EFFICACY: Psychologist Albert Bandura in 1977 defined Efficacy as “the belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations.” Efficacy is strengthened by 

• Mastering experiences: Achieving difficult goals by persevering, even in the face of adversity.

• Vicarious experience: Learning from the experience or success of others similar to you

• Social persuasion: Encouragement from others also enhances one’s efficacy.

• Physiological Feedback: If the activity affects the body and emotion positively, then it enhances the belief in the person’s efficacy.

At IndianOil: The umpteen opportunities at IndianOil for self-development such as the self-learning portal Swadhayay, options of MOOC through Ekalavya are initiatives of the Organisation to enhance the efficacy of its employees. Not only its employees, IndianOil also educates its Channel Partners such as Customer Attendants (CA’s), LPG Delivery persons etc. through the learning portal Sampark. Additionally, it’s one of a kind initiative of Academy on Wheels which is a learning academy for CA’s inside of a bus which moves from location to location, is a true testament of the organisation’s commitment towards enhancing channel partners’ experiences.

RESILIENCE: Resilience is defined as: “positive psychological capacity to rebound, to ‘bounce back’ from adversity, uncertainty, conflict, failure, or even positive change, progress and increased responsibility” (Luthans, 2002). Resilience appreciates the ability to come back stronger, after stressful work events. This is a test of the person’s ability to cope with challenges through mental, emotional and behavioural flexibility.

At IndianOil: Note-worthy initiatives at IndianOil where the organisation is grooming the grit and mental well-being of its workforce are:

1. Employee Assistance program: With an aim to support employees in navigating daily work-life challenges and enhancing their overall well-being, launched in 2021 “Paramarsh” the corporate-wide employee assistance program hosts sessions on wellness, nutrition, and counselling – under the aegis of which a varied of topics are discussed such as “Caring for Aging Parents” or “Traditional vs Gentle Parenting.
2. IndianOil Wellness Programme 4R 4U: Focussing on the physical and mental health well-being of its employees, the IndianOil 4R 4U program was developed emphasizing the principles of Realize- your Willpower, Revive- your Health/ Body, Rejuvenate- your Mind, and Reinvent- your Success/ Growth, guiding IOCians towards not only professional success but also a life of purpose and balance.
3. Cultivating Growth mindset by learning from failure: Various departments such as HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) or Vigilance circulate case studies through Corporate Broadcasts so that lessons learnt from these incidents are shared with all to ensure implementation of best practices and prevent recurrence of negligence.

OPTIMISM: Scheier and Carver (in 1980s) defined optimism as a set of generalized positive outcome expectancies. Optimistic people are confident that desired outcomes will occur and that their efforts will succeed. They attribute negative or adverse outcomes to temporary, external circumstances.

At IndianOil: Some interventions at IndianOil where the organisation is grooming the eco-system of Optimism are:

1. Open-mic with Chairman: In a marathon session of 12 hours of a unique Townhall initiative, the Chairman of IndianOil virtually interacted and conversed with nearly 300 employees across 145+ locations responding to their queries, sharing feedback and voicing ideas. It set an example of open communication. Any mis-givings about the organisation or industry was suitably allayed and transparency was enhanced thus aiding in creating a responsive, inclusive and people-centric workplace.
2. Peer support networks: To encourage sharing of positive experiences and coping strategies, IndianOil has instituted initiatives such as Abhigyan – its home-grown mentor-mentee network with also a branch for reverse-mentoring where senior employees are open to gain know-how from juniors.