MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Employees are at the heart of every company. For PLDT and Smart, ‘taking care of our people’ is one of the key company values, which underscores the critical and essential role that employees play in the growth of the company. Amid the pandemic, PLDT and Smart have ramped up their employee wellness campaigns, which include mental health talk series, entertainment series, and various engagement efforts.
“The pandemic should encourage us to pause, and actively listen to our employees. Virtual set-ups and real-time, round-the-clock feedback can blur the previously distinct physical boundaries between work and personal time. Running a digital, holistic wellness program that nurtures our minds and bodies, enables our workforce to proactively adapt, and thrive,” shared PLDT and Smart Chief People Officer Gina Ordoñez.
In 2020, PLDT and Smart launched 53 online events and activities that engaged over 22,600 participants. The online events garnered over 45,900 cumulative employee views.
With the work-from-home set-up, PLDT and Smart empowered their employees by creating programs and activities in the digital space. These employee engagements are focused on key areas, specifically on social events that foster work-home balance, holistic mind and body employee wellness, and activities that enhance productivity and recognition.
Some of these include an online wellness program called, ‘Wellness Revolution’, which consisted of weekly classes that employees can participate in – from physical wellness to financial wellness. PLDT and Smart also engaged employees through its mental health talk series called, ‘Mind Your Health’.
PLDT Enterprise Technical Services Head Gemma Miguel shared her insights during one of the Mind Your Health events led by Dr. Tony Leachon on “Dealing with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Preparing Oneself”. Dr. Leachon is a Filipino Physician, Leader in Preventive Health Education and formerly a Special Adviser for the National Taskforce on COVID-19.
“That was a very informative talk. It had surely enlightened me on the various vaccines available, their efficacy and safety. Dr. Leachon is the best resource person on the matter. Thank you, People Group for bringing him in,” Miguel said.
Recognizing sports as an integral part of one’s over-all wellness, the group also rolled out the PLDT and Smart ONE Esports League and brought sports trainings online by launching Sports Anywhere.
PLDT and Smart also redesigned their programs to create an engaging workforce in this new normal. One of the program’s strongest pillars included a way to redefine entertainment through creative and touching initiatives that involve passion and play and celebrating milestones and holidays such as Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day.
Building its wellness program, PLDT and Smart launched a series of efforts anchored on passion such as ECQusina, a fun cooking classes and food session; Plant Project #PlanTito #PlanTita, and WFHDeskGoals, which encourage employees to share their work-from-home situation amid the new normal.
The group also re-invented its engagement initiatives by creating fun sessions for employees such as quiz night called, ‘Tagisan ng Talino’, with topics ranging from K-pop, K-dramas, Halloween urban legends, and even Netflix series and content; Bingo Night, Entertainment Night, and Comedy Night.
As one PLDT and Smart community, the group also celebrates milestones and holidays together. Culminating its year-end employment engagement efforts, PLDT and Smart invited their employees to be part of ‘Gratitude Night’, which is a Thanksgiving and Christmas celebration that virtually brought employees together for a night filled with fun, camaraderie, and hope. It’s a reminder of shared gratitude and belongingness amid the challenges and tragedies posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
PLDT and Smart’s Employee Wellness Program reinforces the companies’ commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), particularly UN SDG #3: Good Health and Well-Being.
