As its latest step to enhance employee welfare, Emrill has launched ‘A Better You’, an umbrella programme designed to provide credible information, tools and resources and empower Emrill’s employees to prioritise their mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. As part of ‘A Better You’, Emrill has enhanced its Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to provide free and confidential mental health assessments and sessions with a qualified team of psychologists.
To reinforce the EAP initiative as part of ‘A Better You’, Emrill partnered with LifeWorks, a Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Community Development Authority (CDA) licensed holistic counselling centre. The EAP, one of the primary initiatives by Emrill as part of ‘A Better You’, focuses on making the latest proven clinical methods available to employees to provide world-class mental healthcare support from the LifeWorks team of experienced psychologists. The programme also extends to family members and household staff living with Emrill’s employees, promoting mental health not only in the workplace but also at home. The multinational LifeWorks team of psychologists offers care in over twelve languages and is skilled in providing mental healthcare services to businesses, organisations, schools and universities across the UAE. To facilitate easy access to these services, Emrill employees and their families can connect with qualified healthcare professionals via telephone, WhatsApp or email.
The launch of ‘A Better You’ comes at a time when mental health has been recognised as critical to the success of organisations. According to a recent article by the World Economic Forum, issues with workplace mental health have always been present, with 90 per cent of employees reporting experiencing mental health challenges for themselves or someone they know. However, this situation has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. A study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found anxiety among employees in the workplace has doubled over the last two years. Undiagnosed and untreated mental health issues, including anxiety, can cause health conditions that can lead to cardiovascular disease, depression and sleep disorders. Mental health can not only affect an employee’s commitment and productivity at work but can also lead to problems at home and in their overall physical health.
Stuart Harrison, Emrill’s CEO, commented on the launch of ’A Better You’: “It is now more important than ever for organisations to understand the importance of employee welfare and wellbeing. Emrill has always been committed to the welfare of our people and our supply chain. ‘A Better You’ is our latest employee-focused initiative to ensure our people have access to qualified and credible resources and professionals to help them improve their mental health. Emrill recognises the importance of mental wellbeing for all individuals, and ‘A Better You’ extends its reach to our employee’s family members to further enable a happier and healthier work-life balance. A happy workforce is an engaged workforce, and Emrill’s people are at the heart of our success. We will continue to provide all the possible tools for our team to excel, both personally and professionally.”
The advantages of employee assistance programmes that promote mental health are well documented. Providing objective, confidential mental health resources increase productivity and morale while decreasing absenteeism and healthcare costs. ‘A Better You’ seeks to remove the stigma of mental health issues and help employees to create a better balance intellectually, physically and emotionally.
Chanaan Kaur, one of LifeWorks counseling psychologists, explained mental health in the workplace has never been more critical: “Mental health is subjective and personal to everyone. Our state of mind has a significant impact on our daily lives, both at home and at work. Programmes such as the one launched by Emrill in collaboration with LifeWorks empower people to take ownership of their mental health and seek support in a way that works for them. We are giving people the tools needed to recognise problems and move beyond them, so those problems do not define them. Rather, with appropriate support and help, they can be used as an opportunity to learn and grow.”
As well as providing confidential and timely assistance to Emrill employees and their families, ‘A Better You’ will focus on monthly engagement plans to educate and provide further support on mental health matters. This initiative will give employees access to reports, articles, videos, and self-assessment links to wellbeing and overall health topics for employees and family members. The team of psychologists engaged by Emrill is governed by a professional code of ethics, which provides assurance that all information shared and discussed is confidential and no information will be shared with Emrill, including employee names or any topics discussed.
Emrill has rolled out multiple employee wellbeing initiatives in recent years, including ‘Happier Together with Emrill’ in 2021, which provides a holistic view of employees’ overall physical, mental, social and emotional wellbeing. The initiative engages employees through a sense of community with the added opportunity to discuss concerns in a supportive environment and, as a result, increase overall happiness and satisfaction in the organisation. Company-wide games and activities have enhanced employee welfare and have been prominent in events such as Emrill’s Annual Staff Carnival, which is now entering its fifteenth year.
