Staying in the Pink of Health

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THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS

FOCUS Sunday, April 07, 2002

On the World Health Day 2002, corporates reiterate their commitment to the

health of their staff

By Aparna Ramalingam, Upasana Pande, Srikumar Bondyopadhyay & Rajkumar

Leishemba

Corporates seem to be increasingly getting interested not only in their own

health, but also of their staff. On the World Health Day, some of them are

reiterating their commitment.

Luxor Writing Instruments Ltd is planning to conduct health check-ups at all

its locations for its employees. The Health Week will last from April 8 to

14. Says chairman and president D K Jain: ''The idea is to spread awareness

among employees for maintaining and enhancing good health.'' This week will

be full of events like health awareness talks by renowned health specialists

and doctors and health check-up camps. The Health Week is an annual feature

with the company.

But the company's interest is not confined to the week only. The company

continuously carries out special health projects for its employees. Health

check-up camps for all employees at all the locations are conducted at least

once a year, where a team of doctors from all fields comes and advises the

employees.

Besides, the company has also taken up several health initiatives in office

and factory environs. All the locations and factories have an employee

health and safety committee comprising representatives from management and

employees. This committee meets twice in a month to discuss health issues of

employees. The employees are encouraged to participate in these activities

in the form of joint action projects, which are run for spreading awareness

on healthy living. Says Prabhu Dayal, a senior machine operator at Luxor's

Pilot plant: ''Health awareness talks by doctors have helped us to take care

of our personal hygiene. Not only this, debates and extempore speech

competitions amongst workers organised by the management have gone a long

way in making workers realise the importance of health and safety in work

environment.''

The company is not alone. Says Y V Verma, vice-president (HR) with L G

Electronics India Pvt Ltd: " We believe that health is an important aspect. A

person cannot perform unless he is healthy. At L G, we give a lot of

importance to physical as well as mental well-being. "

The employees with L G Electronics in Greater Noida undergo regular tests

and check-ups once a year. For this purpose the company has tied up with

Kailash Hospital.

The company lays emphasis on staying fit measures, too. Towards this end,

morning exercises are conducted. It's compulsory for all employees to take

part in these exercises. Meditation and yoga classes, too, are conducted

daily for half an hour. Participation is optional, though. Besides, the

company has tennis, badminton and volleyball courts and a gym at its

factory-cum-corporate office.

Employees are appreciative of such efforts. Says deputy general manager C M

Singh : " When I feel very tired, I spend half an hour in the gym or the

tennis court. When I come out, I feel really refreshed. " Mr Singh makes it a

point to go the gym or the court at least once a week.

Even regular medical facilities at the workplace are not only beneficial for

the employees but also the companies. It cuts down on the absenteeism. Take

the case of Suman Parashar, manager (HR), L G Electronics. She is currently

undergoing medical treatment from a gynaecologist, who is available for

consultation at the company premises. Explains Ms Parashar: " It's very

helpful for me. I don't have to take leave to meet an outside doctor. The

doctor is available in-house. Whenever the need arises, I go and consult

her. "

In fact, L G Electronics is quite adventurous. The company recently took

about 100 employees on a Himalayan trekking expedition. The company is now

planning a river rafting expedition and 150-175 employees are expected to

participate. Explains Mr Verma: " The average age in our company is around

25-26 years. So we give a lot of importance to physical fitness. We want to

keep our employees healthy through such activities. "

Other companies are not exactly lagging far behind. Says M R Singh,

vice-president, (Organisation & Development), Usha International Limited

(UIL): ''We started stress management sessions (transcendental meditation)

for employees two years ago, which we have decided to carry forward as an

annual exercise in the face of increased stress-related problems among our

executive employees. "

The company is not stopping there. It is planning other health initiatives

as well. ''The company is now planning to put in place an Executive Health

Check scheme, which has almost been finalised with the Indraprastha Apollo

Hospitals and the Escorts Heart Research Centre, and the schemes will be

offered to the employees in less than a couple of months. "

Employees are already excited about the proposed schemes. Says Aarti Kapoor,

a manager with UIL: " Once in place, this scheme will fill the much needed

gap and prompt employees to go for a regular health check-ups, and keep

fit. "

Some companies are more futuristic, though. For example, Modicare Limited.

Says president and chairperson Samir Modi: ''We are not doing anything

special on the World Health Day, but it is our constant endeavour to add

value to our existing health services. This is an ongoing process. We are

planning to put into place a workplace policy on HIV, allowing HIV patients

to work with full confidentiality as they have the right to work without

stigma. This policy would be put into place in a couple of months.''

He adds: ''Also, on the anvil is a comprehensive executive check-up plan for

employees. At present, we don't have one but once in place it will serve

employees across the board.'' Says Medlin Jash, an employee with Modicare:

''An interesting part of working here is that Mr Modi keeps coming up with

interesting and innovative ideas, and treats us like a family.''

