2021 Asia Employee Wellbeing Awards - Finalists

The winners will be announced at our 2021 Asia Employee Wellbeing Awards Ceremony on Friday 19 March 2021.

Finalists are listed in alphabetical order by organisation name.

To recognise a company that has adopted a strategic and proactive approach to promoting the work-life harmony* of its employees in Asia.    

*This relates to initiatives that companies have in place to empower and support employees to manage their personal and professional lives.

Finalists:

Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs recognises that each employee deals with unique personal circumstances and has taken a “people first” approach throughout the pandemic. COVID-19 Family Leave was introduced, providing ten additional days of paid leave to care for family members due to COVID-19 related illness or childcare needs. Enhanced flexible work arrangements are also available including split workdays, staggered work hours and restructured days. Virtual information sessions were organised with the firm’s global medical director for employees and their families to better understand the virus, its symptoms and prevention. There are regular offerings of guided meditations, exercise classes, resiliency workshops and counselling sessions.

Linklaters

Linklaters' agile working initiative began in earnest in 2018 and was accelerated during the pandemic. An employee’s preference to WFH is respected while also keeping offices open (with support staff) for those who prefer to go in. Financial support for aspects of remote working (such as home office equipment and utility bills) has also been provided. IT and Tax teams worked assiduously to assess and accommodate remote working requests for different jurisdictions. However, people may feel they can never 'turn off' so email communications and webinars give tips on how to create boundaries and reminders to take breaks and exercise were introduced. 

Macquarie Group

Macquarie Plus key initiatives include:

• Home office: financial support and training in relation to ergonomics/home workstation setup
• Resilience programme: training/resources library
• Meditation, mindfulness and exercise sessions
• Medical cover: variations according to the severity of a country's lockdown or pandemic
• Support from senior management: timely, consistent and tailored communications
• Online sites to share resources and wellbeing tips: Macquarie Plus SharePoint supports WFH; Their Workplace enables employees to share personal stories and provide emotional support
• Themed wellbeing tips: e.g. Mindful Mondays, Workout Wednesdays, Family Fridays to facilitate a holistic wellness experience
   

Publicis Sapient

Publicis Sapient India is committed to providing attention to the overall wellbeing of its employees by organising initiatives aligned to all four aspects of wellness i.e. Emotional, Nutritional, Financial and Physical. This is in line with the theme of ‘Integrated Wellness’, the company’s wellness mantra since 2013. The integrated wellness strategy is woven around the needs of millennials and specific work groups like women, people with disabilities etc.

To recognise a company that has adopted a strategic and proactive approach to promoting the physical wellbeing of employees in Asia.

Finalists: 

Eversheds Sutherland​

Eversheds Sutherland Hong Kong Wellbeing Programme is a key pillar of the firm’s strategy to support and develop its culture. Initiatives have included:

• Weekly jogs along the waterfront
• Regular yoga classes (sometimes offered remotely by UK colleagues)
• Wellbeing tips through the corporate wellbeing app
• Physiotherapists, nutritionists and psychologists invited to share their professional tips
• Free counselling sessions
• Connecting employees to nature and in support of Movember, a hike was arranged
• Education on women's health
• Firmwide charity events raising money to feed communities by encouraging employees to walk 10km 

​GlaxoSmithKline

At GSK we know that personalisation works, tailoring our health and wellbeing offer to meet each of our employees individual needs is important.  That’s why we are working with Virgin Pulse to implement a health and wellbeing solution ‘Healthy Life’ available on mobile devices and computers. The efficacy of GSK’s Healthy Life Singapore rests on the continual assessment of the various physical and mental wellbeing offerings, including a comprehensive assessment of employees' sleep, eating, drinking and exercise habits. Company-wide, this information is reported in aggregate so that programmes may be developed accordingly. Some examples of what we do:

• Educational materials and reminders to stay healthy and safe are communicated through the one-stop technology portal and other local communication channels
• Lunch and Learn educational sessions address needs in the area of physical health as well as cover a variety of health and wellbeing topics
• Vaccination rounds and health screening are provided at the inhouse clinics as well as many panel clinics across Singapore

Shell Companies in the Philippines

At Shell, the overall physical and mental wellbeing of each employee is a top priority. With all the changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenge to maintain work-life harmony while working from home has become more apparent. The successful transition of the Shell Be Well Club Programme consisting of voluntary employee-organised fitness groups, has allowed members to take care of their minds and bodies, creating a sense of community where they can continue to stay connected and to practise self-care.

