The Hindu Business Line : Counselling employees of India Inc, the Max way

Psychological welfare
The programme will merge organisational needs with interpersonal needs and even conduct audits at workplaces to evaluate psychological parameters of the office.

New Delhi March 16 Max Healthcare has decided to take its counsellors and psychiatrists to corporate houses.

"HR initiatives only look at the organisational perspective, but the well being of the workforce depends just as much on the individual's well being. And stress, from home or from the routine of work affects not just the individual, but the workplace in turn," says Dr Samir Parikh, consultant psychiatrist at Max Healthcare, who says that an increasing number of patients come to him for advise on career moves.

Stress is believed to cost US companies as much as $300 billion, with depression alone accounting for $44 billion. It is responsible for 40 per cent of employee turnover in the US. Intervention, believes Dr Parikh, can save Indian companies serving national and international markets their employees and cut costs, and that's the idea behind the Max Organisational Psychological Initiative.

Ensuring confidentiality

Max is already working with two companies of more than 2,000 employees each, whose names it refused to divulge. The company promises to retain the same confidentiality in the workplace for employees by ensuring that their counsellors are given a room that maintains professional secrecy. In addition to the counsellor placed in the organisation, Max psychiatrists will also make regular visits.

The initiative should also help remove the stigma associated with seeking medical advise for psychological issues, believes Dr Parikh. "Why restrict psychiatry to clinical treatment and not use the field for prevention and well being," he suggests. "And when people see their peers walking in, they won't hesitate anymore," he adds.

The programme will merge organisational needs with interpersonal needs and even conduct audits at workplaces to evaluate psychological parameters of the office. It will then address areas of conflict, gender and cultural issues or team building and motivation through tailor-made workshops and seminars, followed by individual counselling sessions. Max will also offer interview support for senior level recruitments.

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