India Inc rushes to counter freak weather impact
MUMBAI: As harsh weather adds to climate change with deadly heatwaves, shock downpours and severe floods, companies across industries are working on contingency plans, including rearranging travel and handling labour-related issues.
For instance, the Dubai downpour—its heaviest in 75 years— and floods earlier this week saw a Mumbai-based business house rework flights of its global team who were on their way to the emirate. After enduring multiple flight cancellations, some are now taking connecting longhaul flights while many are yet to even get flight tickets.
In India, thousands of delivery executives and gig workers across e-commerce platforms work for longer hours during summers when students are at home or tournaments like the Indian Premier League (IPL) are on. The ongoing heatwave in parts of the country, and prediction of above-normal monsoon this year have seen top e-commerce and food delivery companies like Flipkart, Amazon and Zomato taking steps to protect their delivery force.
“During the current summer season, a few additional inclusions in the daily routine of... delivery workforce include the distribution of glucose beverages, provision of additional fans and coolers across facilities, and facilitating summer safety management briefings to ensure heatwave advisories are adhered to,” said Prajakta Kanaglekar, vice president and HR leader at Flipkart. The e-commerce firm is offering flexible afternoon delivery schedules for workers.
Rival Amazon has increased air conditioning in its buildings, and offers oral rehydration solutions to its associates.
“With several parts of the country witnessing significant heat due to high temperatures along with humidity, a ‘heat stress prevention’ programme has been developed for associates
in our buildings and out on the road making customer deliveries,” the company spokesperson said.
Food delivery platform Zomato has 450 rest points across 40-plus cities that are equipped with comfortable seating, free drinking water, mobile charging points and clean washrooms. The company plans to take the number to 5,000-plus rest points by June 2024 with the help of its restaurant partners.
“These are aimed to support the entire gig economy and delivery partners of various companies in between deliveries...With our pioneering weather-forecast systems, we also send out pre-emptive signals of upcoming heatwaves to all delivery partners, allowing them to protect themselves from severe weather conditions,” the company said in an email response to Mint.
The forecast app, rolled out for staff a couple of years ago, gives delivery people real-time weather data.
Recruitment firms have seen the challenges in getting workforce during the heatwaves and how companies are often forced to turn remote.
Although covid-19 forced India Inc. to be ready with contingency plans, business houses say weather-related hurdles are a common discussion point.