While both multi-nationals and Indian firms have been shouting from the rooftops about flexible ?work-from-home? policies, the adoption of such regulations is far from widespread yet.

While working from home is meant to give employees a better work-life balance, human resource experts are of the belief that the productivity of such policies are highly subjective and do not always go in the intended direction. Some say that companies, which once promoted such ideas and a few that were even able to make them work, have rolled them back due to security risks and productivity issues.

Staffing firm Randstad India managing director and chief executive E Balaji says, ?While there is a prevalence of this practice in IT firms, in sectors such as BPOs and financial services, the security risks of allowing people to work from home are simply too high, and only high-level executives can practice such things. Besides that, there are also issues that employees themselves face when they work from home. There is a feeling of being left out of the grapevine, and of not being a participant in the larger conversations.?

Working mothers or employees with elderly parents see the benefit of work-shifting, but some claim that it is difficult to achieve a state of mind necessary for serious work at home.

Priya R, 35, a mid-management employee in a Bangalore-based BPO organisation, says that she was initially excited about her organisation’s work-shifting options. Later, it dawned upon her that she would be better off going to work, unless there was a pressing need to stay at home.

?You are on the phone at home at all hours, and the line between work and home blurs. It is hard to explain to family members why they can not barge in while you are taking a call, and it requires great practice to learn how to stay in work mode at home,? she says.

HR consultants believe that working from home may also not be a great idea for younger professionals looking for serious career growth. ?The Indian way of learning, which includes really understanding the cultural look and feel, interacting heavily with team mates, just does not take off with such ideas,? says Rajesh AR, head, iRize, the employment arm of Manipal Group Education.

?Initially many companies were opting for work shifting policies. IT/ ITes firms were even promoting the concept, giving people devices to work with. But a lot of them, in my experience, have completely rolled back such schemes,? he adds.

According to a recent study on ?work-shifting?, or remote operation, by US-headquartered technology firm Citrix Systems, less than half of the respondents studied in India have stated that they have such options in place for their employees.

However, not all are put off by the idea of working from home. There are some, who have even mastered the art of achieving the meditative mental state required for working in their living rooms. Says Balaji of Randstad, ?There are people who dress in their formal clothes and clock very regular hours at home, including a 45-minute lunch break, and manage to keep all deviations at bay while work-shifting,? he says.

For instance, Gautam Suri, 32, says he is more than happy to take up all the work-shifting offers he gets at the leading financial services firm he works for. According to him, he has all the tools necessary for executing work from any location, and they do not differ in any manner from his office.

?I don?t think I miss out of any benefit when I work from home. I may miss some office events but if I want to, I can make it to them. I don?t have to report that I am working from home, I can take the decision myself. My peers also take advantage of the policies, and as a team or organisation we have not missed any deadlines or targets because of it,? adds Suri.

For organisations, there are the positives of lowered rental and incidental costs. Seemant Chaudhry, director, Enterprise, Citrix Systems India, says, ?A mobile work style creates benefits for employees by bringing personal efficiency and business speed as well as for the organisation by reducing on lease rentals, facilities, maintenance of fixed assets and maintenance of multiple desktops among others.?

Interestingly, Citrix’s Global Work-shifting index, shows that firms in India have a higher tolerance towards work-shifting, with 47% of the respondents in India stating that they have policies relating to it, compared to the global average of 42%. Citrix’s study, covered 100 companies, with 500 or more employees in India, and 1,100 firms across the globe. By 2013, global adoption of work-shifting policies was expected to increase from the current 37% to 93% amongst those surveyed.