Well-being at Vision Empower

Hard work and perseverance are proven human characteristics to achieve excellence. These are necessities for ‘doing’ well, as individuals or as collectives. Often while pursuing excellence, we forget the necessity of ‘being’ well. The organizational approach of Vision Empower (VE) has individual and collective well-being at its core. This has emerged organically. It has been influenced by the unique contextual needs and opportunities encountered by the VE team and the beneficiaries of VE. Wellbeing initiatives at VE can be looked at from three perspectives. These are – health and wellness, finances and relationships.

Health and wellness

Our experiences indicated that physical well-being is the fundamental requirement for all other forms of well-being. Hence, our policies to address diverse health challenges of employees and beneficiaries have been designed with sensitivity and care. We share some of these here.

COVID-19 support: During the COVID-19 pandemic, VE provided resources and flexibility to ensure physical and mental health to employees. The CSO identified beneficiaries with approval from funders. It also supported corporates in their outreach endeavours.

Disability-related challenges: We offer assistance and accommodations tailored to individual needs and hiring PWDs whenever possible. Currently VE employs eight persons with disabilities. We provide equitable health insurance to people with disabilities through group insurance, which was otherwise not possible.

Maternity support: We provide facilities for adequate leave and health insurance. We try to create an inclusive environment for employees during this critical phase of their lives. At VE, we prioritize the well-being of our team by collaborating with experts.

We implement programs designed to nurture individual and collective growth. These initiatives are aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of well-being. We have been embedding this into our organizational culture.

Well-being workshop supported by Wipro: Team VE is sincerely grateful to Wipro for this highly effective program. It has been extended to second-line leaders after the founder and the HR Head attended it. This has helped them focus on enhancing personal health and well-being. It has also equipped them to manage newly formed teams effectively.

Senior management coaching: We support leadership development through expert coaching of senior management. The goal is to support them in coping with expectations and the stress of performance. In the process, they gain the tools and insights needed to inspire and support the expanding team and VE’s new initiatives.

POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment): We are committed to maintaining a workplace that is safe, respectful and inclusive. Our POSH initiatives ensure that every team member is trained on their rights, feels valued, and is secure.

Finances

The importance of financial stability for holistic well-being cannot be overemphasized. A few related initiatives at VE include the following.

Fair remuneration: VE does not compete to provide the highest salaries in the sector. However, it ensures equitable pay practices. These recognize the value of our team members’ contributions. These also support them through health and accident insurance.

Tailored benefit programs: We recognize the diverse needs of our team. Thus, we have introduced comprehensive benefits. These include group medical insurance and accident insurance. This underscores our commitment to the health and safety of our people.

Fundraising and financial management: We have been strategizing to sustain organizational growth and stability. We hope this will ensure smooth operations and enhanced outreach.

Guest talks: VE also organizes expert talks on financial literacy and the management of personal funds.

Relationships

Relationships are central to our mission. VE attempts to address this with empathy. One of the key approaches in this process involves strengthening collective well-being.

Blended training programs and interactions for the team: We blend face-to-face and virtual sessions. This creates opportunities for collaborations, knowledge sharing, and team bonding. A standout initiative is our ‘Fun Friday’ sessions. These are highly anticipated by the team. These sessions foster exchanges of ideas and strengthen connections. These also allow us to wrap up the week on a positive and energizing note.

Team celebrations: We believe that celebrations strengthen bonds and boost morale. These foster a sense of joy within the team as well. Prioritizing such moments, however small, creates a work environment that is productive, uplifting and fulfilling. This contributes to the collective well-being of everyone involved.

Workload management: We recognize the increasing demands on time and productivity on the employees to design and implement VE’s interventions. Thus, we have formed team structures with clear responsibilities to streamline the execution process. Maintaining work-life balance has been an uphill task at VE, thereby impacting immediate families. VE makes a conscious attempt to provide compensatory holidays and provide additional resources to support projects, when required.

Beneficiary relationships: VE personnel are trained to respect the institutional values of the beneficiary schools. They are supported in nurturing trust and in building mutual respect with teachers, students, and their families through all interactions.

Partner and funder relationships: VE fosters strong alliances with partners and funders. We do this through transparent communication and regular sharing of reports.

In the following section, we share a few of the voices of our staff that illustrate our wellbeing programs in action.

Voices of team members

“I am very glad to share my learnings from the session on tax return filing held on May 15, 2024. Venkatesan sir explained every aspect of it and taxation in detail. It greatly helped me understand the process and I could file my returns with confidence.” – Rashmi, Maharashtra

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Vision Empower for providing such a generous and supportive maternity leave benefit during my pregnancy. The time off allowed me to focus on my family. It helped me transition into this new chapter of life without the added stress of work. It was reassuring to know that my well-being and that of my child were prioritized during this special time. I truly appreciate VE’s commitment to supporting its employees. I feel incredibly fortunate to work for an organization that values work-life balance.” – Nishi, Kerala

“The maternity benefit I am planning to avail will provide crucial support during a significant life transition. It will allow me to focus on my health and well-being, ensuring a smooth recovery while bonding with my newborn. This benefit is an essential part of maintaining a healthy work-life balance, promoting my overall well-being and peace of mind. I would like to thank Vision Empower for providing the benefit.” – Keerthana, Tamil Nadu

“In the month of September 2023, due to a health problem, I needed to undergo a surgery. I live alone and away from home. I didn’t have any personal health insurance. With the help and support from the HR team of my organization, I was successfully able to get my surgery done. The insurance operator also cooperated with me in time and helped me in my treatment. I would like to thank my organization for this.” – Rajesh, Karnataka

