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Sheree Gomes Gupta profile imageSheree Gomes Gupta & Sheree Gomes Gupta

Does your company care about your mental health?

Does your company care about your mental health?

To ensure survival, organisations now have to make mental health of their employees a priority

In 2005, I was a new mum rejoining the workforce after a year-long maternity break whilst still battling a severe case of postpartum depression. It was also the year of the paralysing Mumbai floods that led to 24-hours of trauma for office-goers either stuck in public and private transport on flooded roads without network or wading through filthy, neck-high deep water in an attempt to reach home. The next day, it was back to the office as usual. There were no HR calls to check in on employees’ mental or physical health. Neither was it expected. The concept of employee wellness in a country that is still reluctant to normalise mental health issues was non-existent.Fast-forward to 2021. We’re almost two years into the pandemic, and the stakes are much higher. Amid the disruption and trauma, organisations quickly realise the direct link between the mental health of their employees and the impact on productivity and, ultimately, business. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many have introduced employee-friendly initiatives that include no-questions-asked mental health leaves, counselling sessions and social activities.

“PUT YOUR EMPLOYEE AT THE CENTRE OF THE COMPANY—TEAM LEADERS AND EMPLOYERS NEED TO HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF GIVING BACK.”

Shwetambara Sabharwal

Changing work cultures

Among those taking the lead in corporate India is Neerja Birla’s Aditya Birla Education Trust, which incidentally already had a mental health policy in place for its employees since its inception. Various methods have been adopted to tackle mental health, including informal coffee evenings, encouraging employees to mingle and communicate in a non-professional environment, and workshops related to yoga, meditation, mandala art, cooking etc. “The pandemic has been tough on all of us, especially for those who have lost their kith and kin. To help mitigate the pain, we’ve now created virtual support groups to help with grief and bereavement, in addition to extended bereavement leaves and support at work once they resume,” says Amruta Mane, AVP – human resources, Aditya Birla Education Trust.

Interestingly, while 2020 saw many layoffs, employees are now leaving their jobs mainly due to stress and burnout. Tata Cliq is among the few companies that have held on to its workforce and expanded it. One of the main reasons for this is its robust Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). “Our colleagues are now able to access a plethora of services, from mental health awareness tests to check their mental health scores to availing one-on-one counselling services from experienced, professional counsellors,” says Behram R Sabawala, chief people officer (CPO), Tata UniStore Limited,

Employees are now leaving their jobs mainly due to stress and burnout. Image: Getty

Employees are now leaving their jobs mainly due to stress and burnout.

Image: Getty

WHO stated that India's mental health workforce is not up to the mark. Image: Getty

WHO stated that India's mental health workforce is not up to the mark.

Image: Getty

"WE SAW AN INCREASE IN ATTRITION AND REALISED PEOPLE WERE EXHAUSTED AND JUST LEAVING THE PROFESSION DUE TO STRESS AND BURNOUT."

Rabindra Jhunjhunwala

Since last year, the company has doubled down on all its existing wellness measures, adding ‘No Meeting Wednesdays’ (yes, the endless Zoom calls lead to fatigue), COVID-19 leaves (21 days of medical leave once you test positive), the ‘Visit’ app that drives a plethora of wellbeing services and an unlimited paid-time-off policy. “It is ultimately all about autonomy, the right of self-government. People respond amazingly to being trusted, and we are no exception,” says Sabawala.

Several other organisations have adopted similar initiatives. Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel exhibited a quick response with its ‘Be-Well’ programme that focused on wellness. Waterfield Advisors sanctioned ‘flexi-time’ to ensure that employees working from home can maintain a work-life balance and deliver as per productivity norms. Those like Dextrus have been organising weekly social meets and covering transport costs to the office to ease financial stressors.

Using digital technology to support employees’ mental health

Statistics shared by Rajan Navani, vice chairman & managing director, JetSynthesys and Founder, ThinkRight.me—an 'emotional wellness' app—confirm the need for India Inc. to continue making the mental health of its workers a priority and also provide them with effective tools to help them cope. The app, which offers meditation sessions, mindfulness techniques and positive affirmations, witnessed an 80 per cent increase in installations during the first wave of the pandemic. “We’ve observed around 90 per cent growth in installs among 35-45-year-old professionals,” informs Navani.
The challenges since COVID-19 have also had a trickle-down effect. Khaitan & Co’s Member Assistance Programme with Optum, in operation since 2018, saw a drastic increase in not just members availing its services that included counselling sessions via the Livewell app and grief workshops, but also dependents since the pandemic hit. In 2020, 92 per cent of users were firm members, and eight per cent were dependents in the total users. In 2021, 89 per cent of users so far are firm members, and 11 per cent are dependents. “The last one and a half years have been particularly challenging. We saw an increase in attrition and realised people were exhausted and just leaving the profession due to stress and burnout. Adding to this was the feeling of being cooped up at home with limited social connect and juggling responsibilities of children and home in addition to regular office work,” says Rabindra Jhunjhunwala, partner, Khaitan & Co.


The organisation introduced many initiatives to open dialogue between teams to combat this, creating a more psychologically safe space for everyone. “Members started sharing a lot more, making it easier for the firm to understand their needs, adapt and provide for accordingly. Our people are our asset, and these past months have made us realise the importance of mental health a lot more,” he adds.

The World Health Organisation has estimated that the economic loss due to mental health conditions between 2012-2030 is $1.03 trillion in India

The World Health Organisation has estimated that the economic loss due to mental health conditions between 2012-2030 is $1.03 trillion in India

Survival of the fittest

Corporate India has undoubtedly stepped up, with many companies providing resources and services to ensure their workers get the right help. But is enough being done? The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently stated that the mental health workforce in India is not up to the mark. There is a massive shortage of psychiatrists and psychologists in the country compared to the number of people suffering from mental health issues. The organisation also estimated that the economic loss due to mental health conditions between 2012-2030 is $1.03 trillion in India.

According to psychologist, mental health advocate and columnist Shwetambara Sabharwal, a change in mindset is imperative. During the last year, she has worked with several leading Indian companies, including EY, Borosil and Dr Reddys, to help their employees via workshops, webinars and personal counselling. “A culture of collaboration and compassion is the only way forward for corporate success or even survival. Put your employee as the centre of the company—team leaders and employers need to have an attitude of giving back, not just taking/owning/ being entitled. Invest in creating awareness and equip the workforce with coping strategies to use in daily life to cope as well as in a crisis,” she says.

In October, LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, released disturbing survey findings conducted this year. Employed professionals cited ‘balancing work with personal needs’ (34 per cent), ‘not making enough money’ (32 per cent) and ‘slow career advancement’ (25 per cent) as the top work stressors. The report was clear that the gap between what employees need and what employees need to cope with the pressure is still too wide. Given that the hybrid work model is here to stay, creating a culture that encourages work-life balance and prioritises the wellbeing of its workforce is no longer an option. For businesses to pull through and economics to survive, corporate India needs to be flexible, supportive and inclusive. Best practices now need to include the mental health of employees as well.

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