Employee wellness - a key differentiator

CT Chalkboard: A chalkboard welcomes guests at both the Joburg and Cape Town NATIVE VML offices. It’s used as communicating important updates for the day, welcoming clients and for fun, inspirational messages

Many organisations including creative agencies like NATIVE VML have recognised the importance of this investment and the necessity to create a better work-life balance. "We want to create an environment that employees want to be in, so our philosophy of staff retention is to give people many reasons to enjoy life at NATIVE VML," says Jarred Cinman, MD at NATIVE VML. "Work needs to be more than just a place where you carry out your tasks. It must be an environment you fundamentally care about, as well as the role you play in it."

The gap between private life and professional life

An induction process that includes opportunities to make real connections with new colleagues, three healthy, nutritious meals a week, Bring Your Dog to Work day, access to a financial planner, in-house baristas and various health days are just a few of the initiatives NATIVE VML has introduced to help bridge the gap between private life and professional life. "People want different things out of their jobs and their lives, and a business must be able to meet these requirements in multi-faceted ways."

NATIVE VML's approach to a wellness culture is based on four pillars, the first of which is ensuring the person and the work itself is well-matched. "The core job must be the right fit for each individual. If it's not, nothing else matters. Even if a person doesn't necessarily have the required experience, we might still hire them if we think they're the right person for that job. Our hiring process includes interviews with direct managers, seniors and other team members to try ensure a good fit."

From there, good work and hard effort are recognised and celebrated. There are regular "shout outs" at staff meetings, where people can thank their colleagues for work well done, and teams receive NATIVE Notches (badges) every time a project has been successfully concluded. "The second pillar is the fun stuff," explains Cinman. "This is where the community is built. It's about giving people a chance to engage with colleagues in a social and non-work context."

Like many other advertising and digital agencies, there are lots of social activities like regular braais, celebrations and opportunities to relax with colleagues. People are encouraged to eat together in the canteen and not at their desks whenever possible. An important part of any community is giving back and upliftment, and this forms the third pillar: "This year, one of our focus areas is to identify more opportunities for NATIVE VML employees to contribute positively to the city and country we're part of. It's part of our goal to always give our employees opportunities to create purpose driven work that lives in people's lives."

The fourth pillar is employee wellness benefits. "We look after people as comprehensively as possible, with initiatives from our medical aid benefit to our corporate account for Scooter Angels, a designated driver and shuttle service." The aim is to reduce stress levels and to make life easier. The NATIVE VML Cape Town office is located in Woodstock, a creative hub where traffic can be frenetic, so the team has access to three shared bicycles which they can use instead of battling traffic in their cars. Errand Hour was also introduced once a month, giving everyone an extra hour to do personal admin or errands during the day.

In addition, NATIVE VML has recently retained the services of a financial planner to help employees set financial goals and to help them understand how to achieve those goals. "We know that if you're struggling to make ends meet, it's impossible to be creative and productive," says Cinman.

Salary is the main concern when people are looking for jobs, but if people feel a deeper connection and a greater sense of satisfaction with their work place, they might begin to weigh up the options a little more. "There is no doubt that NATIVE VML now attracts people much more easily than we have in the past. This is in part due to our wellness-focused culture and the non-financial benefits our NATIVEs can enjoy," explains Cinman. "Even when employees leave for different opportunities, the NATIVE VML culture and the relationships they've built are often positive factors listed in exit interviews. Many relationships extend beyond the workplace."

Retaining and developing staff means less time and budget is required for hiring new staff. Employees are happier and therefore more efficient and productive, and a values-driven culture has a bearing on customers, too. Companies that are recognised as ethical organisations attract clients with values similar to theirs. All this affects the bottom line.

"If you're not looking after people, you will never be a winner," says Cinman. "In a business where everything is about the quality of thoughts and ideas, it's a necessity rather than a luxury."