Vera Mashkova
HR Director
HP Russia and CIS
Today we tend to spend a lot of time at work, and no matter how dedicated and committed we are to fulfilling our duties in the pursuit of professional growth and career development, we should always keep in mind that life is beautiful and versatile and we shouldn't deprive ourselves of the great art of living a meaningful and joyful life! In order to be happy at work, one needs to find a fine balance between professional and private life, mundane routine and favorite hobbies, forced politeness and the luxury of being surrounded by real soulmates.
J.B. Shaw once wrote in his timeless novel The Pygmalion: "Happy is the man who makes his living by his hobby." At HP, starting from the very beginning, this concept has been turned into successful practice, and a healthy working environment has always been at the top of the company's management agenda. HP invests a great deal into healthcare, financial wellness, emotional comfort, creativity and employee active engagement in the company's growth, wealth and stability, which is always associated with the power of its people.
Employees' wellness and welfare is the cornerstone of any corporate culture that is built to last. And this concept lies in HP's DNA. William Hewlett believed that people would perform well if suitable conditions were created and HP has always abided by this rule and proved it to its people by real deeds, which became benchmarks for many successful multi-national corporations operating in the world. HP was the first company to introduce employee healthcare insurance in 1942; flexi time in 1973 to allow employees to spend more time with their families and on their own hobbies, as well as a wonderful opportunity to work from home in 1994, which gained significant support from employees.
It is important to keep such initiatives well and alive, let people express their needs and priorities and ensured that they are fulfilled. HR plays the essential role in facilitating this exchange of opinions, making people be proactively involved in defining company's success and creating the right working atmosphere as well as ensuring that the best ideas are implemented and appreciated by people.
To be truly happy at work, one needs to find a fine balance between professional and private life, mundane routine and favorite hobbies.
At HP we run on a regular basis of different activities, which make up a comprehensive and consistent Wellness plan. It is always appreciated when initiatives come from the employees who drive and support them proactively, because employee engagement is another priority that we emphasize and foster at HP through internal ambassadors. We have a talented and versatile team that lets its creative juices flow and encourages each other to show off talents, share them and be proud to be a member of a great team. We have a number of good examples initiated by employees; one of them is a table tennis contest. It started as an initiative of a couple of table tennis armatures, which attracted a huge number of followers and fans! Contests run on a regular basis and with such zeal and inspiration that I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up running for the Olympic Games soon! We also see how much people appreciate professional trainings and master-classes on health and diet, raising children and financial wellness. Sometimes it's the small things that often escape our attention due to the load of things on our plate that really matter and help us change our perspective and gain a new outlook on what we really value. It is essential for people to spend as much time with their families as possible, so we organize special family days for employees and their families. We organize job shadow days for our children.
This is a great initiative that allows children to come to work with their parents and learn about the company their parents work for, spend time with them and learn in details what their parents are doing, as well as to understand better how technologies work and get introduced to their peers. When we say wellness, we mean not only physical wellbeing, but psychological and moral as well.
One should always bear in mind that a healthy environment at work and in the office matters not only to those who work for a company but also has a significant impact on people who surround them in daily life. We can make a real difference if we put in the effort, believe in what we do and respect each other.
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