Globally, TCS has more than half a million employees. In Latin America, they are present in nine countries, where they employ more than 23,000 people, while in Mexico there are more than 10,000 workers, distributed in Guadalajara, Querétaro, Mexico City and Monterrey.
As a result of the pandemic, the mental health problems most suffered by the workforce were related to anxiety, work stress and even depression, which is not surprising, since in a survey that the online therapy company Terapify made of January 13 to 19, 2022 to more than 2,000 workers in the country, it was found that in the last year 80% of employees experienced work stress, 57% anxiety, 42% demotivation and 42% depression.
However, only 37% of employees have asked for help in their organization, of which 44% had immediate support, 39% asked for time to see how to proceed and 17% received no response. In fact, five out of ten companies in the country do not have a psychologist or therapist on their workforce, according to the survey.
“We have helped people get out of extreme conditions and are now leading healthy and happy lives. These results motivate us to continue improving our wellness programs and reaffirm that we are on the right track, although we know that much remains to be done in terms of wellness and mental health,” says the director.
Expansion (E): How did you solve the mental health problems detected in your workforce?
Ashul Mehrotra (AM): I believe that mental health issues are similar across all fields and industries. Symptoms, the stage at which they can be diagnosed and how quickly medical care and support can be provided can vary. We have a program, TCS Cares, that is designed to reach all of our employees, and we are committed to ensuring the health of each one of them above all else. All they have to do is raise their hand.
I: What is this program about?
A.M: It is made up of several pillars of physical, mental, spiritual, psychological and general well-being. Among the specific actions aimed at mental health care, we have doctors in our ranks. We offer sessions given by professionals on the importance of mental health, we have a help line that all employees can go to, we provide individualized psychological support sessions, we grant special medical leave to support employees in difficult times.
Another point of contact that helps us ensure that each of our employees can thrive is at engagement, or moments to generate a sense of belonging to the company. For example, the celebration of Family Day, the New Year’s Eve party, Children’s Day and the sessions of wellnesswhere we raise awareness and train leaders.
E: How else are you taking care of the health of your collaborators?
A.M: One of the actions promoted by the company, which has allowed employees to improve their mental health and prevent some of the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, such as anxiety and depression, has been the TCS Yoga program, in which Daily virtual yoga sessions are promoted, aimed at different objectives such as meditation, improvement of basic body functions and mind-spirit balance. In addition, as part of this program, we celebrate International Yoga Day year after year with massive sessions for our collaborators.
E: What results did you get with these initiatives?
A.M: More than 8,000 employees connected during the pandemic to learn about the importance of wellness and extending help where needed. This also raised the employee satisfaction rate to over 80%, showing that our efforts were well-intentioned and appreciated.
As of this year’s figures, and at a general level, 28,368 collaborators have participated in 385 events of engagement. In addition, 49,689 people have benefited from TCS’s corporate responsibility actions.
E: From your trench, what points do you recommend to reinforce HR strategies, focused on mental health?
A.M: Mental health is a very broad topic and has different nuances according to the different generations and the diversity of the workforce. But in general terms, it is essential to foster resilience, promote an environment in which employees can be vulnerable, and ensure that they know that leaders are available to them. Of course, physical and mental health care should always be a priority, and it is crucial to ensure that policies are established within companies that support the needs of employees in this regard.