Corporates focus on mental health

Counselling sessions, virtual workouts and trivia nights are ways in which companies are trying to help their employees

Many companies in Bengaluru, recognising their role in the emotional wellbeing of their employees, are starting to step up.

Assocham reports that 42.5 per cent of Indian corporate employees suffer from depression or generalised anxiety disorder.

They have also reported that 46 per cent of the Indian workforce suffers from some or the other form of stress. The pandemic and the work from home situation has only worsened the situation.

Akash Gehani, co-founder and COO, Instamojo, says that lack of face-to-face interaction has led to feelings of isolation and creates barriers in interpersonal relationships. Due to this, many are providing a slew of mental health benefits, but this is not enough.

“Candid discussions about mental health are necessary in the workplace. The leadership team plays a vital role in making room for such conversations. They should not only be initiated at employee levels, but at all levels, starting from the top management,” he says.

MFine, an AI-powered healthcare platform, provides corporate healthcare packages to companies. Ashutosh Lawania, co-founder, says that while the effect of the pandemic varies from person-to-person, the rising number of cases and the uncertainty around economies and jobs, has taken a toll on the mental health of many. "Corporates need to be more open and
approachable about any conversation around mental health. This requires a concentrated effort from the corporates to create awareness through online workshops and seminars. Employees need to be adequately supported with suitable consultation and counselling from certified mental health professionals," he says. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a steady rise in the demand for inclusion of psychology and psychiatry in their online consultation plans for corporates.

Gopi Krishnaswamy, mindfulness coach and regional lead at Google’s Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI), an interactive program to teach practical mindfulness, emotional intelligence and leadership tools to organisations and individuals, says, that while the concept of providing mental health support is not entirely new, it has certainly achieved broader and sharper focus during the pandemic.

“There has been a rise in employees experiencing burnout. Additionally, work from home has eliminated natural support systems which existed in the form of chai/coffee breaks, team lunches, etc,” says Richa Singh, co-founder and CEO of YourDOST, an online emotional wellness platform.

There is an ingrained fear of losing one’s job if the employer finds out about a person’s mental health struggle, as a result of the stigma around these topics. “When a person’s company itself starts communicating the importance of mental health in a regular manner and starts encouraging one to seek professional support when in need, it goes a long way in assuaging this fear and thus more employees become receptive to getting help,” explains Richa.

It also removes the worry about figuring out the logistics of booking a session. “In many ways it also allows them to try it out and see how it works for them rather than making a commitment that they feel they can’t back out of,” says Aakriti Joanna, founder and CEO at Kaha Mind, a mental health platform that provides therapy for individuals as well as organisations.

When companies opt to provide support, they also mitigate the cost factor which deters people from availing the needed help, she adds. A common fear is that when the company provides the support, they would be expected to share only work-related issues, or that it could somehow impact their work. That is not the case, says Ashutosh. When the support is provided by the company, it gives employees the confidence that in the perception that the management and colleagues have towards mental health, making it easier for them to discuss their issues.

Counselling services

Tying up with mental health experts is a common mode companies are following. Salesforce India Pvt Ltd, Challaghatta has tied up with Thriving Mind — a platform created by Thrive Global and Stanford Medicine to offer companies mental wellbeing expertise. The argument that most companies make is that by allowing room for employees to focus on their mental health, it allows individuals to be more available, productive, and happier. The service is available for both, employees and their immediate families, says Deepa Narayan, senior director.

Better morale

Other companies are focusing on keeping the morale up by focusing on the holistic wellbeing of the customers. Prione & Cloudtail, along with counselling sessions, offers virtual workout classes for employees and their family members as well online camps and activities for kids of employees.

Smita Biswas, service associate, says that the virtual workout program has helped her have some fun. The sessions are interactive and conducted in a group, allowing team members to also interact with each other in a non-professional environment.

Game time

Trivia nights, weekly quizzes and game nights are other common practices used by these companies. The idea is to allow interpersonal relations to continue to thrive, allowing room for fun and interactions.

Covid-support

Since the greatest point of concern for most is the pandemic, many companies are offering support geared towards this. Unacademy launched UCARE, an initiative to provide Covid-19 related relief, such as special leave for those testing positive, or home quarantine, to all its employees and their dependents. They have also launched an ‘Employee Assistance Program’, where a 24/7 counselling helpline is being made available to all employees.