In the antiseptic world of corporate culture, where mission statements often ring hollow and values gather dust in employee handbooks, REA India is attempting something rather different. The property technology company, which owns Housing.com and PropTiger.com, has built its employer value proposition (EVP) around a disarmingly simple concept: “Come Home.”
This is more than mere marketing. At REA India, part of a global digital property group with over 1,600 employees, the home metaphor permeates every aspect of corporate life. “Our EVP reflects a deep sense of belonging and trust,” explains Rohit Hasteer, the company’s chief human resources officer. “It’s about making employees feel like part of a family where their growth and aspirations truly matter.”
The approach begins before employees even start work. New hires are welcomed with a carefully orchestrated 90-day onboarding programme that emphasises cultural integration as much as operational competency. A values workshop introduces them to corporate behaviours that, unusually for such exercises, appear to be actually lived rather than merely laminated.
Consider the company’s “Auto-Valuography” initiative, where employees share stories about putting corporate values into practice. “Each year, we receive over 300 stories showcasing how our values influence decision-making, teamwork, and personal growth,” says Hasteer. Winners receive recognition from the chief executive, lending weight to what might otherwise be dismissed as corporate theatre.
“Our EVP reflects a deep sense of belonging and trust. It’s about making employees feel like part of a family where their growth and aspirations truly matter.”
Rohit Hasteer, chief human resources officer, REA India
The company’s hybrid work model reflects a sophisticated understanding of flexibility. Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, REA India tailors working arrangements to specific roles. Sales teams enjoy on-the-road flexibility with performance incentives, while technology teams focus on innovation through remote setups. Biannual offsite meetings ensure that flexibility doesn’t come at the cost of collaboration.
Communication, often the first casualty of remote work, receives particular attention. “We believe over-communication is better than under-communication,” Hasteer notes. The usual suspects of corporate communication—Zoom, Slack, and Google Meet—are supplemented by more intimate forums. “Unfiltered Sessions” with senior leaders and “Feel-at-Home” one-on-one interactions create space for genuine dialogue.
Professional development takes an equally personalised approach. The company’s talent management framework has evolved beyond leadership training to encompass the broader workforce. Individual Development Plans are crafted using psychometric tools and multi-stakeholder feedback, offering what Hasteer calls a “360-degree view” of each employee’s potential.
Notably, the company has abandoned numerical performance ratings in favour of narrative feedback. “Numbers like ‘3 out of 5’ don’t provide actionable insights,” explains Hasteer. “We’ve moved to a comments-based mechanism, which offers specific guidance on areas of improvement.”
Recognition programmes, often perfunctory in corporate settings, have been reimagined. Quarterly “Shout-Out Sessions” celebrate achievements, while peer-to-peer acknowledgments tie appreciation to corporate values. The effect is to create what anthropologists might call a gift economy within the corporate structure—a web of reciprocal recognition that strengthens social bonds.
The impact is perhaps best illustrated by an anecdote Hasteer shares about a senior leader who joined during the pandemic. Initially skeptical about cultural alignment in a remote setting, they not only integrated successfully but became a driving force for organisational change. It’s the kind of conversion story that corporate culture consultants dream about.
As the nature of work continues to evolve, REA India’s experiment offers intriguing lessons. In an age of digital nomads and virtual offices, the company suggests that corporate belonging need not be casualties of flexibility. Sometimes, it seems, you can go home to work.
The approach isn’t without risk. Creating genuine belonging requires sustained effort and investment. Yet in a world where talent is increasingly mobile and discerning, REA India’s bet on belonging may prove prescient. After all, as any estate agent will tell you, home is where the heart is—and increasingly, where the work is too.
1 Comment
“This article beautifully highlights REA India’s efforts to create a workplace that feels like home. Prioritizing employee well-being and fostering a sense of belonging is truly commendable. Such innovative initiatives set a benchmark for workplace culture, inspiring other organizations to reimagine employee engagement. Kudos to REA India for leading by example!”