Driving Monu'mental' Change, One Employee at a Time

Discussions with my colleagues and peers over the last few weeks, confirmed that as we navigate this unprecedented human crisis, we need to pay special attention to some communities. While the pandemic effects everyone, its fluid nature puts certain communities at greater risk, such as people with mental health issues. Data from the Indian Psychiatry Society shows within the very first week of the lockdown reports of mental health issues grew by 20 percent, the prolonged physical isolation is likely to have made it worse.

While the current crisis has put a spotlight on mental health issues, the challenge isn’t new. In 2017, one in seven Indians had mental disorders as defined by medical journal Lancet, and WHO predicts this number will increase to one in five people by the end of this year. It is a national issue that requires our collective efforts, and businesses can make a big impact, especially as an estimated 40 percent of private sector employees suffer from some form of the issue. 

There are varying interventions that organizations can make. One of these is to expand the scope of their inclusion initiatives by allowing people to be authentic at work. Recognizing that people are multi-dimensional, and that their roles outside the workplace – as parents, children, siblings, friends, and members of the larger community bear on their attitudes and abilities. Embracing the plurality of their perspectives and enabling people to bring their whole selves to work can build a strong sense of empowerment, impacting not just their overall well-being but their performance too. 

Yet to get there, organizations need to first remove the stigma associated with mental health. We need to be less Ostrich like in dealing with this issue – raising our heads to spot and understand the dangers around us. Deliberate efforts are needed to educate people and to generate awareness, so people accept their own challenges, and are also more accepting of those facing similar issues. A structured approach to encouraging open conversations, ensuring visible support of leaders, and enabling a network of advocates or ‘culture makers,’ are simple building blocks that can ensure we are better prepared to identify and curb mental health issues. As always, technology can provide a helping hand – especially considering that we have a dearth of mental health professional in the country.

At Accenture for example, we used all of these strategies as we expanded our diversity lens to include those with mental health issues. Today we have thousands of people across India who are actively engaged as mental wellness advocates – helping their colleagues cope with large and small issues. Our employee assistance program includes free counselling and a 24X7 helpline, and we’re also using artificial intelligence to provide people with a safe and private way of embarking on their mental wellness journeys.

In the current chaos, it’s very easy to ignore suffering, which is hard to recognize even on a normal day. Yet there has never been a better time to empathize with people with mental illness as all of us grapple with health and safety fears, and pressures of balancing the demands of work and home.