HCL Technologies last year engaged a leading EAP provider, PPC UK Ltd, for its work-life balance programme called MITR. PPC has a team of in-house experts comprising psychologists and a network of affiliates, including practising clinical psychologists, counsellors and psychiatrists. The telephonic helpline service is available 24 hours, all year round. The issues covered under the programme include relationship problems, dealing with difficult situations, adapting to a new work or social environment, substance-related disorders, abuse or neglect, examination stress, and anxiety.
PepsiCo and HCL Technologies are not alone. There are other companies, such as Essar Group, Johnson and Johnson, JPMorgan Chase and Co., Dow Chemical Co., Credit Suisse, Merrill Lynch and Co. Inc., Freescale Semiconductor India Pvt. Ltd and Computer Sciences Corp. India Pvt. Ltd, that have engaged professionals to help employees manage stress.
The service providers hired by organizations range from companies present in multiple geographies, including the UK-based ICAS International Holdings Ltd, the US-based PPC Worldwide and HDAP, to home-grown companies such as Bangalore-based firm 1to1help.net Pvt. Ltd, and New Delhi-based Empower and SantulanEAP.
Company investments on EAP programmes can vary from Rs350-450 per employee annually for a basic programme —which includes numerous email and telephone consultations and around five face-to-face sessions—to Rs750-1,000 per employee annually for an advanced programme that includes outplacement consultation for employees to deal with stress related to layoffs and services provided to employees at critical times (for example, stress debriefing sessions in the event of deaths and accidents).
“We see an upward trend of Indian companies wanting to provide work-life coaching services for their employees,” says Geeta Chaturvedi, regional manager, Human Dynamic India Pvt. Ltd. “Since 2003, Human Dynamic has seen increasing demand for its services in India due to growing needs,” she adds. Human Dynamic reaches out to over 70,000 people—employees and their families—in India.
Explaining the need for work-life programmes, HR managers say organizations that are low on energy cannot have a competitive advantage. Therefore, it is important to have an energized workforce. “Organizations need to realize that employees become more productive and remain motivated when employers allow them to have a life beyond work,” says Prabir Jha, global head of HR at Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd.
Adil Malia, group president of HR at Essar Group, says: “Work is a reality of modern life, and quality of life is the purpose of living. What we need to do is help employees strike a balance between purpose and reality.” Robust work-life programmes have a positive impact on employee morale and lead to better employee engagement, lower attrition and enhanced productivity, adds Malia.
At the steel and logistics company, two teams work on work-life initiatives that aim at building communities around hobbies, interests, lifestyle and leisure activities, or CHILL. Currently, around 40% of Essar’s more than 3,000 employees in Mumbai are availing of counselling services.
While HR managers are united on the business imperative of promoting work-life balance, not everyone is in agreement on the need for work-life coaching by a service provider.