I joined Bravura in 2014, starting as an Assistant Manager and working my way to my current role as Facilities Manager for India. It has been an amazing opportunity, in a company that is very progressive. It’s a very open culture; management, for example, are all very approachable and it creates an environment where you would not hesitate to talk to anyone.

The Bravura India office is based in Gurgaon, which is a renown technology hub. We are the largest Bravura office with approx. 420 people, and we work 24/7, operating shifts. With that kind of operation, it is very important for us that everyone here has the support they need, and that they enjoy coming to work. This support is from providing an office in a new campus, with a beautiful ambience, to employee transport to bring people to and from work to initiatives such as Diversity and Inclusiveness (D&I).  

I’ve been a Mental Health Champion within the business for some time and undertook training to become a Mental Health First Aider in 2021. Initiatives like these, which encourage people to express their true selves and to feel they can open up and find support to help deal with whatever is troubling them, whether that is at work or in their personal lives, provides a comfort and is so valuable.

When people have issues of any kind, it can have an impact in many ways – personally, physically, mentally, and professionally. The D&I and mental health initiatives are creating a safe place where anyone can talk about how they are feeling, without any judgement or worrying about what people might think or might say about them.

One way in which this is achieved is through our fortnightly drop-in calls hosted by Mental Health First Aiders, where people are free to speak about their concerns and also voice opinions on what we can do to better support our colleagues’ wellbeing in the workplace. One suggestion that was taken on board was limiting the constant stream of news on the Russia/Ukraine War on the televisions in the communal areas, as it was felt this constant stream of distressing information was negatively affecting people’s mental wellbeing. 

Being a Mental Health Champion and first aider has been good for me too. I recognise that I am now more careful when I listen to people. Often in the office we can have superficial conversations but just being a bit more attentive I think can help us better engage with one another. And the fact that I am here for people if they need me, and I can help people when they might not have anyone else to turn to I think has made me a better person.

My advice to anyone when it comes to our mental health is to talk. The benefit from just talking can be much more than you realise. Sometimes, when we talk it’s not so someone else can hear us, it’s so we can express ourselves, so we can hear ourselves; it can help us have clarity of mind. Then we can take the next step.

For me, Bravura has proved it is an organisation which values its employees. The caring culture which has been built and the initiatives that have been introduced to look after employees make for a fantastic working environment. I never wake up in the morning and feel I don’t want to go into work. It’s a great place to be.

About the author

Kaniska Perti

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