Veteran author and psychologist, Noam Shpancer once said; “Mental Health is not a destination but a process. It is about how you drive, not where you’re going”. At a time when Sri Lankans are undergoing a stressful period due to the ongoing economic crisis, understanding how external pressures can affect your mental wellbeing, and being able to find ways to stay positive and productive is now more important than ever.
With this in mind, Hemas Pharmaceuticals has taken steps to instil a positive mind-set among employees by encouraging them to be part of the solution – bringing about the much-discussed system change first in their own lives and in the workplace, and thereby in the country.
The company launched the ‘Be the Solution’ campaign to encourage employees to make small changes in their daily lives that add up to make a big difference. The multiple, long-term initiatives are designed to foster a healthier lifestyle, an energy-conscious outlook and an overall positive work environment, setting an example to the business community and the general public.
Commenting on the initiative, Managing Director, Hemas Pharmaceuticals and Hemas Surgicals and Diagnostics, Jude Fernando, said: “We ourselves must be the change that we call for, and the time has come to reconsider how we, as individuals, can lead a behavioural transformation for the betterment of the country.
We spend a significant amount of our lives at work, so it’s critical that we begin this transformation there and go above and beyond our call of duty to inspire our co-workers and make it a better place for everyone. It is the small steps we take as individuals that will multiply when practised as a group, resulting in a larger and more genuine impact.
Together with my team, I am thrilled to be introducing this innovative approach to being our own solution; we hope to continue setting an example during these trying times and to be a source of strength to our Mother Lanka.”
One of the key priorities of the ‘Be the Solution’ campaign is to encourage healthful living. As a result, the company was among the very first local companies to officially inaugurate their ‘Cycling Club’, encouraging employees to explore sustainable transportation and emphasising its positive impact to other corporates.
The ‘Be the Solution’ program also focuses on motivating employees to be more energy-conscious with initiatives such as ‘If there is Sight, no need of that Light’, which calls for all lights to be turned off between 9am and 4pm, allowing daylight to be used whenever possible. ‘The Degree that Counts’ initiative requests employees to have all air conditioners set to 25-26°C at all times, encouraging them to further save energy as much as possible.
“Everything we do has an effect on the lives of our colleagues, families, and society as a whole, added Fernando.
- TA