A Conversation Between Aruna Vaidhya, Murty Udandarao, and Erinda Shah

Below are excerpts from our recent webinar, part of the ongoing MHFA conversation series.

This is not a full transcript but a carefully curated summary of the key points and insights shared during the conversation. The goal is to offer you a quick yet meaningful glimpse into the discussion, highlighting powerful moments and important takeaways around mental health in the Workplace Context.

For the full, uncut version of the conversation and all the valuable perspectives shared, we encourage you to watch the complete video. Let’s dive in!

Editorial Perspective

In industries like engineering and construction, where deadlines are intense and stakes are high, mental well-being is often overlooked. But at Bechtel India, that story is changing. Mental health has moved from being a quiet concern to becoming part of daily dialogue and decisions. It's no longer just an HR effort, it’s part of how the company functions.

To understand how this shift happened, MHFA India spoke with Aruna Vaidhya, Deputy Project Manager, and Murty Udandarao, Construction Operations and EH&S Manager at Bechtel. What followed was a candid and insightful conversation about workplace culture, leadership, and the quiet power of human connection.

Erinda:

Construction environments are known for being fast-paced and traditionally male-dominated. What kinds of mental health challenges have you seen emerge at Bechtel?

Murty:

One of the most difficult things is that mental health often goes unnoticed. You can easily tell if someone isn’t wearing their safety gear, but it’s much harder to see if they’re struggling emotionally.

We’ve seen:

• Long site rotations leading to burnout and isolation.
• Cultural norms making people hesitate to speak up.
• Managers are unsure how to recognize signs of distress.
• Remote job sites where getting help isn’t always easy.

Erinda:

How did you begin turning that awareness into action?

Aruna:

It really began during the pandemic. People were isolated, either working from home or staying at distant job sites. That’s when it became clear that we needed to prioritize mental health.

Here’s what we started with:

• Training over 100 Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAiders) across our offices in Gurgaon, Chennai, and Vadodara.
• Placing peer supporters directly within teams on the ground.
• Launching wellness committees with structured seven-step mental health action plans.
• Ensuring that our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available round the clock—for both employees and their families.
• And just as importantly, we began talking more openly in meetings and everyday interactions.

Editorial Insight

According to a 2023 study published in The Lancet Psychiatry, construction workers face a suicide risk that’s three times higher than the general population. In India, the National Sample Survey 2024 reported that 85% of workers in industrial sectors face high levels of stress, yet many lack access to mental health resources.

What sets Bechtel apart is how it brings support systems right into the spaces where pressure lives on job sites, in camp accommodations, and during peak project delivery. With trained peer supporters and regular check-ins, support is no longer distant—it’s part of the workday.

Erinda:

Lots of companies start mental health initiatives, but sustaining them is the real challenge. How do you make sure it’s not just a campaign?

Murty:

That’s a good question. For us, mental health isn’t a side project, it’s woven into the rhythm of how we work. Here’s how we keep it going:

• Every day starts with toolbox talks, and these include emotional well-being too.
• We hold quarterly awareness sessions in partnership with MHFA India.
• MHFAiders aren’t just trained, they’re present and approachable on the job.
• Supervisors make time for regular, informal conversations with their teams.
• We also celebrate milestones, run wellness activities, and keep inclusion at the heart of everything we do.

Aruna:

That’s right. And I’ve seen it personally. There have been times when team members have reached out to me late at night, not about work, but about life. That kind of trust doesn’t come from titles, it comes from being there.

Editorial Insight

The Great Place to Work India 2025 survey showed that the most important factor in workplace psychological safety is whether employees feel their manager is approachable and emotionally available. Bechtel’s leaders walk the talk. They don’t just sponsor wellness, they participate in it.

Erinda:

Let’s talk about stigma. It still holds so many people back. How are you working to challenge that?

Murty:

• We decided to start with something visible. For example:
• We observed a one-minute silence across all offices to honor those lost to suicide in the construction industry.
• We launched a “Hands of Hope” campaign, where employees added handprints as a sign of solidarity.
• We talk openly—about stress, about the importance of reaching out, and about how asking for help is okay.
• We make sure that our managers are trained not just to lead, but to listen.

Aruna:

It’s also about leadership modeling vulnerability. At Bechtel, our leaders are encouraged to share their own mental health experiences when they feel comfortable. That helps create a culture where openness is normal.

Key Takeaways: Bechtel’s Mental Health Approach

• Peer Support on the Ground: MHFAiders are part of every team and are easily accessible.
• Mental Health Is Part of the Routine: Conversations happen daily, not just during campaigns.
• Supervisor Check-Ins Build Safety: Regular dialogue builds lasting trust.
• Leaders Set the Tone: Vulnerability and openness start at the top.
• Stigma Is Actively Addressed: Suicide prevention, support campaigns, and candid conversations are part of the strategy.

Final Reflections

At Bechtel India, mental health isn’t treated as a checkbox or a wellness week slogan—it’s part of how people lead, how teams connect, and how trust is built on-site and off. What began as a response to crisis has become a culture of care.

The message is clear: psychological safety is just as critical as physical safety, and emotional resilience is a leadership responsibility. When supervisors listen, when peers support, and when leaders show up with empathy, workplaces don’t just perform better, they become better.

Mental health is no longer something we react to. It’s something we proactively build—conversation by conversation, person by person.