Visionet To Bear Entire COVID-19 Vaccination Cost For Employees

The second wave of COVID-19 has impacted India with unimaginable force and on May 1 alone, over 392,488 new cases of coronavirus infections were detected in India. That the country’s economy and medical infrastructure has been impacted would be an understatement. The silver lining during this grim time has been provided by the spirit of initiative displayed by individuals and grassroots organizations. And one CEO feels that corporate India too can make a huge difference to the workforce that is helping the nation's economy to tick along.

Alok Bansal, CEO, and MD of Visionet BFSI, says, “The pandemic has shown how critical it is to embrace our humanity, be understanding and caring — and that holds for companies, too. We cannot leave our employees to their own devices at this time and we are doing our best to make sure 'human' is being prioritized in Human Resources. A pandemic needs more urgent measures and we need to walk our talk, and so Visionet is bearing the complete vaccination costs for all its staff, be they full-time, contractual or at the intern level. The company is already in advanced discussions with private service providers for vaccination, and the drive will start as soon as government approvals and procurement of vaccines are allowed."

The vaccination drive will be voluntary for employees and their immediate families, who can avail it in major cities. The drive will also embrace ex-employees who may seek assistance from Visionet. Alok adds, "Apart from this, something as simple as scheduling  'coffee breaks' with random team members enables me to not only catch up with them but also helps me in knowing them beyond work. We are adapting and translating community and culture programs from the physical environment to the remote workplace and also empowering employees by enabling access to learning and development platforms so that they can continue to skill themselves."

Creating safe workspaces during a pandemic also depends on keeping the virus out and offering all-encompassing support if it impacts an employee. To achieve this, Alok has designed the following roadmap that he hopes will also help other companies to clarify how they want to support their employees at this difficult time:

Visionet has moved 100 per cent of their workforce to home with the added choice to work remotely for as long as they wish.

- All employees are getting their Internet and phone bills reimbursed as per the ‘Work from Home’ policy.

- The company has added 100 per cent coverage for diagnostic testing and associated visits related to COVID-19.

- Immediate paid medical leave will be offered to any employee diagnosed with COVID-19.

- Employees with monthly or quarterly incentive plans have been assured that Visionet would account for COVID-19’s impact on operations and timelines.

- Access is available to free mental health professionals, via phone or text, through the Employee Assistance Program.

- Free financial planning support, including access to certified planners and credit monitoring, is available.

- The company is offering 100 per cent coverage for virtual doctor visits and online health care services.

- Paid caregiver leave is available for employees who are caring for an ill family member.

“The health and well-being of our employees is our top priority,” says Alok and adds, “We have always valued their contribution to the company and have always tried to enhance healthier work-life balance and holistic well-being. Unprecedented times however demand unprecedented measures and our vaccination drive will hopefully cover all our employees which is close to 4000+ workforce only in India. We realize that our employees need extra support at this time and hence we have offered unlimited hospitalization benefits and medical bill reimbursement as well.”

The company has also partnered with local medical organizations to provide medical aid, online consultations and supporting diagnostics. 

Says Alok, “We were also one of the first employers to provide salary hikes and promotions during the pandemic. Most recently, we announced vehicle loan EMI reimbursement to employees who have completed a year. Our mantra has always been to 'Take a different view' to any problem and have a solution approach and that is what we live and work by. Everything we do is through the lens of care and support. That is our corporate culture and when you get this culture right, everything else falls into place.”