By Cleofe Uy Catuday
The clamor for work life balance has been growing in recent years. Health and wellness have been a key focus area for many, having seen disadvantages of not prioritizing this through the times. Mental health recently has had center stage in many discussions with more and more people openly sharing their stories including those of influence whose words inspire others to do the same. These have been strong considerations of employers as an effort for employee retention as well as to entice interest for others to join their organizations.
In the global business scenario, Samsung, Google, Microsoft and Apple are a few of the inspiring companies that not only take pride in their revenue growth but more so on high employee satisfaction ratings. These companies provide flexibility and a comfortable work environment with a thrust to support growth of employees across all disciplines.
This week, the Great Place to Work Philippines, a global authority on workplace culture celebrated its Certification Nation Day 2023 recognizing the Great Place to Work Certified companies in the country. A celebration of organizations that have put trust in the workplace as a priority. Megaworld Hotels and Resorts celebrated as a group having been certified for the first time this year.
Hinged on the five pillars of the culture called Circle of Happiness giving importance on the key areas of focus on an associate’s life and well-being namely: Love for Self, Love for Family, Love for Work, Love for Community with the Love for God at the center of all facets.
Love for Self is a pillar that encourages associates to take care of themselves physically, mentally and emotionally. Activities like learning sessions with subject matter experts to ensure sharpening of the saws, engagement in exercises and stress relieving activities like yoga. The Love for Family reminds the company to create an environment that supports associates to always keep their why’s close to heart. The core of the hardwork in the companies is to provide for their loved ones to ensure that parents, partners and children are well provided for. Creating an environment that cares beyond the employees but one that extends to the people they care for.
Love for Work is a thrust that enables associates opportunities to grow. An environment that allows them to hone their skills and prepare them for better positions and create mastery in what they do given guidance and mentorship from their leaders. Love for Community on the other hand is a pillar that ensures the recognition that we belong and have a responsibility towards a bigger group like our community, our industry and even our country. A reminder of how the contributions we can do matter in creating a mindful and sustainable community can go a long way.
At the heart of all the pillars is the Love for God recognizing that our creator is bigger than all of us and the fear and respect of Him being higher than us creates the trickle of the right and proper values we need to survive in our ecosystems.
As the leader of this organization, I fully recognize the help that this five-pillar mantra has brought about as a culture for Megaworld Hotels and Resorts and have been extra grateful to all the leaders and the associates who help us instill this in our workplace.
Is there really a hard and fast rule for setting up the criteria for what we can genuinely call a great place to work? Depending on one’s perspectives and outlook in life, the answers can be diverse and subjective. People will throw different insights on this, but one thing is for sure, intent and purpose will play a critical part.
If you are an employee and you come to work with a heart full of gratitude, you will have eyes that see the little efforts that your employer and organization do for your benefit. If you are one that carries with you a bitter heart, no matter what is provided of you, no appreciation ever comes out instead criticisms and cynicism will be natural.
If you are a leader and you see your position as a chance to hone and influence your teams in a great way, your chance to be eminent in their lives is just there. On the other hand, if you are in a leadership role and do not believe or live your core values, skepticism comes out of you, thus, what are we to expect in terms of productivity from your team?
In creating a great place to work, each one of us plays a valuable role. When we understand that we all are here to deliver and be productive, we have better chances to qualify our workplaces to be called great. In an environment where challenges come every single time, grit is a must and we can only make a meaningful journey at work when we have trust in each other.
