'Reset days' boost staff well-being at Google
SINGAPORE - At Google Singapore, Ms Atikah Amalina Zaini, 31, has taken eight extra days off since the pandemic began, as part of the company's worldwide effort to help employees avoid burnout.
Known as global "reset days", these paid holidays are among a slew of workplace policies introduced by Google to look after its employees' well-being.
Ms Atikah, who has bipolar disorder and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), told The Straits Times that such enforced breaks have helped her see resting throughout the year as key to resilience and well-being.
This has been important for her mental health at a time when disruptions due to Covid-19 have made her anxiety and mood swings more pronounced, said the channels diversity programme manager, adding that she has returned to taking medication.
The company was also pivotal in helping her restart therapy for her conditions in 2019, she noted.
With the help of her manager, Ms Atikah got to know about the multinational corporation's mental health resources, which has led to more than two years of therapy with a specialist under the firm's insurance coverage.
She said: "While I have seen mental health professionals in the past, I had stopped due to the financial cost of private practice, as well as the difficulty in getting timely interventions in the public health route."
Ms Atikah now writes and speaks about mental health as a member of Blue Dot, the firm's global peer support network and mental health awareness group.
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