India Inc sets up task forces as staff anxiety rises due to Covid-19 lockdown

MUMBAI: Indian corporate houses are setting up crisis management teams (CMT) or special task forces to guide and monitor both white and blue collar workers as the Covid-19 lockdown throws up challenges of handling teams working from home.
CEOs are holding video townhalls and sending mails to motivate and guide employees to ensure productivity and well being.

At Hero Motocorp chief Pawan Munjal has done several townhalls addressing its 4000 employees reassuring the workforce there will be no salary cuts, an issue that is topmost on the minds. Munjal makes his Town Hall meetings interactive and he takes candid questions from employees.

Mahindra’s MD, Pawan Goenka mentioned “At the moment it is all about the health of the employees and as such there is no panic as yet. However we will not overstate anything and be as transparent in communication. The daily wage earners and contract workers will not lose their job or wages”.

Mahindra, Siemens, Nissan India, RPG Group and others have set up cross functional task forces after identifying the threat of Covid-19 virus. At multinational organisations, local CMTs are in touch with the global crisis teams to monitor and provide valuable inputs.

The taskforce at Siemens doubles as the emergency response team reporting directly to the CEO. It closely monitors developments in China and ensures Siemens is installing preventive measures early. It works closely with all businesses to ensure business continuity, said a spokesperson.

The Tata group has also created a taskforce and support groups to help employees work from home effectively. "We have started scheduled water cooler and coffee time interaction where support groups check on each other and offer suggestions and advise to handling work from home situations. Each company leader is spearheading and guiding these plans, a group spokesperson told ET.

The group has also offered dial-in counselling and psychiatric help to employees overwhelmed with the changes in workplace and home thats affecting or demotivating.

Employees are encouraged to do a "Note about themselves" and 'Get to know your team member' that gives an idea about the work they do and their families which then offers best suggestions about how to get work done.

A Dabur India spokesperson said that they are encouraged to send fun videos from home and share with colleagues on the company Microsoft and WhatsApp groups. "Housework bloopers and funny actions are shared. Gor For instance, on a Friday there is a 'dont talk work ' time where colleagues get informal and cheer each other."

CMTs also deal with the work from home policy, IT availability, health and well-being of employees across all locations including project sites, maintenance of factories, offices around the country, provision of personal protection equipment including masks and sanitizers, internal communication and collaboration between employees.

CEOs are holding video townhalls and sending mails to motivate and guide employees to ensure productivity and wellbeing.

“Our crisis management team looks at safety of employees, supply chain & channel partners and that there is continuity to support emergency customer services like road side assistance," said Rakesh Srivastava, MD, Nissan Motor India.

Mahindra’s rapid action force (RAF) is drawn from within front line, HR and the industry relations team. It's a 3 tier structure at the group, AFS (auto and farm sector) and plant level. The RAF is empowered to take any decision, says Rajeshwar Tripathi, CHRO at M&M.

HR experts said the need of the hour is to play a supportive role during these times and sending out positive messages to employees. “We are aware that during such sensitive times, one wrong messaging can becoming highly counterproductive. Mahindra has set up a global counselling service called M Happy and even has its own psychologist. If this lockdown prolongs, it can surely affect productivity. We have be very careful to balance it out”, adds Tripathi.

Venu Srinivasan, chairman of TVS Motor said, “If costs have to be cut, it will start with me and go down to senior and middle management. I think major groups have reassured their people at this point in time. Reassuring families that their physical and financial health will be protected is the key to reduce any anxiety levels”.