Looking at ‘the new normal’ through the eyes of a child

Humans, in their nature are creatures of habit. We chalk out specific routines, rituals and habits to help us feel whole and in control. All of us be it adults or kids are used to following certain schedules in our life – work, play, meals and even rest follow a pattern. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown us all off our tracks. As adults struggle to adjust to the ‘new normal’, it’s often that a child can provide fresh inspiration and a new perspective to things.

With this in mind we wanted to gain a perspective from the youngest members of our Cadila family. We wanted to give them an opportunity to bring to life their versions of realities of COVID -19 through paints, colours and imagination. Their spirit and determination has something for us to learn from. Children of our employees, in age group of five to twelve, sent in their creations in the form of posters paying respect to the COVID warriors.

“I love colours. Most of the lockdown I spent time sketching and painting the world around me or rather what I could see from my windows. My day starts everyday with the whistle of Ram Kaka who comes to collect our dustbins, at the same time Doctor Uncle, our neighbour leaving for work. While every one of us gets to stay in the comforts of our homes I see these people selflessly go out to help us. When my father told me about the poster competition I instantly knew whom I wanted to draw,” says twelve years old Ayush Vashisht, winner of the first prize in the 9 to 12 category.

With online schooling, parents trying to step in as teachers and instructors, and children, particularly those who have special education needs, are being challenged to deal with this strange times .The lockdown has affected children significantly because kids play in groups. During this time, kids really have not been able to meet or to go to playgrounds – things that are the fabric of childhood. Children look for opportunities where they can connect with others through extracurricular activities.

Nine years old, Aarna, daughter of Amit Kumar from our Domestic Business Unit in Gaya, was over the moon after winning the third prize. “I was very excited when I got this chance. I painted about all the important things we should remember during COVID – My parents says it is very important to wear masks, maintain social distance and wash hands. They always makes sure, whenever they come back home, they wash their hands before meeting with me.”

In the COVID context, these children are mostly viewed as passive recipients of sufferings and rarely as active citizens of society. However, they often emerge as a light of hope surprising us with a new perspective and a new vision. The awareness amongst children regarding importance of safety and how health workers, reporters and government officials are coming together to fight the pandemic is praise-worthy.

“To me my father is one of the greatest COVID warriors. I see him wake up every day and go out to help the country with necessary medicines to fight the virus.” Says Tanushree, daughter of Yogesh Mahure, Domestic Business Team, Gaya. Yogesh shared with us “Engaging the employee’s family ensures that employees are happy as well ensuring long lasting relationships which in turn helps in the growth of the organization. Especially during times like this when we stay busy with our work, we are glad that our children got a chance to keep themselves occupied.”

Every day might seem like a vacation for the kids – except they are living with social isolation, are not able to go play and can meet friends only through phones or laptop. All kids we spoke to shared that they miss schools and cannot wait to go back now. They miss playing with their friends and sharing food during lunch breaks. This can take a toll not only on the kids but also stress out a parent. Through employee engagement activities for kids, organisations can provide emotional support to the families during these tough times.

Narendra G Patel from the Dholka Quality Assurance and Control Team spoke to us about his and his child’s experience, “Organizations often ignore the families of employees but Cadila made us all feel a part of a bigger family. I have spent nine years in Cadila and each day I have gone back home happy. My daughter, Dhwani was overjoyed on winning the popular choice award in the nine to twelve years category. She bought toys, clothes and mental arithmetic books with her gift vouchers. Getting your efforts recognized and rewarded is a big thing for children. I would like to thank Cadila for organizing this contest. We look forward to more such initiatives. After all a happy family means a happy me.”

Our care continuum is an unending chain, connecting one person to another. We aim to reach out to as many individuals as possible and bring about a change in their lives. Today, we are proud to say that the Cadila Pharmaceuticals is built up by 9000 families. Not just our employees but we extend our care to their loved ones as well, as we understand the vital role families play in the lives of individuals. As global wellness ambassadors, we believe that ‘engagement’, as a concept is not restricted to work place alone. It extends beyond work boundaries. It is about touching hearts and souls of people.