While a number of Indian corporates are bogged down with formulating HR plans, such as ESOPs (employees' stock option plans), and employee incentives to stop employees from leaving them, JK Tyres has put its HR focus on the mental and physical health aspects of its employees and their self-development. And this has paid dividends in that its employees are sticking with the company.

Last week, the company organised a two-day workshop for its executives on Transcendental Meditation to help them relieve mental stress and fatigue. "In fact, the immense mental stress executives are subjected to under modern working conditions pull them down when the day is only half-way through. This fatigue is ultimately reflected in their day's output, their efficiency and creativity, interpersonal relationships, and the quality and productivity of the company on the whole," says Dr S Mukherjee, general manager (HRD), JK Tyres.

Mukherjee says the company focusses on retaining and developing the talents of its employees, rather than drawing up programmes for retaining the employees themselves. It believes that if the employees' talents are properly nurtured and they are given an amiable environment to flourish in, they will stay with the company.

Keeping its employees healthy and mentally fresh also serves the very core objective of the company-productivity and profitability. If its executives can perform their tasks in a stress-relieved mind-frame, they become more creative and efficient at their work, their output grows and, most important, their interpersonal relationships become more conducive to work. All these result in higher productivity as well as better quality, which further translates into higher profits for the company. Further, by keeping its employees physically and mentally fit, the company also circumvents `hidden costs' such as loss of working hours and low productivity.

Continuing with its focus on developing the physical and mental health of the employees, JK Tyres has initiated an `Employee Assistant Programme'. The programme is, however, limited to its Delhi office for the present. Under this programme, JK Tyres' Delhi employees have free access to a clinical psychologist for consultancy on any problems pertaining to home or office, either for the employees themselves or for any member of their families.The company now plans to conduct a workshop on the art of living for its employees. The main focus of this programme will again be self-development through the release of stress and tension, improved health and well-being, and greater clarity and creativity of mind.

These workshops, including the last one on Transcendental Meditation, however, are not compulsory for JK Tyres executives; participation is wholly voluntary. But interestingly, more than 60 per cent of the company's executives, cutting across sections, participated in the last meditation workshop and over 70 per cent of those who participated in the previous workshops have kept up with their practice.