NEW DELHI: As the world celebrates Mental Health Day, marketing solutions agency Schbang acknowledged the negative feedback it has received on its work culture and vowed to make changes through proactive initiatives.
The agency put up a carousel post on Instagram with the first slide reading, “We F**ked Up”. On the next slide, one can read some of the negative testimonials the company has received for its demanding work culture, long working hours, and less work-life balance.
The post also had a personal message from the agency: “Mental Health > Everything else. Time to acknowledge and be the change, start a conversation, because we all deserve better.”
Admitting its mistakes, the agency elaborated on five solutions that they have devised to make Schbang a more positive and mental-health friendly place. These include: ramped up hiring (they had hired 150+ new employees during the lockdown); getting an in-house therapist for employees; additional two mental health wellness leaves; enabling managers to have honest conversations with clients on work-load, briefs, and deliverables; and training managers to get full clarity on briefs before they start the work.
The two-day mental health leaves can be availed during a calendar year, and are carried forward, like other leaves, for three years in case one doesn’t take them.
The post was met with mixed reactions in the comments section. While many lauded the agency for making the bold move of owning up to its mistakes and taking serious corrective measures, other questioned whether this was just a marketing gimmick. One commenter also suggested that the agency should set some rules and guidelines for clients too, for the initiative to work.
