No space, no power, no support - what life is really like for Indian IT workers serving global firms

"In India, more than half of the population live with members of their extended family. Many of the 51 workers we interviewed share their homes with children, parents, grandparents and in-laws - all squeezed into small apartments which now double up as offices. For them, remote working means organising large family groups in small spaces so that one person can have a quiet corner in which to work."

"A professional background for a video call required careful choreography in a crowded household with two rooms where babies might be crying next to elderly relatives with medical complaints. For the workers we spoke to who had care responsibilities for various family members, the juggling required was extraordinary."

"Power cuts are routine in many Indian cities. Despite often working for some of the biggest companies in the world, research I carried out with colleagues shows that working conditions for many of India's IT workers are far from pleasant."

India's IT professionals, who maintain critical digital infrastructure for major global companies, experience significant challenges working from home. Many live in cramped apartments with extended families, making it difficult to find quiet workspace for professional tasks. Power cuts are routine in Indian cities, forcing workers to purchase their own backup battery systems. Video calls require careful coordination in crowded households with multiple generations present. Workers with caregiving responsibilities face extraordinary juggling of family obligations alongside professional demands, disrupting mealtimes and personal time. Despite working for major international corporations, these professionals receive minimal employer support for basic infrastructure needs.

Read at The Conversation