 instead of putting on a suit and driving off to office every day. Companies like Ernst & Young and Accenture already have more than two-thirds of their employees working from their homes. This trend is steadily infiltrating the corporate world, and offers several advantages to both employees and their employer.
With technology becoming a big part of modern day work processes, all one needs is a laptop and a good internet connection to communicate, team up and drive productivity. Employers are allowing remote working not only to make employees more comfortable with how they work - it is also saving them a lot in infrastructure investment. At the same time:
•Many professionals are ditching their corporate jobs to start their own businesses
•More and more companies are looking for consultants instead of permanent employees
•Freelancing has spread across all industries, be it technology or art. Gen X professionals enjoy the benefit of working in their own terms, and getting engaged in projects that they hold expertise in and have a passion for.
This change in work culture has also affected the priorities of young professionals looking for homes.
How this new trends impact the home buying process
Obviously, the first thing that work-at-home professionals are looking for is projects in areas where dependable power supply and internet connections are available. Also, one of the more important reasons that have brought about a growth in work-from-home, consulting and freelancing is the implied flexibility and convenience. Consequently, it becomes important that the homes such people buy are in close proximity to lifestyle requirements like shopping, healthcare, education and entertainment.
The other basic features of the properties such professionals seek include 24x7 water supply, emergency power backup and a peaceful environment that facilitates a productive working day, every day. At the same time, such professionals are looking for homes that aren’t too far off from the city center, yet spare them from having to suffer traffic, pollution and the many other ill effects of urbanization.
A tall order? Not really.
Where can you find such properties
City centers of most economically vibrant Indian cities have already become saturated a long time ago. Other than for the extremely rich, there are no housing options in the main city areas of Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore or Pune that meet both the budgets and requirements of the new ‘work-from-home’ breed of Indian professionals. Apart from the growing population and pollution in these areas, the existing infrastructure is always breaking down and traffic jams invariably lead to wasted time and resources. This scenario also reduces the potential of productivity.
The best options in this situation are integrated townships which, due their size and scope, are developed on the peripheries of large cities while simultaneously offering good connectivity to the city itself. A rather newer addition to the Indian property market, integrated townships provide their residents the perfect combination of a productive environment, reliable utilities and easy access to city resources.
Importantly, these townships also bring with them the convenience of their own shopping complexes, schools, hospitals and avenues of entertainment. Developed in serene environments, they ensure that young work-from-home professionals can maintain optimum productivity as well as a well-rounded and healthy family life. The day-to-day running of the household is unchallenging and stress-free; and when they come along, children can grow up in healthy, active and safe.
•Integrated townships are the ideal option for people who want to bring up their kids in a positive environment, and simultaneously enjoy a bracing and wholesome lifestyle themselves
•Integrated townships also provide higher amount of security, a supportive neighborhood and all amenities for a vibrant lifestyle – from green open spaces to gyms to playgrounds
Even if one is employed in a regular day job which requires office attendance, integrated townships are the ideal solution because they are situated close to the city centers, with excellent connectivity and easy means of transportation. This means that one can reach one’s workplaces faster and return faster, as well. In fact, many integrated townships have also fostered the ‘walk to work’ culture with their own high-class office complexes which attract the best of employers. And when the work-from-home option or choice finally materializes, a home in integrated townships is already everything one will need to make a go of it.
Working from home, or planning to?
The work-from-home trend I catching up fast in India, and is likely to become a norm rather than an exception in the next ten years. Young professionals who are planning to take this route or set up their own businesses from home in the future should start identifying the ideal home options sooner rather than later. Homes in integrated townships that are currently under construction carry attractively lower price tags than ready-to-move apartments. If one chooses a high-quality township by a reputed developer, the perfect choice for a home is made. This is why integrated townships are in such high in demand today.
About The Author:
Arvind Jain is Managing Director of The Pride Group, a world-class property development conglomerate that is changing the cityscapes of Pune, Mumbai and Bangalore. Established in 1996, Pride Group has built and delivered over 10 million sq.ft. of constructed area. Pride Group has recently launched Pride World City, the 400-acre luxury mega-township at Charoli, Pune.