Procter & Gamble (P&G) India has set up a task force of certified mental health first-aiders to bolster its mental health support system for its employees, the consumer goods company said today.

These support providers are P&G employees from different workgroups who are trained and certified by Mental Health First Aid India to assist a person experiencing mental health issues and guide them towards professional help. They will act as the first line of response and are equipped to identify signs and symptoms of emotional distress and initiate a supportive conversation with a person, guide them towards available resources or encourage them to seek professional support.

The task force of first-aiders will also help in raising awareness and fostering an open environment for people to interact and engage. Currently, the company has at least one mental health first-aider for each workgroup and plans to train more people within the organization to become mental first-aiders, who will be certified in subsequent batches.

P&G is among the first few companies in India to have certified mental health first-aiders at the workplace to foster an open and supportive environment

 “In the new normal, we realize that the employers play a pivotal role in an individual’s health and well-being needs, now more than ever. We are building mental health as an important aspect of our overall employee well-being program. We want to create an open and supportive environment at P&G where our employees can freely talk about mental health and seek support. Getting our first batch of certified mental health first aiders is a step in that direction. By embedding a support system of mental health first aiders at the workplace, we are confident that we will be able to increase awareness and extend care & support to our people,” said P.M. Srinivas, Head – Human Resources, P&G Indian sub-continent.