In this post, we\u2019re going to look at seven examples of well-known companies that have pioneered employee care<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the early days\u00a0of the pandemic, Airbnb received a lot of\u00a0criticism from the media\u00a0for failing to help its struggling hosts.\u00a0While hosts\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0employees in the traditional sense,\u00a0many are entirely dependent on Airbnb for their income.\u00a0Traditional\u00a0categorizations\u00a0used for\u00a0employees are shifting,\u00a0and\u00a0Airbnb\u00a0fills the role of\u00a0\u201cemployer\u201d\u00a0for many hosts.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n To summarize, Airbnb implemented a full-refund policy, which allowed guests to claim back the total cost of a rented room or apartment<\/strong>, including the deposit. This left hosts in a precarious position, with empty calendars for the foreseeable future and no safety net in the form of retained deposits or cancellation fees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Airbnb was relatively fast to remedy the problem, however. The company set up a\u00a0$250 million \u201crelief fund\u201d\u00a0which enabled hosts to claim back 25% of what they would have received for a normal cancellation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Airbnb\u2019s initiative is notable because it recognized the need for financial support among its suppliers. While hygiene measures and mental wellbeing programs are vital, without adequate financial resources, a company\u2019s workforce will quickly begin to disintegrate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With large segments of their workforces compelled to work from home, many employers have saved significantly on office running costs. And some companies have chosen to pass on these savings to their employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shopify announced that it would be providing its work-at-home employees with a\u00a0\u201c$1,000 stipend\u201d\u00a0for kitting out their home offices. Employees were able to buy office equipment<\/strong>, such as desks, lamps, chairs and so on, and claim the costs as expenses.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s worth remembering that this figure is quite substantial, especially when you consider that the company employs five thousand people across the globe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One way that Morisons, a supermarket chain in the United Kingdom, has shown appreciation for its employees is by increasing their bonuses<\/strong>. Earlier in the year\u00a0the food giant\u00a0announced that it would be\u00a0paying employees a six percent bonus\u00a0on all earnings for the next twelve months.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n This represents a three-fold increase compared to the bonus amount that is usually paid. Payments are also made quarterly (rather than annually) so that workers will have faster access to funds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This move has been mirrored by other well-known chains in the UK, including Asda, Tesco, Aldi, Sainsbury\u2019s and others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While working from home has an array of benefits, including higher levels of employee wellbeing, productivity <\/a>and general satisfaction, there are still risks. Employees are prone to burnout, loneliness and may struggle to maintain a strict routine outside of the office. The stress of the pandemic, along with tense and difficult political situations in many countries, has also contributed to poorer overall mental health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Google recognized these issues and\u00a0instructed employees to take an extra day off\u00a0ahead of the Labor Day weekend. It described the additional holiday as a time for \u201ccollective wellbeing\u201d<\/strong>. The company urged its employees to \u201cplease take the time to do whatever you\u00a0need for yourselves.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before the pandemic, Culligan Water already provided its employees with a range of wellbeing resources<\/strong>. These included an on-site health coach, virtual wellbeing portal and employee counselling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In response to COVID-19, however, the company went even further. Its support package now comprises (among other things) weekly self-care videos, manager wellbeing calls, meditation sessions, resilience training and numerous activities geared towards fostering workplace happiness and boosting employee satisfaction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bank of Ireland is another company that has taken a creative approach to employee health and wellbeing<\/strong>. Along with a \u201cCareer Development Program\u201d\u00a0aimed at fostering\u00a0professional wellbeing, a\u00a0\u201cColleague Wellbeing App\u201d is also provided.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Employees can use the app, which can be synced with a user\u2019s Fitbit, to access seminars, a fitness tracker, one-on-one counselling, live events, a nutritional planner and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sick pay has been an ongoing issue throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for front-line workers who have a higher likelihood of catching the virus. Many of the effects of COVID-19 are still unknown. And some individuals have experienced symptoms that have lasted for months after infection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Verizon Media, known for its acquisitions of Yahoo and AOL, attacked this problem head-on. It limited the amount of staff working in its retail stores and assigned alternative projects to former shop staff so that they could continue to earn money<\/strong>. Verizon also increased compensation for employees that had to remain in public environments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u00b4s more,\u00a0Verizon guaranteed that employees\u00a0who\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0take time off because they\u00a0are\u00a0sick\u00a0will\u00a0continue to receive 100% of\u00a0their\u00a0wages\u00a0for up to eight weeks. Anybody unable to work beyond this period, either because they\u00a0are\u00a0ill or\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0care for loved ones, qualifies for 60% of pay.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you interested in working for a business like the ones described in this post? If so, a degree from EU Business School will provide you with all the skills, knowledge and practical experience that you need to thrive in your career of choice. More importantly, you\u2019ll have the ability to pick a company that fits with your values and interests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We offer a wide range of courses, including Bachelor\u2019s and Master\u2019s degrees, highly-respected MBAs and a number of foundation and bridging courses<\/a>. We also have campuses in some of Europe\u2019s most exciting business cities, including Barcelona, Geneva and Munich. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the way people work. Earlier this year, government-mandated lockdowns forced the majority of companies to instruct their employees to work from home. And the front-line staff working in hospitals, police forces, essential stores and so on, had to adapt to the significant risks presented by the virus. Employees are the backbone of any business\u2019 success. That\u2019s why many well-known brands have prioritized staff wellbeing – physical, mental and financial. From mental health programs to extended sick leave and \u201ccollective wellbeing holidays\u201d, the range of initiatives has been both innovative and effective. In this post, we\u2019re going to look at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":29726,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1771],"tags":[4406,4405,1442,1657],"class_list":["post-29721","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-trends","tag-crisis-communication","tag-crisis-management","tag-human-resources-management","tag-remote-working","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\r\n1. Airbnb: Host Relief Fund <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2. Shopify: Home Office Allowance <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3. Morrisons: Pay Bonuses for Front-Line Staff <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. Google: Extra Days Off <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5. Culligan Water: Employee Wellness Program <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6. Bank of Ireland: Wellbeing App <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
7. Verizon Media: Extra Sick Pay <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Prepare for a Rewarding Career With EU Business School<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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