HR director urges employers to embrace wellness policies

Hannah Ashiokai Akrong, a human resource expert, is advocating the adoption of wellness policies and programmes by businesses to enhance the well-being of their employees.

Akrong, who doubles as a human resource director at Vodafone Ghana, believes this will in the long run translate into productivity in organisations.

She was speaking on a panel for Asaase Business AM on The Asaase Breakfast Show in the lead-up to this year’s Human Resource Focus Conference in Accra.

Corporate experience

Akrong recalled how her firm introduced a two-week paid leave programme for employees experiencing various forms of domestic violence. She proposed this as a measure that other organisations can emulate.

“It is something that organisations have to take a look at. It evolves, based on what is happening around the world and what is happening in the organisation at that time,’’ she said.

A recent survey shows that engaged employees outperform their peers who don’t engage each other. Overall, companies with high employee engagement are 21% more profitable.

The study also shows that highly engaged workplaces saw 41% lower absenteeism.

The human resource director wants organisations to take a holistic approach to wellness and well-being to enhance their image and growth.

HR Focus Conference

This year’s Human Resource Focus Conference, on the theme “Work and Wellness”, took place yesterday (Friday 9 October).

It aimed to offer a collaborative platform for experience-sharing and learning to enhance organisational and employee well-being.

The conference was addressed by speakers such as Awo Quaison-Sackey, the regional vice-president for human resources at Newmont Corporation (Africa Region) and Dr Elikem Tamaklo, the managing director of the Nyaho Medical Centre in Accra who was named the HR-Oriented CEO of the Year 2019.

Fred Dzakpata 

Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online.
Follow us on Twitter: @asaaseradio995
#asaaseradio #TVOL