The event was moderated by Irina Aksenova, AEB HR Committee Chairperson, Сoleman and Konstantin von Vietinghoff-Scheel, AEB Health and Safety Sub-Committee Chairperson, Corporate Counselling Services.

 

An overview of how business struggling with COVID-19 was delivered by Tatiana Borisova, HSE&BCM Head CE Cluster, Novartis. Tatiana sheared with the audience Novartis experience on how to support the employees during this challenging time. “70 % people have post-COVID syndrome, 80% associates complaint, on 30-50% increase of workload, VUCA-world – increased stress, burnout and other mental syndromes ≥70% of associates”, - pointed out expert as a COVID-19 consequences. To cope with these disappointing results Novartis launched ‘Mental health marathon’ which has already contributed to the employees positive thinking and general wellbeing. This type of support proved its benefits and become very popular.

Working from home during COVID-19 means spending a lot of time on video meeting applications and having to cope with unforeseen challenges such as rethink connectivity, manage remotely, keep work teams engaged and motivated while ensuring continued performance and quality of work and achieve a balance between work and home.

Konstantin von Vietinghoff-Scheel presented the results of AEB ‘COVID-19 mental health survey’. The survey showed many valuable inputs to better understand this complicated process. 76.8% of employers admitted the negative impact on employees’ mental health. 65.2% noticed that COVID-19 had affected the general wellbeing of employees. Self-isolation, travel and leisure restrictions, work overload and school disclosure are among the biggest challenges employees had to face in relation to COVID-19.

Evgeny Reyzman, Counsel, Baker&McKenzie, discussed with the audience the options available to  employers  to enforce the restrictions and obligations imposed by  governmental authorities’ due to COVID-19. The expert admitted that employers are quite  vulnerable because of necessity to ensure vaccinations by employees and contractors in absence of effective labour law instruments to enforce these obligations. While the enforcement  capacity of the employers is quite scarce, the best way to arrange the compliance with governmental anti-pandemic requirements and thus to save the business is to use monetary and organizational incentives to encourage employees to get vaccinated and to comply with restrictions. 

The event joined more than 80 experts from different fields of business.