To recognise a company that has adopted a strategic and proactive approach to promoting the emotional wellbeing of employees in Asia.    

*This may include targeted initiatives that companies have in place to promote happiness, resilience, mental health and/or spiritual wellbeing in the workplace.

Finalists: 

BHP

The Mental Health and Wellbeing programme originates from BHP’s Charter which communicates the company’s purpose, strategy and values. Sustanability is a core value -  putting health and safety first and supporting BHP’s communities. Mental health was prioritised in 2015 and a number of proactive measures to address wellbeing in the workplace were introduced across the region. COVID-19 elevated the significance of the emotional wellbeing of the BHP community. The aim of the programme is to enable BHP’s employees look back with pride on how they responded to the crisis, using it as an opportunity to grow and develop.

Dell Technologies

“Well at Dell” is part of Dell Technologies’ global wellness strategic framework and has recently seen the launch of many initiatives:

• Up to 15 days Crisis Leave (to alleviate anxiety/feelings of isolation or to take care of a family member)
• Balance and Stress Campaigns addressing mental health & wellbeing (3 months in duration)
• “R U Okay” campaign and focus groups with people leaders
• Weekly communication from the Executive Leadership
• Mental Health Toolkit for People Leaders, documenting mental health guidelines for the region
• Free counselling services
• Separate medical insurance reimbursement specific to COVID-19

DLA Piper

The SPEAK Ambassador Programme was initiated in 2019 and provides a learning journey for the participants and opportunities for ongoing health and wellbeing training. It also includes messages from the CEO and senior health and wellbeing sponsors to demonstrate genuine support from leadership. SPEAK Ambassadors are asked to be available for virtual wellbeing conversations and are trained on how to spot signs of poor mental wellbeing virtually. DLA Piper also worked with the Positive Group, a group of counsellors and psychologists, to develop “Managing Your Mind”, a series of 5 short micromodules for employees dealing with Coronavirus uncertainty. 

Intel Technology India Pvt. Ltd

The Thrive at Intel programme has a 3-pronged approach consisting of Communication, Training & Education and Active Engagement. The programme seeks to make Intel India a mental wellbeing friendly workplace, encouraging open dialogue surrounding mental health and promoting an understanding of the importance of emotional wellbeing. Thrive at Intel aims to tackle awareness and advocacy initiatives at every level of the organisation – employees, managers and leaders - so that employees feel included, accepted and able to seek help without fear of reprisal.

To recognise a company that has adopted a strategic and proactive approach to promoting the financial wellbeing of employees in Asia.

Finalists: 

Dell Technologies

Dell Technologies’ annual engagement survey (Tell Dell) has wealth management and financial health as one of the recurring themes. Recent lockdowns imposed all over the world have caused personal finances to dwindle and widespread layoffs have been a constant source of depression and insecurity. COVID-19 and changes in the workplace prompted Dell Technologies to raise awareness on savings and investments. As such, the  digital financial wellness tool - Enrich -was launched in Q4 of 2020. Such digital financial wellness solutions ensure seamless access to overall wellness from the confines of one's home and continue to evolve in these fast-changing times.

Goldman Sachs

The Goldman Sachs Financial Wellbeing Series demonstrates that the firm is as committed to supporting the financial wellbeing of its employees and advancing sustainable economic growth and financial opportunity in the markets in which it operates. Through a range of different programmes, from retirement savings to investment planning and education, the firm supports its employees in planning for their financial future and that of their families.

HSBC

Following the success of HSBC’s mental health learning programmes launched in 2019, financial wellbeing e-Learning was rolled out as part of 2020 WMHD strategy. Poor financial wellbeing is known to affect employees’ mental and physical health, relationships and productivity at work. Almost 2/3 of colleagues at HSBC said they felt stressed when thinking about personal finances, so this training was developed to upskill and build confidence to maintain and improve employee financial capability and overall wellbeing.