MAM
Urban Company unveils unlimited mental health leave policy for employees
NEW DELHI: In the run-up to World Mental Health Day, home services start-up Urban Company (formerly UrbanClap) has introduced its mental health leave policy, a first in the industry.
Under this employee-centric initiative, employees will be allowed to take unlimited sick leaves if they suffer from any form of mental or physical illness, particularly if the patient has contracted Covid2019.
In addition to the leave policy, Urban Company is making some of the top psychologists of the country accessible to its employees by partnering with the leading mental wellness platform, iWill. Any employee who wants to avail the service can register on iWill, after which they would be connected with a leading psychologist who will address the psychological challenges faced by them. The bill for the doctor’s consultation will be footed by the company.
Mental health is one aspect of human well-being about which people have very little understanding, says Urban Company director HR Suhail Vadgaokar. Identifying and treating the symptoms is more critical than ever in these stressful and anxious times, he adds, while acknowledging that treatment and psychological consultations are quite expensive. “Through such initiatives, Urban Company is not only trying to foster employee overall well-being but also create an environment where people feel safe to talk about mental health issues.”
The company has already implemented various employee well-being friendly policies in the past six months: optional work-from-home till 31 December, granting five additional privileged leaves, and no internal meetings on Wednesdays. A buddy system has been implemented for those living alone in the city. The company also follows silence hours and encourages employees to take personal time off from work.
“We are trying to make a difference in society by creating avenues where mental health challenges can be addressed and resolved,” Suhail stated.
MUMBAI: In India’s fast-moving payments race, Visa has just swiped in a new leader. The company has named Suresh Sethi as its India country head, marking a key leadership shift as it sharpens its focus on digital payments growth in the market. Sethi steps into the role following his recent exit from Protean eGov Technologies, where he served as chief executive officer. He succeeds Sandeep Ghosh, who has moved on after more than four years at Visa to pursue an external opportunity.
The appointment comes at a time when Visa is doubling down on its expansion strategy across India and the wider region, deepening partnerships and accelerating adoption in an increasingly competitive digital payments ecosystem.
Sethi brings with him a broad, cross-market perspective shaped by decades of experience across corporate banking, retail financial services, mobile money and large-scale government technology initiatives. He began his career at Citigroup, where he spent 14 years working across India, Africa, South America and the United States, focusing on transaction banking services within the corporate bank.
His appointment signals a blend of institutional experience and market familiarity qualities that could prove critical as Visa navigates a landscape where fintech innovation, regulatory evolution and consumer adoption are all accelerating at once.
As digital payments in India continue to scale rapidly, the leadership change underscores a simple reality, in a market where every tap, scan and swipe counts, who leads the charge can matter just as much as the technology itself.
