What’s an organisation without people?

Post-Covid, organisations found themselves facing the challenge of having to encourage their people back to the office. The pandemic showed us that our workplace can be anywhere: the sofa, the dining table, the bedroom. For businesses used to a normal workplace, remote working opened their eyes to new ways of working. The workplace in 2022 has had to step up its game. When looking for a job, employees are no longer just looking at attractive salaries, they’re looking for the overall experience, namely the three core components: space, technology and people. And what’s an organisation without people? Employees are what make a company, and we must nurture our people to have a successful brand. Whether we like it or not, stress and anxiety are part of our daily lives and without knowing or wanting to, we carry stress with us everywhere we go. It’s how we address it and respond to it that makes or breaks us. Being resilient in changing times plays a major role in our wellbeing. It’s normal that work-related stress affects our personal lives with our loved ones at home. Likewise, situations at home have an effect on our performance and behaviour at work. Unfortunately, the subject of mental health is still seen as a stigma, although people are becoming increasingly more informed about it. Fortunately, there are various ways in which we can take care of ourselves and our mental health. At Casumo, we’re constantly investing in the health of our employees. Back in March we launched a wellness project, Wellness Tuesdays, which will run until the end of the year. The focus of this project is the wellbeing of our people both physically and mentally where we offer morning yoga, stress management workshops, Krav Maga practice and mindfulness sessions to assist with that. This month, we also kicked off the Casumo 8-week STRONG challenge, led by a qualified coach and nutritionist. The aim of this ‘challenge’ is not to promote a slim, fit body, but a strong body and mind. We emphasise the importance of varied, healthy eating combined with any kind of exercise to maintain a healthy and happy life.

Head down

‘Find your Focus Wednesday’ runs every Wednesday. This initiative aims to help Casumo employees get some proper time to focus on their own projects, catch up, do some research and plan their work without any distractions. To support and invest in employees’ personal growth and development plays an important part in their wellbeing. Feeling accomplished is strongly linked to happiness and life satisfaction. When an employee feels they can grow within a company, the individual is driven to achieve more. Casumo College was launched to do exactly this. We have several accredited courses available to our employees and participants are certified at the end following an assignment. As the saying goes: you are never too old to learn. It is equally vital to focus on the physical workspace, keeping in mind a human-centric design and ambience which helps elevate mood, productivity and the ability to collaborate. Offering physical and virtual locations and allowing a flexible schedule (where possible) is key. A flexible work schedule in a fast-changing and hectic world not only results in happier employees but also increases employee engagement and overall success. It is healthy to strike a balance in life. By taking care of our wellbeing, we become more productive and more successful in our projects. Alison Amato Lowell has held a plethora of administration-related roles throughout her 17-year career in office management and employee relations. In her new position as workplace experience manager with Casumo, her cross-functional role supports all employees in the company’s Malta, Barcelona and Gibraltar offices. Her goal is to sustain an empowering and engaging work culture where employees feel part of a community.