“You spend a lot of time in your head, make it a nice place to be.”
The importance of mental health is often acknowledged only when situations worsen, rather than when there is still time for care and prevention. Yet, just like other aspects of wellbeing, prevention is possible for mental health too. Unfortunately, this option is less known and even less accepted. By paying attention early and creating supportive environments, we can protect our mental wellbeing before challenges become crises. This is where structured initiatives such as Employee Wellbeing Programs (EWPs) become essential.
An EWP is a confidential support service designed to help employees manage personal and professional challenges such as stress, burnout, or family concerns. By offering counselling, and access to wellbeing resources, EWPs provide employees with timely support before difficulties escalate. Research also shows their effectiveness—according to the World Health Organization (WHO), every US$1 invested in workplace mental health support yields a return of US$4 in improved health and productivity (WHO, 2016). This makes EWPs a meaningful investment not just for individuals, but for organizations as a whole.
Building on this understanding, at Ankush we have introduced UMANG, our Employee Wellbeing Program, to strengthen the benefits of structured support while creating a culture of care. With UMANG, our aim is to ensure that employees feel psychologically safe to seek help without stigma, to share their concerns openly, and to know that their wellbeing is a shared organizational priority. UMANG is more than assistance—it is our commitment to normalize mental health conversations and encourage proactive steps towards wellbeing.
Together, EWPs and psychological safety form a strong foundation for healthier workplaces. Through UMANG, we aspire to bring this foundation to life by creating an environment where every member of our organization feels supported, valued, and safe to be their authentic self. When employees feel mentally secure, both people and organizations have the space to truly flourish.