Godrej Properties Ltd (GPL) has launched Godrej SAHYOG, a structured mental health and wellbeing initiative designed specifically for construction workers across its project sites. The programme marks a significant step in the company’s effort to broaden workplace welfare beyond physical safety, addressing emotional and psychological health among one of India’s most vulnerable workforces.
The initiative follows a six-month pilot across six construction sites in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, where more than 2,000 workers participated in structured psycho-education sessions. Based on the outcomes of the pilot, Godrej SAHYOG will now be implemented across 79 identified construction sites, covering an estimated 30,000 workers.
Nationwide rollout across key markets
The programme will be rolled out across major real estate markets including Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh. These regions account for a significant portion of Godrej Properties’ development footprint and employ a large migrant construction workforce.
By scaling the initiative nationwide, the company aims to embed mental health support into its day-to-day site operations, rather than treating it as a standalone or temporary intervention.
Addressing an overlooked challenge
Construction workers in India often face prolonged separation from families, financial uncertainty and physically demanding work conditions. Many migrate from their home states and operate outside formal support systems, making access to mental health care limited or non-existent.
Godrej SAHYOG seeks to address this gap by providing consistent, confidential and stigma-free mental health support directly at construction sites. The programme focuses on emotional, psychological and social wellbeing, recognising that mental health challenges often remain invisible in traditionally safety-led construction environments.
What the programme offers
Under Godrej SAHYOG, workers will have 24/7 access to trained mental health professionals. The support framework includes monthly on-site group sessions to build awareness and normalise conversations around mental health, personalised one-on-one counselling for individual concerns, and a round-the-clock audio-visual helpline for counselling and crisis support.
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with 1to1 Help, a professional mental health services provider with operations across multiple Indian cities. The partnership ensures that counselling and interventions are clinically informed and delivered by qualified professionals.
Leadership perspective on inclusive growth
Pirojsha Godrej, executive chairperson, Godrej Properties, said the initiative reflects a broader responsibility towards the people who build India’s cities and infrastructure.
“India’s growth is being shaped every day by millions who build our cities and infrastructure. Caring for the well-being of those who build the nation is not just a business responsibility; it is a societal imperative,” he said. “Through Godrej SAHYOG, we are seeking to recognise the dignity of labour and ensure that mental health support becomes an integral part of how we think about inclusive growth and nation building.”
Creating humane construction sites
Gaurav Pandey, managing director and CEO, Godrej Properties, highlighted the lived realities of construction workers and the need for empathy-driven workplace practices.
“At Godrej Properties, building homes also means taking responsibility for the people who build them,” Pandey said. “Many of our site workers live far from their families and familiar support systems. Godrej SAHYOG is an acknowledgement of their reality and a commitment to creating construction sites that are not just efficient, but also humane, supportive and respectful.”
Learnings from the pilot phase
According to Dr Divyang Doshi, chief medical officer, Godrej Industries Group, the pilot phase demonstrated how early intervention and open conversations can make a meaningful difference.
“Construction workers often operate outside formal mental health support systems, which can intensify stress over time,” Doshi said. “During the pilot, structured group sessions and confidential counselling helped normalise conversations, build trust and enable early intervention.”
He added that partnering with 1to1 Help allowed professional mental health services to be delivered directly at the workplace, where accessibility is critical.
Shifting from safety to wellbeing
External studies in India have consistently pointed to high levels of psychological distress among migrant construction workers, often linked to isolation, job insecurity and lack of social support. Despite this, mental health has historically remained a blind spot in the construction sector, which has largely focused on physical safety and accident prevention.
Godrej SAHYOG represents a shift towards a more holistic understanding of worker wellbeing, integrating mental health awareness alongside existing safety practices. The company said the initiative is part of a longer-term effort to build inclusive, people-centric development models.
Launch event and future outlook
The programme was formally launched at Godrej City Panvel in the presence of the company’s labour teams and senior leadership. Attendees included Megha Goel, chief human resources officer, Godrej Properties; Sandeep Navlakhe, chief operations officer, Godrej Properties; V Swaminathan from corporate audit and assurance at Godrej Industries Group; Ajay Bhatt, group head for corporate services at Godrej Industries Group; and Kunal Ashok, chief growth officer, 1to1 Help.
With Godrej SAHYOG, the developer is positioning mental health as a core component of responsible business practice. As real estate companies increasingly focus on ESG commitments and workforce welfare, the initiative could set a precedent for how construction sites across India approach mental health and dignity of labour.
