Do all\u00a0disasters provide early warning signs? \u00a0Well this seems to\u00a0be one and hopefully, you will take note and do something\u00a0about this before it is too late – for yourself\u00a0and your organization.<\/p>\n
When I look around to those working in the corporate world in India, the level of ‘busyness’ and stress seem very visible. \u00a0I see people working very long hours,\u00a0through\u00a0lots of pressure which seeps into personal lives, stretching themselves with very little exercise time, quality reflection time with themselves or their family or friends. \u00a0You might say this is\u00a0a sign of a developing economy, ambition and need for growth.<\/p>\n
Are we in the east following the west, in a crazy pursuit of development, sacrificing core personal value systems and \u00a0basic health along the way? Has employee wellbeing taken a back seat? Ironically, the western world considers the\u00a0topic important nowadays.<\/p>\n
This post might hold a biased perspective towards the IT or ITES sectors (Information Technology\/Information Technology Enabled Service) as the majority of my first level connections in India work there. \u00a0A 2012 article<\/a> in the New India Express highlighted some disturbing health trends and activities in India Inc. \u00a0Another article<\/a> suggested that 30 to 40% of corporate India suffer from stress related disorders. \u00a0Multiple studies, including this one<\/a>\u00a0relates to health issues and concerns in\u00a0call centers. \u00a0According to a 2014 article<\/a>, the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) latest study on \u201cMultitasking Seriously Affecting corporate Women’s Health\u201d, reveals that 78% of working women surveyed in the age bracket of 32-58 years were found to be afflicted with lifestyle, chronic and acute ailments such as obesity, depression, chronic backache, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart, kidney disease etc. \u00a0I found an interesting\u00a0blog post<\/a>\u00a0with statistics and trends discussing\u00a0increasing divorce rates in the IT industry.<\/p>\n The warning signs are appearing in front of us as well in various forms. \u00a0It’s shocking\u00a0to hear about early heart attacks,\u00a0major health issues and even death of twenty\/thirty year old young professionals. \u00a0 These were unheard of, especially among our first level network and extremely rare in the past. \u00a0The rise of sedentary lifestyle, stress, extreme working hours, increased commuting time, hyper connectivity through smart devices and food habits seem to play key roles. \u00a0Many parents feel that they are not able to find quality\u00a0time with their kids and also with their partners, especially when both work.<\/p>\n It would be worthwhile for organizations to\u00a0take valuable initiative to support their employees’ wellbeing.<\/p>\n In financial terms, many companies in the western world discovered this\u00a0over time – rising healthcare costs start taking a heavy toll once a critical mass is reached with mounting health issues (even if you don’t consider the hidden costs like lost productivity, focus etc.). \u00a0As the healthcare and insurance costs increase, it will require a heavy investment on prevention initiatives. \u00a0Does anyone foresee healthcare costs in India going down in the near future?<\/p>\n If human capital falls among your top three organizational assets, then how important would the health of your major asset be for your success?<\/p>\n An ex-colleague\/occupational health expert in Nokia used to tell me that the\u00a0key factor to note about employee wellbeing area is that it goes beyond occupational health services, health centers, exercising, physical\/mental activities and food habits. \u00a0It is very important to look at the total\u00a0picture that includes and prioritizes healthy work practices, leadership\/management\/team practices and day to day work environment.<\/p>\n There are also local environmental and cultural factors to recognize, while introducing organizational initiatives. \u00a0I heard recently from a friend in\u00a0a respected\u00a0organization that introduced therapy support services for its employee population, recognizing support in a high stress environment. \u00a0Most people stayed away from the service due to the social stigma attached to the word, ‘therapy’.<\/p>\n International experts have noted<\/a> that there is an urgent need in India to introduce a comprehensive Occupational Health and Safety Act in line with many industrialized countries. \u00a0The laws are\u00a0\u00a0only\u00a0an important starting point. \u00a0These efforts have\u00a0to extend beyond the blue collar world, covering the entire workforce and could\u00a0also be spearheaded by leading industry organizations like Nasscom. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For a leader, an organization or you as an individual, it is worthwhile to put health and wellbeing on your agenda for various reasons. \u00a0As we all know, the better we feel physically and emotionally, the higher the probability of impactful\u00a0output in terms of energy, idea and results.<\/p>\n What are few basic things that organizations and leaders could do?<\/p>\n Generally, initiatives in this space seem to need a lot more support and sponsorship as the effectiveness is questioned by many non believers. \u00a0In reality, many individuals feel that employees are treated as commodities or quickly replaceable objects (reflection of bad leadership & management). \u00a0When the healthcare numbers start hitting a critical mass, companies will be forced to act for purely financial reasons. \u00a0There are great opportunities for organizations\u00a0and leaders who\u00a0want to stand out from the rest of the crowd, proactively work\u00a0on this topic and show that they truly care about their major asset, in a sustainable manner.<\/p>\n At a personal level for yourself and your family, I pray that you will not\u00a0wait for your company to take initiative\u00a0or introduce necessary\u00a0changes in your lives that are in your control. \u00a0You would know them in your mind but may not have acted due to being busy or for other reasons. \u00a0If not, please find time with a credible connection to reflect and clarify your priorities. \u00a0Do influence your employer and relevant\u00a0groups wherever possible, to help build a supportive environment. \u00a0We cannot ignore that fact that most of our time awake will be at work and even small changes there could have a big impact on life.<\/p>\n More research and focused actions are\u00a0needed on this topic in India. \u00a0Let us please lose sight of this important topic. \u00a0Would you agree?<\/p>\n\n