Corporates engaging counsellors to help remote staff

The three-week long lockdown in India has forced most corporate employees to work from home. While this itself is difficult for some to come to terms with, especially the younger lot, maintaining social distancing is an additional challenge. All of this is reportedly causing a lot of distress to employees, leading organisations to engage counsellors to help their staff through this lockdown period.

Many organisations, including big names, such as Microsoft, Proctor & Gamble (P&G) and Deloitte have already engaged professionals to guide their workforce through these difficult times, and help them deal with the emotional distress caused by social distancing.

It is learned that it is the younger members of the workforce who are unable to deal with social distancing and find it difficult to cope with the enforced work from home culture. Organisations wish to protect their millennial workforce from going into depression or suffering mentally, in any form.

Therefore, they are looking to counsellors and experts to help them get through this crisis and maintain their focus on work, even at home.

It is reported that the counsellors employed by Microsoft are expected to communicate with both managers and employees to drive home the significance of emotional wellbeing in these challenging times. They are entrusted with the task of explaining to the staff the dangers of COVID-19 and ways for self-protection.

While experts are guiding employees through web seminars at P&G, a helpline has been set up by Deloitte for employees who seek counselling. Human resource personnel also make it a point to interact with employees regularly so that they are able to sense any emotional disturbance. Those who appear to be in need of help are immediately taken to the counsellor.