Meesho's big step to combat burnout, announces this move for its employees
The World Health Organisation defines burnout as a syndrome due to workplace stress which has not been effectively controlled.
E-commerce firm Meesho has announced a 11-day companywide break from October 22 to November for the second year in a row. The company's ‘Reset and Recharge’ initiative will allow the employees to completely unplug from work and put their mental well-being on priority.
In a statement, Meesho said the 11-day break is a reflection of the company's continued commitment towards building a people-centric workplace, one that truly looks after its employees.
“Even astronauts need breaks. So do folks working on moonshot missions at @Meesho_Official. For the 2nd year in a row, Meeshoites will unplug for 11 days (Oct 22-Nov 1) to Reset & Recharge after the festive season. Work is important, well-being is priceless. #Mentalhealth”, Vidit Aatrey, the founder and chief executive officer, tweeted.
Citing burnout and anxiety as key concerns for present day workforce, Meesho says the ‘Reset and Recharge’ initiative will ‘show the way for other companies to adopt similar employee-first practices’.
“With Reset and Recharge, we continue to push the envelope and redefine conventional workplace norms. Employees can choose to decompress however they want – whether it’s spending time with near and dear ones, traveling or picking up a new hobby. Such progressive policies have helped augment our employee centricity and industry-leading retention rates”, Ashish Kumar Singh, chief human resources officer, Meesho, said in a statement.
But what is burnout, which is indeed a concern among professionals? Here are five things to know.
1. The World Health Organisation defines burnout as a syndrome due to workplace stress which has not been effectively controlled. Burnout has three dimensions i.e feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from job and reduced professional efficacy.
2. According to a New York Times report, WHO has included burnout in the International Classification of Diseases and has been characterised as an occupational phenomenon, but not a medical condition. Depression is a clinical diagnosis.
3. In 1981, a research study by DC Glass and JD McKnight addressed the relation and difference between burnout and depression by carrying out a systematic literature review of 18 studies. It was found that despite being depleted of necessary energy, persons with high levels of burnout behaved more lively and apparently enjoyed situations than depressive people, Mint reported.
4. The studied further showed that the burnout people are less likely to have suicidal ideas while they experience more realistic guilt feelings.
5. The burned out people frequently struggled to fall asleep, as compared to the depressed people's propensity to wake up early.
