As a leading world-class tech firm, Octopus Holdings Limited takes a holistic approach to employee mental and physical well-being. “Employee well-being, both physical and mental is of the utmost importance to the company,” says Connie Chan, Octopus Holdings Limited Head of Human Resources & Administration. “It is important to focus on all aspects of employees’ well-being so they feel happier, healthier and more engaged,” Chan adds.
Pointing out that a holistic approach means providing support that looks at the whole person; Chan says the company provides employees with access to a range of well-being tools and educational resources. For example, the Octopus Employee Assistance Programme provides a 24-hour hotline with confidential professional counselling and consultation services. “We realise there are many causes of stress and anxiety, and what happens in one part of a person’s life can affect the whole person, therefore it is important to provide all-round care,” Chan says. The holistic approach to employee well-being not only includes wellness leave, but also a more flexible working arrangement of two-hours of time off to handle personal matters that need immediate attention, such as enabling a parent to attend a child’s school event or a meeting with teacher.
Aimed at further raising awareness relating to mental health topics, starting from the third quarter of 2023, Octopus Holdings launched a series of mental health training programmes. Taking the view that prevention is better than cure, Chan explains that training programmes provide employees with information about common signs and symptoms related to mental distress and ways to identify and mitigate potential risks, In addition to raising employee awareness, if required, coaching is provided to employees.
To educate employees and help them to identify mental health emergency situations in the workplace, a Mental Health First Aid course will be launched in 2024. “Helping employees and their families to stay healthy helps to reduce causes of stress that can affect employees,” Chan notes. Through attending mental health workshops, managers and team leaders receive training on how to identify traits associated with mental health issues. Importantly, managers and team leaders learn how to empathetically support co-workers who might be experiencing mental well-being challenges.
When the COVID-19 pandemic brought about unprecedented challenges for organisations worldwide, as an innovative technology company, Chan says through different digital platforms supervisors were able to ensure their co-workers were kept informed with up to date information. Furthermore, communication went beyond simply keeping the workforce informed. Through various means, including virtual meetings, the company underlined its values to ensure that staff at all levels felt supported and included in the company-wide resilience journey. “We strive to provide a positive and happy working environment for our employees, making their everyday life easier” Chan says, “This is our mission.”
