WorklifeIndia

Covid-19 is ravaging India. India is reporting more fresh cases everyday than any other country has during the pandemic. India also crossed the devastating figure of 200,000 coronavirus deaths this week. The real number of deaths is thought to be much higher. The country's crumbling healthcare system is battling an onslaught of fresh cases, and an acute shortage of resources like medical oxygen, hospital beds and essential medicines.

At the forefront of this fight are the health workers. They are working relentlessly with scare resources to go beyond the call of duty and save precious lives. How is the fresh wave affecting their health and wellbeing? How is it impacting their loved ones? How do they fight feelings of burnout, guilt and trauma?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we ask frontline health workers how they are coping in this deadly second wave and what can be done to help.

Heart-breaking stories from across India are grabbing headlines the world over. Amid a deadly new wave of Covid infections, the country’s crumbling healthcare system is battling an acute shortage of medical oxygen and hospital beds. The number of fresh cases and deaths continues to set new daily records. India is now reporting more fresh cases everyday than any country has during the pandemic.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

For most companies, the pandemic has had far-reaching consequences. Established business models and proof-read plans became irrelevant, while growth reached an abrupt halt.

In this volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (or VUCA) world, businesses are now seeking to make sense of newer priorities and economic patterns. A recent study of 100 CEOs in India indicates a stronger focus on purpose-led leadership after the pandemic’s business disruption.

But how will this impact business branding and behaviour? Would passive adaptability score higher over aggressive marketing? In this edition, we ask how businesses can build and retain their brands in the VUCA world.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Contributors: Harish Bijoor, brand and business strategy consultant; Mansi Tripathy, vice president, commercial lubricants, Shell APME; Nithin Kamath, founder & CEO, Zerodha

India is facing an alarming surge in coronavirus cases, a dangerous second wave that’s threatening to again derail both lives and livelihoods. Hard lockdowns last year battered its economy, and fresh restrictions and regional lockdowns to contain the surge are making many wonder what an economic recovery is going to look like.

Many millions have lost their jobs over the last year, or seen their incomes dip. Is this a temporary phase? Recent estimates have raised India's growth forecast for this year to higher-than-expected, at over 12%. But how severely will the fresh wave affect recovery? How much of it depends on the rate of vaccinations? And how badly will the new curbs, curfews and lockdowns affect consumer sentiment?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss what can be done for India's economic recovery.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Contributors: Gurcharan Das, author, commentator; Geeta Goel, country director, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation; Deep Kalra, founder & CEO, MakeMyTrip

Unpaid domestic work in India is nearly 40% of the country’s GDP, according to recent estimates. India’s homemakers, like many in different parts of the world, clean, cook and care for their families, accounting for nearly 300 minutes a day. Globally too, women still do the lion’s share of housework.

Should this work – largely seen as thankless household chores – be monetized? Or would it prevent women from stepping out of their homes and taking up formal professions? What could be the unintended consequences of guaranteed income for housewives?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss whether housework should get remunerated.

An estimated 500 million Covid-19 vaccinations have been administered so far globally. In India, that figure has crossed the 50-million mark.

But while the country is seeing a new wave of coronavirus cases, many aren't willing to get a vaccine shot. Recent estimates suggest that only about 50% of people eligible to get a jab are actually stepping forward.

Why do some people have concerns about taking the coronavirus vaccine, and how should the government and health providers respond?

Vaccine hesitancy remains one of the top 10 threats to global health, according to the World Health Organization, so in this edition of WorklifeIndia, we debunk myths and discuss how to overcome vaccine hesitancy.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Contributors: Heidi J Larson, founding director - Vaccine Confidence Project, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine; Dr Shiv Kumar Sarin, director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences; Preetha Reddy, vice chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group

All of us keep learning new things all the time. It could be learning to speak in public, a technical skill, a new language, finding a square root, or playing the guitar - our minds continuously evolve with new information.

But is there a way to train the brain to learn things faster, and reduce the effects of stress that come with modern lifestyles? And if you knew what time of the day your performance peaks, would you plan your day differently? How important is cognitive fitness to our physical and emotional well-being?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we delve deeper into our minds and discover ways to improve brain agility.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Contributors: Anoop Kumar, emergency physician, mind-body strategist; Vidita Vaidya, neuroscientist, professor, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research; Neelakantha Bhanuprakash, fastest human calculator, founder, Exploring Infinities

Over 40 million people are recorded as unemployed in India. To add to that, the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate the jobs sector worldwide. Once you lose your job, finding another in these uncertain times is not easy. The statistics are staggering - but there's also a human story behind each number.

So what are the stories of some of the Indians who found themselves unexpectedly hit by the pandemic? How did they reinvent themselves amid challenging times? What does it take to switch professions? What about the dreams and aspirations that were driving their lives before the pandemic struck? Have they changed?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we hear stories of people who switched careers during the pandemic to stay afloat.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Abusive comments and insults have become far too common on the internet. Social media platforms in particular are a hotbed of trolls - people taking pleasure in sending sexist, malicious comments. Recent figures estimate that more than 40% of women Internet users in India fear being bullied or trolled online.

Should one engage with trolls by debating them, or ignore and block them, so their abusive views don’t gain any further visibility? When are the limits of free speech breached, and what can be done to control online trolling?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss solutions with three high-profile women who have themselves faced vicious online trolling.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

India generates over 270 million tonnes of waste every year - 80 percent of what South Asia produces - and nearly 77 percent of this waste ends up in open landfill sites, a clear sign that the country is running on a take-make-waste economy.

So, how can we do our bit to save the planet? How can we give the things we buy a new life rather than dumping them in landfill sites, or letting them wind up in the oceans?

While a lot of people want to go zero waste and plastic-free, the issue of convenience stands in the way. But those who do make changes say they love the challenge: planning ahead, shopping around, and finding creative ways to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we speak to three inspiring women championing zero waste in India, as they share their quick tips on making more responsible lifestyle choices.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Contributors: Wilma Rodrigues, CEO, founder, Saahas Zero Waste; Nayana Premnath, zero waste influencer; Sahar Mansoor, CEO, founder, Bare Necessities