How to help employees during a crisis and not only: $ 200,000 fund and pulse surveys
People are the most valuable resource for a company in any situation, especially when the coronavirus crisis is bringing a wave of changes. This situation has motivated many corporations to think about supporting their employees in both difficult and peaceful times. Admitad reveals the measures that helped the company to significantly increase the indicator of employee comfort.
Support fund and its evolution
Last March, a significant part of Admitad employees faced the dismissal of close relatives. The company organized a fund for assistance and provided financial support to more than 50 employees in a year, whose spouses or parents lost their jobs.
The wave of layoffs associated with the lockdown and the coronavirus crisis began to decline in the world. But difficult life situations continue to arise, regardless of the pandemic. Therefore, in the spring of this year, Admitad launched the Help Fund 2.0 with a volume of $ 200,000.
Admitad Affiliate Region Manager of North America Evan Johnson:
“…While thankfully we haven’t had to use the fund much, it is reassuring to know that the company has the best interests of not just us but our families in mind. Not only does it provide financial stability to our loved ones in a time of crisis, but it creates a greater sense of community and support within the company.”
The program will be extended to Admitad offices all around the world. Understanding that the company will support you in tough times increases the feeling of security and stability among employees and helps them concentrate on work, career growth, and self-development.
Buddy in a new place
Usually, every new employee has many questions. Where to meet colleagues? Where to go for lunch? How to register in the internal system or get a gym card? To make it easier for a beginner to find answers, Admitad introduced the Buddy program and in six months reduced the turnover of new staff by 15%.
Buddies are experienced Admitad employees who help newcomers integrate into the company: they add to various internal chats, call up, call for coffee and engage in various activities.
Keeping our fingers on the pulse
Regular anonymous pulse surveys help the HR department and management not only evaluate the effect of support measures but also generally understand what makes employees happy and what can be improved. We started this practice in quarantine to monitor how efficiently employees are able to work online, communicate and maintain a level of peace of mind. Even when the lockdown was over, we did not stop doing it: for example, we organized an annual survey of employee engagement and then analyzed its results on the air. All the engagement metrics have improved and are approaching the benchmark.
Conducting pulse surveys and analyzing their results play a significant role in a company. You should assess the state of your employees and aspects of work that are important to them (for example, career prospects, social benefits, relationships with colleagues, the convenience of business processes, etc.). Without doing so, you will not be able to find the right measures to improve people’s comfort. Therefore, Admitad values the honest answers of its team as they help to make improvements beneficial for everyone.
Education and entertainment
When people feel comfortable in the company, they are motivated to learn and develop. We have a range of educational initiatives for everyone. Here are just a few of our events:
- This summer Admitad had a collaboration with Nike. We realized that we would not be able to return to the office in the fall due to the pandemic. So, we started contests and flash mobs on the company’s Instagram page to maintain the corporate spirit and unity with the team. For example, we organized a 2-week running challenge Nike X Admitad. 100 employees from Admitad offices all around the world joined the race. In the first 3 days, we covered 1087 km, which is the same as the distance from Moscow to Helsinki. The employees who have run the most got presents from Nike;
- At the end of April, we had an eco-week timed to Earth Day, on April 22. We had swap events: exchange of clothes, plants, and other eco-friendly ventures. One could also donate things to charity. Our employees could also take part in a marathon of good habits. We understand that their lives do not end at the office, and we want to support them in their healthy lifestyle;
- Employees can join a Speakers club to develop improvisation skills, prepare presentations, and conduct public speeches. Classes were held every week for two hours with an experienced guest moderator. They helped future speakers to cope with stage fright, improve their self-presentation skills, and rehearse future speeches;
- We help employees improve languages together with an online English school. Admitad pays half of the cost of classes to make them more accessible.
Admitad Affiliate Region Manager of North America Evan Johnson:
“…Lots of companies talk about having a great corporate culture, but we at Admitad are dedicated to investing time and resources to create our own. We’re driven by the exchange of ideas and encourage members of our team to pursue their common interests to create a positive atmosphere outside of standard work tasks.”
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