‘4-day a week and infinite paid leaves’: OYO comes up with slew of measures amid covid crisis

Amid the covid pandemic, a hospitality firm OYO Rooms has come up with a slew of measures to alleviate the stress levels within the employees. The company has decided four-day working in a week and infinite paid leaves with a ‘no questions asked' policy for the month of May. 

The company’s chief executive officer Ritesh Agarwal through his official Twitter handle mentioned, “Starting today, we are moving to a 4-day work week but implementing it slightly differently, making Wednesdays off to let OYOpreneurs have a mid-week breather. We also launched a No Questions Asked Flexible Infinite Paid Leaves.” 

2/ Starting today we are moving to a 4 day work week but implementing it slightly differently, making Wednesdays off to let OYOpreneurs have a mid-week breather. We also launched a No Questions Asked Flexible Infinite Paid Leaves.

— Ritesh Agarwal (@riteshagar) May 12, 2021

Urging its employees to relax and take some time out for family during these tiring times, Agarwal further said, “Take off when you want, no need to log them, just let the manager know, no reasons needed, none asked. We are not going to stress about business impact and deadlines.  We know work will not suffer, if anything OYOpreneurs will be more focused, efficient, and productive.” 

OYO become the second start-up to come up with such measures. Earlier, a food aggregator Swiggy had already rolled out a 4-day work week for the month of May 2021. It said in these unprecedented times, understanding that the success of any company is intrinsically linked to the well-being (both physical and mental) of its employees. 

Agarwal tells his employees, the covid continues to test our physical and mental well-being. He adds, one thing that truly matters is having more time for our loved ones and ourselves. 

This infinite 'no reasons asked' paid leaves till July are paid leaves, and over and above the already available privilege and sick leaves. 

Agarwal speaking about his plan said, "I personally plan to wind down today and spend more time with my family, volunteering with the OYO COVID War Room and talking to a few friends and colleagues whose families have been impacted severely in the last few weeks".