Taking care of mental wellness helps employees face Covid fear
On the mental impact of lockdowns, Covid infections and the loss of loved ones, Old Mutual’s acting Human Capital Executive, Steven Vries, said “The sorrows, disruptions and mental health issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have made it more important than ever for all our employees (and their immediate family members) to have access to a professional service to find ways of coping.”
“As a company that cares, providing this service aligns with our purpose of championing mutually positive futures for all our stakeholders, including employees. It’s also part of our business strategy to ensure our employees are engaged and able to bring themselves fully to work. But beyond these reasons, we’re doing this because caring for one another and facing the challenges together is absolutely the right thing to do.”
Beyond providing ICAS counselling services, Old Mutual Namibia has also put in place several wellness initiatives to help employees maintain their mental balance. Amongst others, virtual sessions with healthcare professional on topics such as mental health during Covid-19, the effect of the pandemic on the workplace, and Let’s Talk About Vaccines sessions have been conducted. Upcoming sessions will focus on Loss, Mortality and Grief with Covid-19, on how to deal with trauma, and how to manage pandemic fatigue, stress and anxiety. Old Mutual Namibia also sends out We Care Packs to employees who test positive for Covid-19, and has provided vitamin packs to all employees.
Vries said Old Mutual has recognized that everyone has been impacted in some way or another by the pandemic, and has set in place countless initiatives for employees to have the tools and necessary support to handle the challenges, whether personal or professional.
Steven Vries, acting Human Capital Executive, Old Mutual
