Mental Health, Initiatives By GAR Conducive Workplaces (Part 2)
At GAR, we have various mental health workshops, training, and individual sessions with clinical psychologists for better awareness of mental health. And we believe this will lead to less absenteeism and greater productivity. A depressed employee may be present but not fully engaged with work. Such a state, called presenteeism, is equally bad.
Globally, mental health issues have affected at least 8 to 10% more people since the onset of the pandemic. It is depressing that, according to a global report, India may rank first in reporting the number of mental disorder cases. According to the report, 18% of worldwide depression cases are from India. Another survey of 200,000 professionals conducted in India showed that about 100,000 are suffering from extreme work-related stress. Trillions of dollars go down the drain each year if we calculate the lost productive hours.
The Lancet found alarming results as per a new study published in its issue dated October 08, 2021, titled, “Global prevalence and burden of depressive and anxiety disorders in 204 countries and territories in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic”. It estimated that an additional 53·2 million cases of major depressive disorder were registered globally in 2020 due to the effects of COVID-19, an increase of 27·6% over pre-pandemic levels. Further, the study concluded that an additional 76·2 million cases of anxiety disorders in 2020 were due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase of 25·6% over pre-pandemic levels.
At GAR, we have put in place a mechanism to monitor employee engagement. Surveys show that the more an employee is engaged, the fewer chances are there for burnout. A well-engaged employee is positive, zealous, satisfied, and cheerful compared to a disengaged employee who gets stressed out, feels alienated, and ultimately gets burned out.
We, at GAR, work incessantly to take care of every aspect of our top management and employees. It helps to make our core business successful. Moreover, it ensures that the people-driven initiative does not die despite having a huge capital. It was thus imperative that we invest in the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of all our trusted partners. And towards this goal, we have initiated a few things like having a periodic Health Talk Series, Complete Health Check-up of all who are above 40-years of age, and laying emphasis on Mental Health and its Resolution by tying up with Manah Wellness. If desired, we are ready to extend this service to our clients and their employees plus visitors to our buildings. That way, we would give our clients much more than a space to operate their business.
As part of the Health Talk Series, the first Talk involved a renowned pulmonologist from AIG Hospital giving a virtual interactive talk to all the employees. Such informative Talks will be held regularly for our employees and will help them better understand their bodies and mind and how best to take care of them. It will also help them to pre-empt diseases in their infancy from developing into something much worse. We undertook a Full Body Check-up for all those above 40-yrs of age. This exercise has helped many know the status of their body and the health of their critical organs.
Pandemic has only exacerbated the ability to deal with stress, depression, and anxiety by an individual. And more people are complaining of these mental health issues. We have tied up with Manah Wellness to tackle these issues. Manah Wellness considers that the time for the well-being of an employee is now. Through their Counseling psychologists, they can help our employees manage their work-related stresses, pandemic-induced anxieties, professional growth apprehensions, relationship issues, and much more. After assessing the state of mental health, Manah Wellness can build much-needed resilience in our employees and give them long-term support, an essential post-assessment, and treatment step.
With this initiative, using coaching and psychological counseling, we aim to remove from the mind of an employee nervousness, mood disorders, and anxieties related to the imminent return to the workplace and subsequent concern about health and safety. Thus we are trying to help all our concerned partners to manage their stresses, apprehensions, and anxieties. In this regard, we have taken some innovative measures like creating at GAR Infobahn an ART Alley.
To enable the employees of GAR to reset their minds and relax, get energized, restore their focus, regain balance, and unwind blissfully, the fourteen beautifully painted and hung Shiva images in the help to have a sublime mindfulness exercise. Here, we have used God Shiva and his fire, enthusiasm, creativity, and spiritual bliss, to impart a calming influence through paintings. A walk in this Art Alley helps the person to lose himself to equanimity and regain positivity.
To conclude, we at GAR have embraced wholeheartedly the pandemic-induced opportunity to go the extra mile to ensure a mentally healthy workplace at all the GAR premises. Even if we were already taking steps to address mental health before the pandemic, we are taking more urgent steps that are innovative and practical. The pandemic, which has affected almost all, has normalized the mental health challenges worldwide. And there is a better appreciation of the same. Consequently, we have created a more inclusive work environment that cultivates a culture of bonhomie, acceptance, positive engagement, and deserved appreciation of individual achievements, pressures, and outputs. At GAR, we successfully managed to have a fair, equitable, and bias-free workplace as part of a diversity and inclusion strategy allowing each employee to be welcomed, respected, and treated fairly.
