How do you take care of your employees in your organization?
At Ferrer, caring for people is and will always be one of our priorities. We have a very clear purpose as a company, to generate a positive impact on society and we do this through three strategic axes: Great People, Livable Planet and Social Justice. Our occupational safety, health and welfare policy is built within the Great People Axis. We understand health holistically and promote a culture of holistic well-being including physical, mental and emotional aspects. Our wellness programme, WellLiving, under the motto “Wellbeing Must Be Lived”, aims to implement actions that empower people to promote healthy lifestyles. Organizations play a facilitating role, but it must be the people themselves who commit to, cultivate and live their own well-being.
When we defined the program, we were inspired by the definition that Gallup created in 2010, according to which our well-being arises from the combination of passion for what we do every day, the quality of our relationships, the security of our finances Is. , the pride we feel in our physical strength and our contribution to the community. And based on this, we define five dimensions that are part of the wellness program, which are social, financial, healthy, exploration and community, because we believe that people’s well-being is the result of a combination of actions that they take. Are part of each.
How are company values reflected in this care?
In my opinion, our values (humility, optimism, empathy and concern) have a very important impact on the well-being of the people of Ferrer. For example, fostering an environment where empathy is valued creates a supportive culture where people feel understood and supported, which contributes to greater emotional well-being. Or promoting resilience and a positive mindset in an organization may improve people’s ability to overcome challenges. This contributes to an environment where obstacles are viewed as opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Is this an element of your employer branding?
Without any doubt, a comprehensive and well-implemented wellness policy has a very significant impact on a company’s employer branding.
This can be an important factor in attracting and retaining talent. Increasingly, people are looking for work environments that foster a balance between work and personal life, where benefits that support health and well-being are offered.
Organizations play a facilitating role, but it must be the people themselves who commit to, cultivate and live their own well-being.
To what extent does this care influence your professionals’ engagement?
From my perspective, there are many benefits to a wellness program, many of which have already been mentioned above, including increasing people’s satisfaction, commitment and motivation, talent retention, and fostering a positive and collaborative work environment. People who feel supported and cared for in the workplace are more likely to stay with an organization for the long term.
What programs are you running in this area? And which of those initiatives would you highlight?
Today we have many programs and initiatives, but if I had to highlight a few they would be our completely flexible work policy; Mental health support through our “People’s Support Program”, which includes, among other things, free psychological support, a coach, personal, financial and legal advisors and access to various health programs. I will also highlight kindness programs and initiatives that promote physical activity, healthy nutrition or physical therapy services.
In other areas, we cannot forget the importance of ongoing professional development and training opportunities; The way we actively work to create and ensure an equitable, inclusive and diverse work environment; Additional benefits through our ‘Ferrer Benefits’ platform, such as health insurance, daycare tickets, transport tickets or permits for single-parent families, among many other benefits.
How do you take the pulse of the organization to know the satisfaction level of its people regarding the initiatives it implements?
We ask and listen a lot to find out the satisfaction levels of our people. Over time we launch different surveys (Great Place to Work, People Experience, Psychosocial Assessment), we co-create with them, we encourage feedback and active participation and every time we When you do any relevant activity, we send a short satisfaction survey to know the NPS. ,
Since the pandemic, emotional health care has been on the table of people management departments. Are the taboos about talking about emotional/mental health already gone?
Mental health, despite being essential, is rarely cared for and even less represented. Mental health is also health and hence it should be treated as such. At Ferrer we want everyone to feel supported at all times and, above all, to feel good. For this reason, in 2022 we launched the “Talk About Mental Health” campaign to clarify and break down stigmas and taboos. We published a video in which three people from Ferrer talked about their experience with psychological therapy and a podcast with psychologist and healthy business expert Nacho Galeno, to understand how mental health can be promoted and normalized. What can we do as an organization and as individuals? In addition, we organized seven corners in production and logistics centers to inform people about all the tools available to take care of their mental health. In 2023 we continued this campaign with the publication of a second video, also recorded with the people of Ferrer, and organized an Agora Talk where we met three people to continue the conversation about mental health. External speakers were invited.
The well-being of professionals is also greatly influenced by the role of the leader/manager. How do they help them take on this role and take care of themselves?
We have different specific training programs for leaders (Be Bold, Leading Through Safety, etc.) to help them learn how to make a significant contribution to the general well-being of their team, starting from self-care, fostering a positive and productive work environment. Can help in giving. Thus, we encourage it through open and transparent communication, support and professional development, balance between work and personal life, recognition and appreciation, promotion of mental health, flexibility and adaptability.
What projects are you working on in the area of well-being of your professionals?
In addition to maintaining all the initiatives listed above, we are currently working more intensively on digital disconnection, psychological safety, mental health and nutrition.