IndianOil tweaks work rules for health, safety, business continuity
Millennium Post, Delhi   09-Apr-2020

While the frontline COVID-19 fighters such as doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, and state administration services are engaged in a pitched battle with the virus, there are many more unsung heroes who are doing an equally commendable job of maintaining a constant flow of essential goods and services for communities across the nation. Among them are those who are keeping the flame of the cooking gas 'on' in kitchens and ensuring smooth movement of the nation's wheels. These are none other than your friendly LPG delivery men, petrol pump attendants, tank-truck drivers, etc., backed by the refinery & supply/distribution personnel of the IndianOil family.

Since the commencement of the nationwide 21-day lockdown, IndianOil has put in place a comprehensive strategy to ensure the health and safety of all its stakeholders, while also ensuring business continuity.

Swift steps were taken to facilitate a work-from-home arrangement for employees in non-critical locations, through mobile communications, digital connectivity and dedicated portals. While supply locations, including refineries, pipelines, LPG bottling plants, terminals, depots and aviation fuelling stations continue to operate with optimised manpower to maintain supply of POL products.

Besides assuring millions of customers through the media and public announcements that there is no shortage of fuel supplies anywhere in the country, the Chairman, Mr. Sanjiv Singh, and other Directors have been interacting with the employees on a regular basis through video and written messages. A high-level committee headed by Mr. Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra, Director (HR), has been formed to deal with all the matters related to COVID-19, with a daily reporting mechanism not just on work assignments but also aspects of well-being of employees across the country.

As Mr. Mohapatra says, "Unprecedented times require an unprecedented response. For years, IndianOil had been using digital tools like video-conferencing to avoid unnecessary travel. The Corporation is now using this technology extensively for conducting meetings with Petroleum Ministry officials, among senior management and task-force teams, reporting channels and other office groups very effectively. It has also come in handy to keep track of the well-being of our teams working at various locations. We are pushing the envelope every day when it comes to new ways of working and remaining connected as a team spread across the country."

The Corporation is sharing important information extensively through its social media handles, besides seeking celebrity endorsements on the importance of COVID-19 precautions.

Digital technology is also being leveraged for information-sharing. For example, IndianOil's intranet portal is being used for sharing all the health advisories at one single point of access. Another digital intervention is the manner in which enquiries on life certificate of retired people are being received. Any retired person can give a life certificate, which is a self-certification done online or through an app. At all its locations right up to petrol pumps, IndianOil has put in place an appropriate code of conduct for work, hygiene and social distancing. No event is being held that requires people to gather, and assembling of people is not allowed at any location for any purpose whatsoever. An SOP (standard operating procedure) has been developed, wherein locations are required to distribute masks and maintain hand-sanitisers.