“On 18th of September, I met with an accident. I really needed help financially. I am pleased to inform that I have received the claim amount without any issues when I really needed it the most. The whole amount got credited to the bank in three days. This helped me a lot. I am thankful to Vision Empower for ensuring that everything was handled efficiently. I thank you so much for your invaluable assistance.” – Sagar, Odisha

“One of the greatest strengths of Vision Empower lies in its people and the inclusive culture that seamlessly flows from the leadership to every team member. The supportive leadership team ensures that employees feel valued. It also fosters a positive and empowering work environment. Subtly applying insights from the wellbeing workshops, they equip subordinates to handle situations independently and confidently. This nurturing environment has greatly enhanced my well-being and productivity. Each day, I wake up energized and motivated, eager to contribute more than ever to our shared mission.” – Meghna, Karnataka

“Attending the workshop facilitated by Ruchi, Shashi and Siva Sankar was a transformative experience for me. They inspired me a lot in many ways. It was my first offline workshop. It was such a safe environment, where I learned how to handle difficult workplace situations, and address team challenges with empathy. The sessions emphasized valuing team emotions, being empathetic, building trust and the importance of maintaining harmony. This has helped me maintain harmony within the team and the organization, while fostering openness and collaboration. Personally, the workshop allowed me to understand myself better. It gave me opportunities to bond with others from different NGOs. It was beneficial for my organization. It also helped me grow as an individual, creating a better version of myself.” – Rishi, Tamil Nadu

Challenges faced during executing well-being related initiatives at VE

Mobilizing funds during the COVID-19 pandemic: Providing rations to disabled staff during the pandemic posed significant challenges. Many teachers lacked digital literacy. They also faced difficulties accessing their bank accounts. This complicated the distribution process.

Efforts in content translation: Our team members are spread across the country. Thus, ensuring effective online training has needed substantial effort in translating content into accessible formats. This has been essential to maintain the quality and inclusivity of the sessions.

Building trust and momentum in the Ananda Program: Convincing corporates to trust and support our volunteering engagements was a considerable challenge. Additionally, developing trust among volunteers that the accessible materials they created would reach beneficiaries and make a tangible impact has been a journey in itself.

Extending well-being to the ecosystem

At Vision Empower, our mission is to foster a culture of shared understanding and collaboration to uplift well-being of our team, our beneficiaries, and our partners in the ecosystem.

Ananda (The joy of volunteering with VE): Ananda is about creating meaningful opportunities for community engagement. Through this program, we collaborate with student and corporate volunteers.

The goal is to raise awareness about inclusion and accessibility. Volunteers contribute their time to develop accessible content. This fosters a sense of giving back to the visually impaired community. It is a feeling that words can’t capture.

We share a few of the experiences of our volunteers below, as articulated in their own words.

“I am amazed at how we can virtually support volunteer activities. The explanation of the why, how and impact was very clear. Everything is great. And I appreciate all of you for being a part of this organization and offering your support.”

“We would like to extend our deepest gratitude for the invaluable effort and enthusiasm VE brought to our team gathering event. Your commitment to making a positive impact is truly inspiring. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the VE members who were present at the venue and coordinated with us in the event. Once again, thank you for your time and energy. We are grateful for your partnership and look forward to the possibility of collaborating with you again in the future.”

“The offline volunteering event is fun. It is very engaging. There is a lot of teamwork involved as well. I would like to continue to contribute to the cause and be a part of the volunteering every year. The event was wellorganized and very systematic. Wishing VE a lot of success in their endeavors.”

“It was awesome to create quality content for the students. It was a great experience. I found myself recalling and reflecting on what I learned during my school days. Doing something good for someone truly in need made me feel proud and happy.”

Community of Practice through Subodha (WhatsApp Feature): This platform facilitates peer learning and knowledge sharing among educators. It creates a safe and inclusive space where teachers can exchange ideas and seek guidance without the fear of judgment. In the process, it boosts their confidence and morale.

Vision 30: Vision 30 is an educational initiative by Vision Empower, being launched to identify and nurture talented students annually from varied backgrounds. The goal is to equip them with the skills and resources necessary to achieve overall internal happiness and well-being. It helps them excel in academics to pursue careers of their choice, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). It focuses on holistic development. In the process, the program aims to empower these students to overcome barriers, unlock their potential, and become role models and responsible citizens of the country. We share a few voices of the participants in the program here.

“All the sessions were highly informative and motivating. This program has helped to build confidence in children. They were able to believe in themselves and realize how high they could reach by developing their own abilities. A nationwide student group was formed. Vision 30 is a necessity for this society to move forward… Continuity of this program will enable a group from the visually challenged community to grow to the status of Future Leaders of India.” – A schoolteacher from Kerala

“Overall, it was a great experience for students. They have learnt a lot of things from this program. Students found the activities interesting. Every day I got an opportunity to learn something new, where I learnt about mental health, and SWOT analysis, etc. The VE team provided a comfortable and the most memorable moments of my life. This program will boost students’ confidence levels. It will also increase their knowledge areas whether it is academics, technology or overall social, emotional and mental development. We as teachers also got a lot of ideas and new experiences, such as how to enhance our teaching methods, how to manage, and how to relate the concepts with the real world.” – A teacher from Delhi NCR

In conclusion

We see well-being as a collective effort. It grows stronger when shared. Together, we aim to create a ripple effect of inclusion and empower communities.

At the heart of VE’s interventions is its dedicated team. Moving forward, we remain collectively committed to ensuring a balanced focus on ‘being’ well and thereby ‘doing’ well, in our journey toward our expected vision.