Radu Costan (BAT DBS Romania) takes the stage at Working Romania #futureofwork 2024

In the lead-up to the pivotal Working Romania #futureofwork conference, slated for March 28 at the Courtyard by Marriott Bucharest Floreasca, Business Review had the privilege of sitting down with Radu Costan, Head of EHS & Wellbeing at BAT DBS Romania. With an evolving corporate landscape that increasingly prioritizes employee well-being and environmental sustainability, Costan provides a deep dive into how BAT DBS Romania is steering the course towards innovative well-being programs and environmental stewardship. His insights reveal a concerted effort to not only optimize employee health and happiness but to also align these initiatives with broader environmental goals.

Wellbeing programs became more and more important to employees. How can those be optimized? What are the best practices in identifying and control stress factors through wellbeing initiatives?

Let me break it down from a business standpoint: When we talk about optimizing, it’s not just about tweaking the number of pillars. It’s about really digging in to understand what people need and delivering something that truly makes a difference. That means leaders need to be fully committed, we need to be tightly woven into the fabric of the organization, and we’ve got to work together to figure out what is the need of each person. Then, we craft a well-being plan that’s custom-fit and easy to follow. Additionally, we need to identify well-being champions and the most adequate tactics to implement a robust communication strategy.

Consider the following scenarios that can influence well-being:

Financial stability: Does personal investment concerns contribute to a sense of wellbeing?
Social support: Can the well-being of individuals improve when their familial and social circles are thriving?
Encouraging creativity and disconnecting: How can fostering an environment of creativity and disconnection enhance well-being?
Promoting physical activity: emphasizing the importance of staying active but also touch basing the physical health such as nutrition and regular medical checks.

These four focal points serve as practical directives. They can be further deep dived through employee surveys, fostering open communication, facilitating free discussions, cultivating a feedback culture, conducting workload assessments, offering flexible work arrangements, implementing workplace health and wellness programs, and conducting pulse checks.

What are the best ways of identifying the factors that negatively impact well-being?

Analyzing the variables that negatively influence well-being status demands a comprehensive approach, blending both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Below, we outline several impactful techniques for pinpointing these factors:

Surveys and Questionnaires – we design and implement well-being surveys or questionnaires to collect quantitative data on various aspects of well-being.
Focus Groups – we conduct focus group discussions to gather qualitative insights from different groups of individuals.
One to One discussion – used to deep dive into more personal experiences and gain in-depth insights into individual well-being.
Health Assessments – we implement health assessments, including physical health check-ups and mental health screenings, to identify factors affecting well-being. Encourage regular health check-ins to monitor changes over time.
Workplace Observations – we observe the workplace environment to identify potential stressors or factors that have direct impact over well-being.
Employee Feedback Systems – we establish continuous feedback mechanisms within the workplace to allow employees to share their thoughts and concerns anonymously.
Data Analytics – we analyze existing data, such as absenteeism rates, turnover rates, and employee performance metrics, to identify patterns related to well-being.
Community and Social Engagement – we engage with the community and social groups to understand broader societal factors influencing well-being.
Well-being Workshops and Seminars – we develop and conduct workshops or seminars on well-being topics, to inform employees and raise awareness.
Social Media and Online Platforms – we often monitor social media platforms and online forums for discussions related to well-being, to find inspiration and insights.

How customized well-being platforms can be implemented (financial education, holistic health, nutritionists, health screenings)?

By using a holistic approach which is customized on the organizational culture, companies can really understand and connect to the pulse of their people. This helps them figure out exactly what are the needs and enable the leaders to make the right changes.

Implementing customized well-being programs in an organization involves:

Assessing employee needs.
Gaining leadership support.
Designing tailored programs.
Communicating benefits effectively.
Providing training and education.
Evaluating program effectiveness.
Integrating with organizational policies.
To achieve the desired results, the process often needs to be reinforced.

How can you engage employees into wellbeing programmes?

In corporate environment, it boils down to a fundamental question: Are leaders connected to the pulse and genuine requirements of their teams? When leaders demonstrate this connection, the right wellbeing approach is implemented and then people naturally engage with those programs because they feel a recognition of their genuine needs.

Additionally, a proactive approach involves continuous education and reinforcement among managers. By instilling the understanding that balanced well-being directly correlates with enhanced performance, organizations cultivate a culture where employees are motivated to actively participate in such programs.

How does BAT adapt the well-being events in order to reflect the organizational culture?

Our wellbeing strategy is reflecting the organizational culture because it’s 100% customized on our people and culture. Everyone loves celebrating but we put a lot of pride on the listening culture we have implemented, which is strengthening the bond between employees and BAT’s organizational values.

When thinking of a successful well-being campaign, my attention primarily goes to the core elements of our organization:

BAT’s values that are the core piece of every single event we implement
Leadership Involvement in driving the communication throughout the organization
BAT’s inclusive culture by ensuring that our events are designed to accommodate the diversity we have in the organization
Having cultivated a Feedback culture, by having regular pulse checks, ensuring that we continuous adapt the well-being strategy on our people needs

Join us at the forefront of the #futureofwork at the Working Romania conference on March 28, Courtyard by Marriott Bucharest Floreasca. Register now and be part of the conversation that will define our collective future. Let’s shape the future of work, together!

DMCA

PROTECTED