Spirits company gives ‘Extra Miles Bonus’ shares as COVID-19 incentive
AT the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic around March into April 2020, J Wray & Nephew embarked on a work off-site programme for around 70 per cent of its staff, who were outfitted with the requisite tools to get the job done.
Jamaica Observer normal, remote working will trigger for us a new way of working. We have overcome two main challenges – firstly, the connectivity, and we have a culture that it’s play hard, work hard. That’s what we have been able to maintain. Secondly, productivity is not being impacted. We don’t have a culture where people need to be micro-managed. We tend to drive performance through targets. You don’t have to beat your desk to show that you are performing, as meeting your targets is the real thing.
“We have built in a culture trust where your performance is judged on the output. For example, I do not do a nine to five. I may choose not to do the morning, and then I choose to work in the evenings and the weekends. So it empowers us to treat us alike as adults. And we have a culture that is adapting to it very well, so we are better able to manage our systems right now,” she said.
For those who need to be in physical attendance, largely production workers, Cuthbert said that a special incentive has been introduced.
“For the frontline workers who have not benefited from the remote package, we will be launching a wellness programme, because one of the drivers we have is built around the whole mind, body, and spirit focus. Leading a healthy lifestyle is expensive and at the same time we want to encourage our staff to have a healthier lifestyle.
“We recognise also that there was a portion of the company that was receiving support for remote working, so we need to also adjust the other population that we have. In a unionised population we are launching a wellness programme where every employee will be able to access up to a certain amount of money to spend or contribute to anything that speaks to their well-being. So they can spend it on membership to a gym, weight-loss programme, purchase of vitamims, a retreat ... we are making it very loose.
“The idea is not one size fits all. This is primarily given to those who are unionised at our Spanish Town Road, Clarendon and St Elizabeth locations,” she said, adding that it is an effort to allow employees to really appreciate the value of the gift.