Docs, entrepreneurs discuss Covid impact on workplaces, employees

Experts from various fields shared their concerns about the effect of Covid-19 pandemic on workplaces and ways to bounce back, an a webinar organised by Deccan Herald Brandspot in collaboration with Manipal hospital, Whitefield, Bengaluru, on Saturday.

Doctors from the hospital and entrepreneurs shared their thoughts about isolation of employees last year and how a series of online activities have been tried at workplaces to bring people closer.

Dr Abhinav Raina, Consultant, Neurology, Manipal Hospital, Whitefield, spoke about how long working hours from home has pushed the people further into a sedentary lifestyle increasing their propensity for non-communicable diseases.

“Working behind a desk for long hours has increased stress, anxiety, substance abuse, alcohol intake, and drug abuse. We also have people suffering from back aches, neck aches, leg aches and spondylitis. People have become obese. There is lack of exercise with closure of gyms. Hospitals are flooded with such cases of non-communicable diseases,” he said.

Dr Sheetal Chaurasia, Consultant, Pulmonary Medicine, Manipal Hospital, Whitefield, said, “Health-seeking behaviour has reduced during the pandemic. Due to the lack of follow-ups and physical examination, those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases have discontinued medicines. They are getting admitted in ICUs in severe condition.”

Ankit Maheshwari, Senior Director, Finance and Centre Head, Capgemini Technology Services India Ltd, said, “With 1.5 lakh people across 10 cities in India, we try fun activities and motivation calls with employees over video calls, podcasts and sharing best practices sessions. We have counselling sessions for stress management, mental health, webinars and seminars multiple times a day. There is guided meditation, singing and dancing to beat Monday morning blues.”

Divya Kumar, Global Digital CFO and Chief Data Officer, IKEA Retail, said, the pandemic had brought its own set of problems, especially for women, as the support systems they count on no longer existed.

“Be it cooks or nannies, they act as support pillars that allow women to juggle between work and home. Now with the elderly who are vulnerable to Covid at home, these support systems stopped coming home in order to avoid posing a risk of infection. With cooking, cleaning, and children, there is hardly any ‘me’ time left for women. We have these virtual ‘breakout rooms’ where we just ask each other how we’re doing,” she said.