Bank of Baroda takes pioneering step for emotional well-being 

Mumbai: Bank of Baroda, India’s premier Public Sector Bank, which has been the forerunner in adopting and innovating many new concepts, practices and processes, has now introduced a new employee centric initiative, the ‘Employee Assistance Program’. 
 
The aim of Employee Assistance Program is to help employees to deal with their personal problems and professional issues through a psychological counselling and consulting program. Having understood the importance of workplace counselling, the Bank takes the first step in addressing the issues and up-keeping employees’ emotional well-being by introducing this program initially as a pilot project in Mumbai Zone and its corporate office with an extensive application of technology by including multiple channels of assistance in addition to personal counselling in association with EAP India Pvt. Ltd.
 
“Work place counselling assumes more significance in the present scenario where emotional aspects and stress has a substantial impact on the health of employees”, said Mr. Sanjiv Chadha, Managing Director & CEO of the Bank. “This counselling service offered by the Bank in tie-up with a specialized service provider is safe, non-judgmental, and highly confidential and is available to the employees and their family members 24/7”.
 
“By implementing an employee assistance program in our Bank, we aim to enhance the emotional wellbeing of employees which will result in enhancing employee morale and create a happy & positive work environment with a positive impact on productivity” said Mr. S.L. Jain, Executive Director of the Bank.
 
Mr. Prakash Vir Rathi, General Manager (HRM) stated, “Around 60% of the Bank’s employees are aged between 18-35 years. They often face peer pressure, career and ambition issues, relationship / adjustment issues, etc.  In such cases, expert counselling shall be of immense help in providing timely support to them for their emotional worries.”

This is a pioneering HR initiative taken by Bank of Baroda which it believes will go a long way in building emotional well-being and employee engagement among its employees.