Making Of Compassionate Brands

Covid-19 has challenged all of us. It has taught us that life can change in ways we aren’t prepared for and also to have more compassion. During these tough times where a lot of people are getting infected and a lot of people are dying due to this deadly virus, many of the brands in India and globe are occasionally, connecting with their employees and consumers.

Compassion Is An Action Word With No Boundaries

Compassion is about having empathy and trying to reduce the suffering of others. There is an opportunity now to hold on to what we have, and to celebrate and grow it. Compassion can become a driver of change.

Companies have shown incredible compassion in reaching out to their employees and providing great support during these uncertain times. Compassionate companies do what they can to help their employees through difficulties. These companies demonstrate empathy and compassion as they put employees first. Being compassionate is a powerful way to not only do good in the world, but also build goodwill and loyalty.

Some ways in which the companies are offering support to their employees in these unprecedented times include:

~Special leave to employees, positive for COVID or who need to take care of a COVID +ve patient at home. 

~Provision of teleconsultations and medication for employees who have tested positive & Insurance cover along with reimbursement for tests and vaccinations for employees and their immediate family. 

~Setting up vaccination for employees (in progress) 

~Salary advances for those who need it 

~Support to family of employees who have passed away due to COVID. 

~Provision of oxygen concentrators, support for setting up Home care and ICU at home for those in need, tie up with hotels for isolation. 

~Large corporates like Hindustan Unilever, Nestle India, L’Oréal India, Mondelez India, GSK Consumer Healthcare and Godrej Group, as well as multinational technology majors like Google and Twitter, are giving employees surprise “wellness day-offs” or actively encouraging them to take casual leaves. 

~Mondelez introduced concept of “Do Nothing Days” which coincides with acronym DND – “Do Not Disturb”.

How Indian Brands Are Showing Passion

Some of the brands like 'Suparshva Swabs' were the first company to develop polyester- spun swabs for covid-19 testing. They started making two million polyester swabs a week and increased it to five million polyester swabs a week towards the end of May 2020.

IHL has designed an app in collaboration with Tata Digital. The app was completed in just Six weeks. The app had given a different interface to the customers by providing them the features to personalise their orders, curate menus and track real-time deliveries.

10by10, Bengaluru based company which is into building sustainable and smart solution that benefits the customers and they came up with ISO.POD which is an instant isolation room solution that acts as a safety envelope protecting against further infection.

Shree Shakti Enterprises were receiving large orders from various industries, public, government institutions like Ministry of Home Affairs, CRPF, BSF, police station and political parties due to which the   company was able to avoid job cuts and gain a profit of about 1.15 crore sale during the lockdown. Borosil has given relief to its employs by declaring that if any of their employs lose life due covid-19 then his/her family would be receiving a two years’ salary by the company.

Paytm will continue to pay salaries to the deceased employees during the current financial year. The brand has also extended their help in offering employment opportunities to the family members of the deceased employees. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, CEO, Paytm had also tweeted that the company had purchased home medical equipment like oxygen concentrators for its employees and their families.

Amazon is giving 14 days special paid leave to its employees who test positive for coronavirus and who need to take care of a COVID +ve patient at home. They are also providing assistance in setting up ICU at homes along with other benefits.

Zomato has said that it would provide 100% of the deceased employee’s income for two years to their family.

Swiggy has announced a 4-day work week for employees for the month of May’21. Employees have been given the flexibility to choose the four days they want to work in a week.

StanPlus, the ambulance services company is providing free quarantine facilities and emergency medical services to its staff. They are not counting quarantine leaves towards sick leaves and the employees can take a leave any time they feel overwhelmed by the situation.

Flipkart is providing free vaccinations to employees and five of their dependents each.

Urban Company has set up a Covid-19 Relief Fund to provide medical assistance bereavement support to the company’s service partners and their families.

TCS has set up Covid Care Centres across 11 cities in India and has also made arrangements with hotels that have hospital tie-ups. Employees and their families can avail emergency medical financial assistance here. Employees are also given paid quarantine leaves and 24/7 helpdesk, among other benefits.

Capgemini is covering the cost of COVID vaccines of all eligible employees and their dependents in strict accordance with government protocols.

IBM has a dedicated health line where IBMers in India who are isolating at home can receive medical care and consultations from medical professionals.

How Indian Brands Are Showing Compassion

Many of the brands have started recognising the efforts of their employs and giving rewards as the second wave of Covid has again put everyone under lockdown in India and during this pandemic every other person is just trying to save his/her job and in this critical time when brand is recognising the talent of its employs and giving you increment, promotion and bonus which is very beneficial for an employ. 

Some brands like RPG Group, Flipkart, Marcio, Motilal Oswal Financial service, Dalmia cement, TCS, Big Basket, Swiggy, PWC, Snapdeal, Capgemini, Amway, Saint-Gobain, Panasonic Life Solutions, Skoda Auto, Volkswagen India are some of the brands that are being friendly with their employs.

Examples From Around The Globe

In America indoor dining was shut in mid-March 2020. Some of the food delivery brands gained profit such as Uber Eats, Door Dash and Grub Hub as some people were finding it difficult to cook the food at home and ordered food, they also donated some food to hospital and healthcare front line workers and other restaurants got inspired and started family package, take home kits. 

Consumers are facing their toughest battle of survival in the century and it becomes imperative for the brands to support them in these difficult times. Brand should raise their purpose beyond the regular interaction with their consumers. Any effort at any magnitude which helps to make a difference in the consumer mind set will have a very positive and long-lasting bounding with the brand.

The author is Archit Tiwari