New Bajaj Auto HR policy reaches out to families of pandemic ravaged staff

Bajaj Auto, India’s largest exporter of three-wheelers and motorcycles, has introduced a new HR policy aimed at offering the additional support to the pandemic ravaged families of its employees. In the unfortunate event of an employee’s death due to Covid, his / her family, the company will offer monetary support up to a period of two years after their demise.

It will also assist in dependent children’s education till graduation in any field of their choice. In addition to this, the Pune-based company will also offer five-year hospitalization insurance for all family members of the deceased employee.

The latest policy announcement is in addition to several initiatives already undertaken by the company over the past one year. Covid has shown that mental well-being of employees is as important as physical, and they need to be cared for in a wholesome manner, the company said in a statement.

“When asked how we should treat others, Ramana Maharshi replied, 'There are no others'. It is with this sense of oneness that we shall do our utmost for any extended families of Bajaj Auto who might be devastated by the loss of their loved ones who went beyond the call of duty in the face of this pandemic,” Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Bajaj Auto said commenting on the various initiatives taken by the company.

Bajaj Auto joins companies like HCL Technologies that have launched similar initiatives to help out the families of the deceased employee.

Apart from financial contributions, Bajaj Auto has been offering treatment testing facilities at its multiple Covid care centres it set up after the outbreak of the pandemic last year. It has also extended the support of its engineers who have worked closely with government authorities to audit the oxygen systems at more than 70 hospitals across districts in Maharashtra to prevent wastage of this precious resource. It has set up Covid facilities at its plants in Akurdi, Waluj, Chakan, Pantnagar. While a certain proportion of beds are reserved for the company’s employees and its staff, the remaining serves the requirements of the respective communities.

The Waluj centre has been set up under the aegis of Kamalnayan Bajaj Hospital. This Covid care centre began as a 36-bed facility in June 2020 and has since been expanded to a 200-bed facility. It was started for Bajaj Auto’s workers and their families but now serves not just its employees but also the community around the plant. As part of the initiatives in Waluj, the oxygen production project at the Primary Health Centre – set up on behalf of Jankidevi Bajaj Foundation – was also inaugurated recently.

Bajaj Group has pledged a total of Rs 300 crore towards various government, local administration and NGO initiatives, including the procurement of 12 oxygen plants and several other respiratory support equipment since the onset of the pandemic last year.