At most firms, employee wellness is little more than a tick-box exercise: the annual health camp, a sporadic meditation session, perhaps a fruit basket in the pantry. Future Generali Life Insurance, however, has taken a fundamentally different approach. Rather than relegating wellbeing to an afterthought, the Indian insurer has embedded it into the very architecture of its organisational culture.
“Our aim is to actively protect and enhance people’s lives, and that includes our employees,” says Reena Tyagi, CHRO, Future Generali Life. “It’s not an activity we do—it’s one of our key pillars.”
In a post-pandemic corporate landscape, where talent retention has become increasingly challenging, the insurer’s philosophy offers a compelling case study in meaningful workplace transformation. While many organisations rushed to implement superficial wellness initiatives as Covid-19 receded, Future Generali Life had already built a foundation of employee care that proved remarkably resilient during the crisis.
“Our aim is to actively protect and enhance people’s lives, and that includes our employees. It’s not an activity we do—it’s one of our key pillars.”
Reena Tyagi, CHRO, Future Generali Life
At the heart of this approach sits We-Care, the company’s comprehensive wellbeing framework. Unlike the fragmented wellness programmes common in the industry, We-Care integrates physical, mental, emotional and financial support into a coherent ecosystem. What distinguishes the programme is not merely its breadth but its depth—employees actively engage with and advocate for these resources, suggesting a rare cultural alignment between corporate intentions and employee experience.
“The change in how employees are now opening up and using mental-health resources is phenomenal,” Tyagi notes. “That tells us they feel safe.”
This safety manifests in unexpected ways. Consider the company’s support for employees with children who have special needs. Beyond standard insurance coverage, Future Generali offers specific reimbursement policies that acknowledge the additional financial burden these families shoulder. Similarly, sports scholarships for employees’ children extend the definition of corporate care beyond the office walls.
Even seemingly modest adjustments can signal significant cultural shifts. The company’s decision to increase paternity leave to 10 working days, while incremental in absolute terms, represents a progressive stance in India, where paternal involvement in early childcare remains limited by both policy and custom.
Crucially, Future Generali Life has rejected the false dichotomy between employee wellbeing and professional development. Through its continuous learning programme, the firm reimburses employees for upskilling initiatives—whether directly relevant to their current roles or aligned with future aspirations. “When someone wants to learn and grow, we support them,” Tyagi explains. “We care about their long-term potential, not just their current role.”
This perspective has yielded particular dividends in the realm of mental health—historically a taboo subject in Indian corporate environments. Psychological counselling services and medical teleconsultations are not merely available but accessible, regularly communicated and increasingly utilised. The normalisation of mental health support represents a notable achievement in a market where such conversations were virtually non-existent just half a decade ago.
Perhaps most distinctive is how Future Generali Life extends its internal ethos into external impact through “The Human Safety Net” initiative. This employee-driven programme includes distributing sanitary products to underprivileged women and conducting nutrition workshops for low-income mothers. Employees don’t merely donate funds; they participate directly—cooking, teaching and engaging with community members.
“In a world that often separates professional and personal selves, this model allows employees to feel their humanity more deeply, and express it through meaningful action,” Tyagi observes.
What distinguishes Future Generali Life’s approach is its rhythmic quality—wellness permeates daily operations rather than appearing as periodic interventions. From eye examinations and bone-health assessments to yoga sessions and cancer awareness programmes, the company crafts offerings informed by data and employee feedback rather than corporate fashion.
Notably, these benefits are democratised across the organisation, available regardless of seniority or location. This universal accessibility has contributed to rising participation rates that reflect not only the utility of specific programmes but their cultural relevance.
Even in training—often the most prosaic aspect of corporate life—Future Generali Life applies a philosophical consistency. Safety instruction is framed not as mere compliance but as care; stress management workshops are presented as mutual investments rather than remedial interventions. The underlying message remains constant: “We care for you so you can care for others.”
This consistency extends to physical safety protocols and emotionally safe spaces where employees can speak candidly. The comprehensive focus creates an environment where wellness is neither a luxury nor an emergency measure but an integral component of organisational identity.
Tyagi articulates the vision directly: the goal isn’t simply productivity but human fulfilment. “They should feel valued, excited to come to work, and able to give more than 100 per cent—but not out of fear or obligation but out of a sense of mutual respect.”
In an industry fixated on quantifiable returns, Future Generali Life’s approach represents a meaningful counterpoint—a recognition that the most substantive organisational assets may be those least easily measured on quarterly statements. While competitors might view employee wellness primarily through the lens of absenteeism reduction or productivity enhancement, Future Generali Life has positioned it as fundamental to corporate character.
The result is a quiet revolution unfolding across the organisation, reshaping its culture one policy, one conversation and one act of care at a time. In the insurance business, where calculating risk is paramount, Future Generali Life has made perhaps its most astute assessment: that investing in human dignity yields the most sustainable returns of all.
The organisation also commemorates ‘World Day for Safety and Health at Work,’ using it as a reminder and a reinforcement of its unwavering focus on creating a safe, healthy, and thriving workplace for all.
1 Comment
Thanks.. This is a compelling read.