This is an authored article by Rajiv Naithani, Chief People Officer, Infogain, that appeared in CXO Outlook on 28th October 2021. Click here to view the original article.
It has been over a year, and a half since the first confirmed case of Covid19 was reported in India. Since then, we have experienced two waves, where the second wave was devastating with a high number of cases and fatalities.
Amid all the uncertainty around the third wave with its health infrastructure situation, the country’s one silver lining is the increased vaccination drive.
The impact has been such that it has brought employee well-being to the forefront for the corporates, altering the way corporates have been operating. Corporates have become humane organizations, and for the first time in the employee benefits proposition, wellness and employee assistance plans have become the organizations’ key priorities.
Organizations that put the people at the very center of their business strategies will eventually be better than others from a mid-term to long-term journey perspective. The overall focus has been on the well-being of the employees from a physical, mental, emotional, and financial health perspective.
I believe this trend is here to stay, and companies will continue to improve their offerings.
Mental Health – Issues & Solutions:
There are various factors which have affected the mental well-being of the employees in recent times. Some of them are:
A recent study by Qualtrics on mental health revealed that nearly 70% of employees reported higher stress levels, and over 40% of remote works say their mental health has declined. Similarly, according to a study by payroll and HCM technology provider ADP, creating a safe home working environment and stress management were employees’ most significant challenges by around 12%, followed by maintaining productivity (9%) and building relationships (7%).
To assist employees in managing mental health, companies have started taking some of the measures to help employees manage their mental well-being better, and these are as follows:
In conclusion, I would say the most significant shift has been the way employees are treated now. Companies are putting the word “Human” back into Human Resources. Companies and their leadership have only become empathetic to employees’ needs and their overall well-being. This level of commitment to employees’ well-being was not seen earlier, and it is expected to continue for a longer time.
About the Author:
Rajiv Naithani, an expert on building resilient and high-performing cultures, is currently leading the people function at Infogain as Chief People Officer. Rajiv takes a human-centered philosophy to delivering employee experiences at scale, creating meaningful impact to employees in the US, India, UK, Poland, Singapore, and Middle East. Rajiv has played a transformative role throughout 16-plus years, enriching the people function in senior leadership roles at Dassault Systèmes, GlobalLogic, HCL, and Interglobe Technologies (IGT). Rajiv graduated from the Xavier School of Management (XLRI) and serves on the Board of Trustees at Pauri Garhwal Trust, dedicated to the development of underprivileged people in Uttarakhand State, India.