PanoTech Services: Protecting Employee Mental Health

The chief executive officer of PanoTech Solutions was troubled by the escalating mental health crisis among employees in the IT industry, including severe cases such as suicide attempts and self-harm. Internally, his staff had voiced concerns over stress, heavy workloads, and work–life balance, issues that were exacerbating high attrition rates and the loss of top talent. To address such challenges in a cultural environment where mental health stigma remained high and only a fraction of those needing mental health care sought help, PanoTech was exploring options such as AI counselling through Wysa, Mental Health First Aid India’s educational programs, and suicide prevention training from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience. The firm was particularly interested in the potential of AI but needed to establish measurable key performance indicators that could gauge the success of the chosen interventions. The challenge lay in assessing the solution’s costs and effectiveness, and adapting it to suit a predominantly remote workforce. PanoTech’s decision revolved around selecting a solution that effectively addressed mental health concerns while considering cultural sensitivities and measurable outcomes for employee well-being.

This case is suitable for use in undergraduate- or graduate-level courses in coaching, mentoring, counselling, and talent management. The case explores the integration of mental health management into workplace strategies and is designed to assist students in learning theories, concepts, and frameworks related to employee mental well-being. As mental health in the workplace is connected to economic instability, workplace pressure, and heightened stress, it is important that students learn the role of human resources in creating and applying relevant workplace practices. After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to do the following:<br><br><ul><li>Understand the critical role of mental health in workplace productivity and engagement.</li><li>Understand how to effectively implement mental health solutions in environments where stigma surrounding mental health issues prevails.</li><li>Evaluate and select tools for identifying mental health challenges and promoting employee well-being.</li><li>Examine the application of AI technologies in assessing and implementing mental health solutions.</li><li>Develop measures and KPIs to monitor the effectiveness of mental health interventions.</li><li>Understand how organizations can create a work workplace that fosters employee mental well-being.</li></ul>

• mental health
• employee mental wellbeing
• AI mental health
• workplace stress
• mental health solutions
• employee engagement
• mental health crisis
• talent management
• remote workforce
• work-life balance
• mental health stigma
• mental health training
• employee support programs
• suicide prevention
• mental health
• KPIs
• psychological safety
• counseling interventions
• human resource strategies
• Indian mental health context