Of course, these special services and facilities are in addition to the

regular health insurance, accident insurance, and medical facilities at most

such companies. Other companies are content with the regular healthcare

services only.

For example, Dabur India Limited follows the contributory scheme of Employee

State Insurance Corporation. There are a couple of internal medical trusts

as well-the Dr S K Burman Trust and the Chunni Lal Medical Trust. While the

S K Burman Trust covers up to 50 per cent of the medical expenses for

treating the employee and his dependents, the Chunni Lal Trust provides

subsidised vaccination to the employee and his dependents.

Adds A Sudhakar, head (HR), Dabur India Limited: ''The company also offers

personal accident insurance policy, with cover starting from Rs 2 lakh. All

employees are covered under this scheme. At the supervisory workers' level,

the company provides 50 per cent of the Mediclaim premium. The senior

employees of the company can undergo annual check-ups worth Rs 3,500 at the

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals or the Escorts Heart Research Centre.''

Similarly J K Industries Limited has a Group Mediclaim policy which covers

the expenses and hospitalisation of the employee and his/ her spouse. Adds

deputy managing director, Vikram Pati Singhania, J K Industries Limited:

''We have also tied up with hospitals where annual compulsory health check

of all our employees is conducted.''

In the J K group factories located in remote areas, which lack such medical

facility, dispensaries have been set up to take care of the basic medical

care and pathology lab tests, thereby providing a first line defence for all

employees. Evidently prevention is the best way to cut down on curative

costs.

Of Healthy Workforces And Profitable Bottomlines

Business chambers emphasise upon members that healthcare expenditure is an

investment

CII

The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) is not only involving

industries on the issues of physical health of employees, but is also

working closely with the ministry of health and family welfare to come up

with a number of action plans this year.

Already some members of the chamber follow a health policy. Adds Parvati

Krishnan, a deputy director with CII: '''The chamber is encouraging other

members, too, to adopt a health policy.''

Many of our members have recreational facilities at their office premises,

and what the chamber is doing is to encourage others which do not have one

to make such facilities available to their employees. ''We plan to help

different companies learn about health policies from one another,'' adds Ms

Krishnan.

FICCI

FICCI runs a Social Economic Development Foundation (SEDF), which undertakes

different community healthcare and awareness projects. SEDF also encourages

its regional associate chambers to take up similar healthcare projects in

their own localities.

" In Gaziabad, we recently conducted an intensive family welfare project, "

says a FICCI spokesperson. " The primary target was to make people aware

about preventive healthcare measures and simultaneously train the untrained

healthworkers, " she adds.

Adds the spokesperson: ''Another ongoing project is on the Reproductive and

Child Health for Industrial Workers and Community in Muradabad and Bereli.

Also, in collaboration with ILO (International Labour Organization) and our

regional chambers, we are conducting a sensitisation project on HIV/ AIDS

for industry managers and trade union members. The aim is to create

awareness about the disease. "

The chamber is also chalking out a programme to deal with tuberculosis among

industrial workers.

Assocham

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) holds

seminars from time to time for its members highlighting the need for

safeguarding employees' health, and dangers from diseases like AIDS, etc.

" Our main task is to create awareness among members through such seminars so

that it becomes a win-win situation for all, " says K K Nohria, president,

Assocham.

The Assocham conducts about 150-200 seminars every year. Nearly 30 seminars

are devoted to employees' health and welfare. Apart from this, the associate

chambers hold independent seminars on employees' health and welfare.

Emphasises Mr Nohria: ''If a country has to compete globally, then it has to

look at the health and the education of its citizens. Because these two

elements show if a country is productive and ultimately competitive.''

He adds: ''At the micro level, a company's bottomline is a function of

productivity, and productivity in turn is a function of employees' health

and attitude. Health, therefore, has a direct bearing on the output of the

business and ultimately the bottomline of the business. Health should not be

regarded as a cost, it should be viewed as a necessity. "

PHDCCI

Improving family welfare and reproductive health is central to the PHD

Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (PHDCCI) overall health policy. The

chamber does it broadly by undertaking projects and awareness campaigns. In

fact, the chamber set up two foundations-Rural Development Foundation (RDF)

and Family Welfare Foundation (FWF)-way back in early 1980s, which are

funded partly by the chamber and its corporate members and partly by

international organisations.

''Creating awareness about HIV/AIDS among the public as well as among our

corporate members is high on our agenda,'' says P K Rajgarhia, chairman,

RDF. ''We also insist on our corporate members to adopt a policy on HIV/AIDS

for their employees and help them understand the economic implications of

these diseases through regular seminars and workshops.''

The chamber also undertakes employer-based family welfare projects in

conjunction with our local members. Such projects have been carried out so

far in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.

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