Drivers of change in the media tech industry: Employee welfare

In the second of our series of features looking at drivers of change in the media tech industry, TVBEurope discusses topics such as mental and physical wellbeing, the impact of the pandemic, and what the industry as a whole should be focusing on

By Jenny Priestley

Published: July 26, 2023 Updated: July 27, 2023

In the second of our series of features looking at drivers of change in the media tech industry, TVBEurope discusses topics such as mental and physical wellbeing, the impact of the pandemic, and what the industry as a whole should be focusing on

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In the second part of our special series of features looking at five key drivers of change within the media tech industry, we focus on employee welfare.

TVBEurope invited a number of vendors to share their thoughts with us, covering areas such as mental and physical wellbeing, the impact of the pandemic, and what the industry as a whole should be focusing on.

What policies and/or initiatives do you have in place to support employees with regard to their mental and physical wellbeing and safeguarding? Caroline Meyer, chief human resources officer, Bedrock We have implemented several policies and initiatives to support the mental and physical wellbeing of our employees and prioritise their safeguarding. Here are some examples:

We offer flexibility in working hours to promote a healthy work-life balance and reduce stress.

We provide options for remote work, enabling employees to work from locations outside the traditional office setting. This flexibility supports employee wellbeing by reducing commuting time and allowing for a personalised work environment .

Themed wellness events based on various themes, such as physical fitness, mental health and mindfulness.

We prioritise training managers to identify and address psychosocial risks in the workplace. This equips them with the knowledge and skills to support employee mental wellbeing and intervene when necessary.

By implementing these policies and initiatives, we demonstrate our commitment to creating a supportive work environment that prioritises the mental and physical wellbeing of our employees. We believe that by safeguarding their wellbeing, we can foster a positive and thriving workplace culture that benefits both individuals and the organisation as a whole.

Nancy Bilotto, director human resources, LTN The mental and physical well-being of employees is a key area of focus for LTN. We have a number of initiatives in place to support these. Our live virtual cooking class is a fun initiative to enable us to gather virtually and whip up some healthy meals together. With a global diverse workforce, it is important that these initiatives are easily accessible regardless of location so the virtual aspect is key.

LTN also values the importance our furry friends play in our happiness and have recently introduced a Pet Insurance programme, this has been an initiative I am a huge fan of.

In addition, recognising the toll modern life can take on mental health, we've set up a virtual therapy programme, an invaluable resource our employees can turn to when they need help navigating personal challenges.

Philippe Petitpont, Newsbridge co-founder and CEO One key health-related policy that we have introduced at Newsbridge is paid leave for people who menstruate. Our HR team identified that some colleagues were taking regular vacation days to manage painful periods or were choosing to struggle through the pain at work, so, introducing menstrual leave was a no-brainer. Newsbridge provides up to eight paid days of menstrual leave annually. Two days in a row can be used, and no medical certificate is needed.

Other wellbeing initiatives that Newsbridge offers include parent-friendly policies that promote equal opportunities. For instance, Newsbridge has signed the Parental Challenge Commitment Charter, which means that we provide initiatives such as 100 per cent remote working, keep to meeting hours that don't exclude parent employees, and we provide equal, paid maternity and paternity leave from the start of permanent contracts. We also conduct manager training to increase their support skills and discrimination awareness.

We want to acknowledge that parenthood comes with challenges that can affect our employees' wellbeing. As an employer, we can be supportive and ensure our team members continue to experience job fulfilment and career advancement.

Has the prolonged impact of pandemic conditions had an effect on staff wellbeing, and your company's approach to welfare management? Matthew Quade, CEO, TSL

There was an undoubted negative impact, and it was interesting to see how this was more pronounced among staff that had to work from home compared to those who could not work from home and so still attended the office and worked with colleagues in person.

A mental health check-in is a key part of our 1-2-1 review process, and we also offer an employee assistance programme. These initiatives were developed and expanded in direct response and we have made widespread adaptations to our workplace practices and policies.

Deniz Uetkue, director human resources, Guntermann & Drunck GmbH The lasting impact of the pandemic has affected employee well-being and the social management of our company.

A primary change we have implemented in the pandemic is mobile working. By offering home and remote work options, we were able to protect the health and safety of our employees while maintaining business operations. Mobile working allowed employees to work more flexibly and take better care of their family needs.

In addition, we arranged a kids' room during the pandemic to help employees who had difficulty arranging childcare. This room provided a safe environment where our employees' children could be cared

LINK:	https://www.tvbeurope.com/business/drivers-of-change-in-the-media-tech...
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