- Procter & Gamble (P&G) India has recently built a task force of trained mental health first aiders at its workplace.
- It has also started a 24*7 helpline and a mental health assistance program for its employees and their family members.
According to a 2020 survey by The7thFold, 36% of Indian employees are suffering from mental health issues, specifically after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also mentioned the importance of providing mental health support at workplaces.
Procter & Gamble (P&G) India has recently built a task force of trained mental health first aiders at its workplace. The company’s primary aim is to provide support to its employees, assist those who are experiencing any kind of mental health problem, and also guide them on how they can seek professional help, as mentioned in The Economic Times.
The task force is created with some first aiders who are also the company’s own employees from various workgroups who are trained and certified by Mental Health First Aid (India). “In the new normal, we realize that the employers play a pivotal role in an individual’s health and well-being needs, now more than ever. We are building mental health as an important aspect of our overall employee well-being program,” said HR Head of P&G (Indian sub-continent) PM Srinivas.
The mental health first aiders of P&G will play an active role as the first line of response. They are also properly equipped to identify the signs and symptoms of different mental health issues. Similarly, they are trained to initiate supportive conversations with the employees, spread mental health awareness among them, and foster a safe environment at the workplace.
“We want to create an open and supportive environment at P&G where our employees can freely talk about mental health and seek support. Getting our first batch of certified mental health first aiders is a step in that direction,” Srinivas added further.
Though P&G India currently has one mental health first aider for each workgroup, the authority is planning to expand their initiative in the future by training more employees who are expected to be certified in subsequent batches.
However, the company has also started a 24*7 helpline and an assistance program for its employees and also their family members who can seek support regarding their mental wellbeing. P&G India also organizes workshops where it invites mental health experts to support the first aiders.
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that it is very important for every workplace to promote mental health and support employees with psychological issues as it helps to reduce absenteeism, provide benefits from associated economic gains, and increase overall productivity.