HUMAN RESOURCES
EMPLOYEE WELFARE MATTERS
Dr. Muneer Muhamed writes that it’s important to care for your employees
Though leaders make mistakes at times, what sets them apart is how well they acknowledge and rectify them. One such critical and overlooked mistake is the negligence of employee wellbeing. Ignoring it undermines morale and productivity, which can lead to reputational damage, legal challenges and financial losses.
Continued negligence of employee wellbeing by leaders results in stress, burnout, disengagement and high attrition, and this drives up the cost of recruitment and retraining. Alongside these are absenteeism, presenteeism and loss of institutional knowledge.
This generally happens when AI integration is being undertaken by businesses to improve efficiency and the resultant demands on employees surge. The risk of collapsing under the weight of overdrive is at an all-time high at this time.
Many disastrous events sparked global debates about workplace stress and mental health. Most disturbing among these are employee suicides allegedly linked to toxic work environments and unrealistic demands.
Such incidents jolt public consciousness and force management to introspect. Wellbeing includes sustainable workcultures, not simply yoga sessions and free snacks.
Enterprises such as Walmart have been called out for low wages, long hours and poor work-life balance. These lapses have led to employee protests, lawsuits and damage to brand equity.
This pattern is found in Asia too.
In Sri Lanka, some apparel factories and business process outsourcing (BPO) firms faced criticism during the COVID-19 pandemic for poor working conditions and a lack of adequate employee support.
Reports by labour unions flagged concerns about excessive overtime, lack of mental health support and insufficient wages, eventually drawing the attention of international buyers and state authorities.
However, such mistakes can be corrected. Good leadership is defined not by perfection but responsiveness. Here are some globally successful practices that enterprises can adopt…
CULTURE Google’s employee centric culture, which offers perks such as flexible hours and wellness packages, is credited for boosting productivity and morale. In Sri Lanka, Dialog Axiata has been a front-runner in creating a collaborative and inclusive corporate culture. Through wellness programmes and community engagement, it has been recognised as a top employer.
WORK-LIFE Microsoft Japan’s pioneering four day working week trial led to a 40 percent rise in productivity, which made a strong case for restructuring work time models. MAS Holdings in Sri Lanka has initiated several employee wellbeing programmes including counselling support and flexible shifts for mothers.
INCLUSIVITY John Keells Holdings (JKH) actively champions diversity and inclusion. Its policies cover gender equity and LGBTQ+ rights that align with global pioneers. Salesforce.com invests heavily in creating inclusive workplaces.
SAFETY Unilever’s Mental Health Allies programme globally de-stigmatises mental health through peer support networks. Similarly, Hemas Holdings introduced mental health awareness initiatives during the pandemic, as well as tele-counselling and mental wellness campaigns.
UPSKILLING General Electric’s (GE) Crotonville campus remains a gold standard in leadership development. The Sri Lankan campus of Virtusa offers continuous upskilling for its tech workforce as a means of reducing attrition and driving engagement.
RECOGNITION Globally, IBM has demonstrated the power of recognition through consistent rewards and internal branding. The LOLC Group has a practice of recognising employees on a monthly basis across its various branches.
GROWTH LinkedIn encourages self-development through learning platforms and certifications, driving wellbeing through skills and career advancement. Businesses such as MillenniumIT ESP offer internal mobility and learning modules.
FEEDBACK Adobe replaced traditional appraisals with its check-in systems to reduce stress and drive healthy discussion. Similarly, Colombo based IT firm 99x uses agile team models and transparent feedback loops to encourage regular dialogue.
BENEFITS In the US, Costco’s high compensation package remains a case study in workforce motivation. Businesses such as Brandix in Sri Lanka have earned praise for offering above industry standard wages, particularly for female workers.
DECISIONS Zappos’ ‘holacracy’ approach, where employees are involved in major decision-making processes, is often cited as a classic example. At home, MAS Intimates follows programmes such as the lean management cell for process improvement decisions.
Neglecting employee wellbeing constitutes strategic mismanagement. In times of uncertainty, pandemics, digital overload and generational shifts in values, investing in people is the only sustainable competitive advantage.
In the words of an HR thought leader, “if you take care of your people, your people will take care of your business.”
Wellbeing includes sustainable work
