How Companies Like Microsoft, P&G And Deloitte Are Addressing The Issue Of Mental Well-Being Of Their Employees During Lock Down

Given the current situation of the pandemic, the growing concern is the mental health of the employee. In the Trends to Watch Out in 2020, employee’s mental health was marked as one of the most important trends to watch out for.

To address this, several companies are reaching out to various counselors and psychiatrists to help their employees who are stressed about working from home, as the lockdown period takes a toll on their emotional well-being.

Companies such as P&G, Deloitte, and Microsoft are among the ones that have sought assistance to help their employees after the Prime Minister announced the extended three weeks of lockdown. P&G has been hosting webinars that invite experts to help the employees for mental and emotional well being.

“For our company, mental health is an important part of the overall well-being of our employees and has been our topmost priority, and now even more so given these unprecedented times. We have also enabled a 24x7 helpline which is available not only for our employees but also their family members who wish to seek assistance on mental wellbeing or on issues pertaning to stress and anxiety” said Srinivas PM, Head of Human Resources, P&G Indian Subcontinent

Microsoft regularly invites experts who have conversations with managers as well as the employees on the importance of mental wellbeing amidst the changing dynamics of the world, understanding COVID-19 and giving guidance on self-care and working in a virtual world.

“Humans by their innate nature are hard-wired for connections. So, given the circumstances, where the work is increasingly becoming more and more remote, we at Microsoft been working on a technology that bridges the gap between the physical and the digital world,” said Ms. Ira Gupta, Head of HR, Microsoft India

On the other hand, Deloitte has set up a helpline number that enables the HR to call the employees regularly, and in cases, they feel an expert is needed, the employee is referred to a counselor.

“We are in those times where global coporation and leadership have added social, cultural and environmental responsibilities as a part of their mandates,” said Suzanne Kunkel, Chief Marketing Officer, Deloitte

It is something the employees want and has increasingly become something they expect too from the companies.

As COVID-19 is changing the norms of the workplace, pushing for a responsible leadership isn’t a new thing; it presents with it an opportunity to reassess the priorities in the bigger picture.