A journey of engagement and fulfilment

14 August 2023

An interview with Sonja Hoeijmakers, AMMEGA Chief Human Resources Officer, about the importance of well-being and work-life balance. 

We understand that work-life balance and employee well-being are important topics for our organisation. Can you share how AMMEGA promotes these values? 

Absolutely. At AMMEGA, we believe work-life balance and employee well-being are essential for a thriving and engaged workforce. We implement various initiatives to support our employees in achieving this balance. One fundamental way we do this is through work arrangements, e.g. employee benefits, employee events, or smart working options for our office employees where possible. The expectations vary depending on the role of an employee and differ across our various locations.  

Of course, I don’t need to mention obvious items like providing safe working conditions, implementing proper training programs, and offering assistance to support their overall well-being. We also have Speak Up@, which employees can use in case they want to raise a concern they feel they cannot address with their manager or local HR Manager. All to foster a positive work culture which is the priority for the well-being of our teams. 

What else does AMMEGA do to prioritise employee well-being? 

We take a holistic approach to employee well-being. In addition to preserving safe work conditions, we organise employee engagement activities and special events promoting health and mental well-being. These activities are arranged locally and vary widely depending on the location's culture and needs. Each year in May, our teams participate in Safety Days, where they learn about the importance of safety and a healthy lifestyle during and after working hours. Worth mentioning also that last year, our employees in over 40 countries participated in our first global AMMEGA social initiative, OHI Gives Back, contributing to local communities with financial support from AMMEGA. These initiatives give employees a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction as they are supporting their own local communities. 

And what about diversity and inclusion? There are so many discussions on those topics nowadays. 

Unsurprisingly, diversity and inclusion are critical elements of today’s HR. It is crucial for building a responsible and high-performing organisation to promote diversity, foster a culture of inclusion, and uphold high ethical standards. To be open to new opportunities and perspectives, a company must - simply speaking - embrace its teams’ diverse opinions, rich experiences, and multicultural backgrounds. I am happy that we have established our first Global DE&I committee with colleagues from all regions who provide us with great ideas and insights on what more we can do in this area. I am truly thankful for their very active participation. 

How do you measure the success of these initiatives and their impact on employee engagement? 

We conduct the Organisational Health Index (OHI) survey annually, through which we collect employee feedback on a wide range of topics. I am very happy that this year 84% of our employees participated to our OHI survery. The goal is sharp and precise: continuous improvement of our employees' satisfaction and engagement. We measure factors such as motivation, work environment, and workplace culture. Furthermore, we analyse and discuss the survey outcomes in our global teams and locally with our employees, agreeing on actions to further improve our organisational health. 

You’ve explained why well-being is crucial for employees. And how does the company benefit from these investments? 

It’s a win-win situation. Investing in our employee's well-being creates a positive cycle of benefits, leading to improved performance, employee satisfaction, and overall business success. We provide our teams with everything we can; in return, we see productive and engaged employees. Our ultimate goal is to create an environment where employees feel supported, engaged, welcomed, and empowered to lead fulfilling lives inside and outside work. 

Thank you so much for sharing your insights! 

(AMMEGA webpage editorial team) 

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