The compassionate leadership at ZebPay drives ZebPay's culture of wellness, according to Abhishek Gupta

We learn how ZebPay's innovative wellness programs support employee well-being and drive organizational success in our conversation with Abhishek Gupta.

Abhishek Gupta is the Head of HR at ZebPay. He is an enthusiastic and innovative HR leader with over a decade of experience and expertise in driving people strategy, policies, and programs in the areas of leadership development, talent management, and organizational effectiveness.

In this exclusive interview, Abhishek shares his expert insights on what drives successful wellness programs and the critical role leaders and technological interventions play in driving this agenda. In 2024, what do you believe are the key elements of an effective wellness program?

 How can organizations ensure these elements are integrated into their initiatives?

It should address physical, mental, emotional, and financial well-being by offering various resources that cater to all these needs. To align with flexible work schedules, the program should have a mobile-first approach, ensuring it is accessible on the go.

Organizations should simplify access to these resources and tailor them to individual needs to ensure high adaptability. A holistic approach ensures that wellness is not just an initiative but a core part of the organizational ethos, with active leadership support and participation.

With the launch of your organization’s wellness program, ZEBCARE, could you share how it was conceptualized and the specific outcomes or benefits it has generated for employees and the organization as a whole?

ZEBCARE, our comprehensive wellness program, was conceptualized to holistically support the mental, physical, emotional, and financial well-being of our employees. Under this umbrella, we have partnered with Pazcare, a tech-enabled employee benefits management platform, to streamline corporate insurance and wellness facilities.

This partnership also ensures our employees have free access to quality 1:1 therapy and counseling sessions, addressing their specific mental health needs. While corporate insurance covers hospitalization, Flip Health ensures our employees benefit from medical assistance for OPD needs, including consultations and medications for chronic illnesses, free of cost.

We also continuously track the adaptability and usage of these facilities, incorporating real-time feedback to ensure we provide the best support. As the workforce becomes more diverse and distributed, what strategies do you recommend for organizations to ensure that their well-being initiatives are inclusive and accessible to all employees?

Hence, we conduct all physical wellness initiatives and financial awareness workshops virtually. Our wellness partners, such as Pazcare and Flip Health, adopt a mobile-first approach, providing comprehensive coverage across the country.

This ensures that all our employees can access and benefit from our wellness programs, regardless of their location. How can leadership play a role in nurturing a workplace culture that encourages healthy behaviors and mitigates stress levels among its employees?

Leaders play an imperative role in nurturing a workplace culture that mitigates stress levels among employees. There is an article published in Harvard Business Review that highlights the research-backed benefits of compassionate leadership, showing that employees are more likely to stay in jobs where they feel valued and supported by their leaders.

At ZebPay, we believe that compassionate leadership is the cornerstone of our Ohana culture, ensuring our employees' holistic well-being and as a result, organizational success. With advancements in technology reshaping the workplace, particularly in the context of employee well-being, what potential benefits or challenges do you foresee in integrating technology into wellness initiatives?

As mentioned previously, at ZebPay, we leverage tech-enabled platforms like Pazcare and Flip Health to streamline a lot of our wellness benefits. These initiatives ensure comprehensive support for our employees' mental, physical, emotional, and financial well-being.

So I think potential benefits would include improved accessibility, personalized care, and real-time feedback, leading to higher adaption, engagement, and productivity. However, challenges such as data privacy and ensuring equitable access must be addressed to maximize these benefits across diverse employee demographics.

While mental health benefits are becoming common in workplaces, low utilization rates show the need for a structured support framework. Employees spend a substantial amount of time at work, so it is essential to ensure the workplace positively impacts their well-being.

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