“Recovery days” increase staff wellbeing at Google, health news, and top stories

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SINGAPORE – At Google Singapore, Ms. Atikah Amalina Zaini, 31, has taken eight extra days off since the start of the pandemic, as part of the company’s worldwide effort to help employees avoid burnout.

Known as global “recovery days,” these paid holidays are part of a series of workplace policies introduced by Google to look after the well-being of its employees.

Ms. Atikah, who suffers from bipolar disorder and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), told the Straits Times that such forced interruptions have helped her see year-round rest as the key to resilience and well-being.

This has been important for her mental health at a time when disruptions due to Covid-19 have made her anxiety and mood swings more pronounced, the channel diversity program manager said, adding that she is back. to take medications.

The company was also instrumental in helping her resume therapy for her condition in 2019, she noted.

In an article on the Google blog, he wrote: “Due to my PTSD, situations such as one-on-one encounters in enclosed spaces could induce panic.

“Thankfully, I trusted my manager enough to share it, and she was incredibly supportive.”

With the help of her manager, Ms. Atikah learned about the multinational’s mental health resources, which resulted in more than two years of therapy with a specialist under the company’s insurance cover.

He said, “While I have seen mental health professionals in the past, I had stopped due to the financial cost of private practice as well as the difficulty in getting timely interventions on the public health journey.”

Ms. Atikah now writes and talks about mental health as a member of Blue Dot, the company’s global peer support network and mental health awareness group.

Mr. Roman Matla, Google’s director of Asia-Pacific diversity and employee engagement, told ST that this is one of many initiatives the company has to destigmatize workplace mental health and foster a more open and connected community. through alliance, support and training.

Further initiatives were also introduced to normalize mental health problems and build resilience as the world goes through the uncertainty caused by Covid-19, he said.

Virtual meditation, yoga, and mindfulness classes, for example, have been launched to help employees maintain mental well-being, he added.

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