As a response to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brunei Darussalam, Baiduri Bank Group has introduced various health and wellness programmes as well as financial support for all its employees to ensure their safety and welfare through this challenging period.
Health and Wellness Support
Fully aware of the importance of taking care of employees’ mental health, the Bank Group has set up a dedicated internal WhatsApp line for employees who need general support and guidance during this period. Additionally, all employees were also given special care kits that included surgical face masks and reusable face masks to encourage the habit of double masking for added protection.
Meanwhile, under the Bank Group’s Business Continuity Plan, employees who can support business operations from home are highly encouraged to do so, with pregnant employees and those with prior medical conditions given priority to work from home or given alternative work arrangements. Currently, nearly 50% of the Bank Group’s employees are working from home either fully or on rotation basis.
To fully support their capabilities of working from home, the Bank Group has also increased its investment in allowing employees to have access to secure laptops and smartphones.
The Bank Group has also introduced a series of virtual wellness activities, workshops in collaboration with health experts focusing on promoting employees’ mental health, as well as online learning programmes for its employees to continue their learning and development at their own pace and from their homes.
On top of that, the Bank Group’s recreation club has also introduced weekly virtual group activities where employees can enjoy activities such as dancing, yoga and exercising together safely.
Safeguarding Health and Safety
In support of the National Vaccination Program, the Bank Group has encouraged all its employees to get vaccinated and offers two days of leave in-lieu for each vaccine dose to cover time away for appointment and any short-term recovery.
To protect the well-being of all its employees and customers, The Bank Group has established various safety precautions to ensure a safe working environment, such as the daily cleaning of workspaces and common areas across all the branches and offices.
The Bank Group also adheres to strict safety procedures such as mandatory face masks to be always worn, sanitizing stations at all common areas, making thermometers and additional face masks available in all offices, availability of face shields and antigen rapid test (ART) kits for frontliners, as well as installing air purifiers with unique technology to help mitigate airborne viruses at the Bank’s Main branch and Headquarters. Branch frontliners are also on rotation shifts to reduce any contact and the working hours for employees working in the offices and branches are also reduced.
Financial Support
Under the Bank Group’s ‘Employee Assistance Programme’, a programme where financial aid is provided to those who are in need, the Bank Group has introduced a special grant for employees who are currently facing financial difficulty, including those who have been adversely affected by the pandemic. This month, a total of 15 employees have benefitted from the grant.
Meanwhile, Baiduri Bank Group also introduced a monthly allowance both for employees working from office as well as those working from home, to cover any additional costs incurred for necessities such as internet data, electricity charges and food deliveries. These monthly allowances will take effect this month and will continue until the current situation in the country improves.
Ms. Veronica Chong, Head of Group Human Resources and Administration applauded the resilience of all the employees, regardless of whether they have continued to work from the office to support business continuity during the pandemic or providing support from their homes.
She said: “In a short amount of time, our employees in the office have had to adjust to strict operating procedures to keep themselves, their colleagues and our customers safe, while our employees who are supporting business operations from home have had to quickly manage a different set of challenges by juggling work commitments while being physically away from the office.
“However, I am inspired by their determination and their willingness to support each other, as they understand that they need to be empathetic towards one another in these trying circumstances. It is indeed during difficult times that we see such values come to life.”
Meanwhile, speaking about the new welfare initiatives, Mr. Ti Eng Hui, Chief Executive Officer of Baiduri Bank said that the assistance programmes and providing financial support were the Bank Group’s way of acknowledging their employees’ dedication to maintain the provision of essential financial services during this time.
He said: “The current COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly affected all our normal working and personal routines, and inevitably some of us may have been financially and socially affected. The Bank Group recognises the impact of these sudden and drastic changes and has implemented these special initiatives to lighten the burden of employees who have been adversely affected.”
“I am especially proud to see how our employees have adapted to such sudden changes, such as working and coordinating tasks from different locations, and still deliver on providing more online initiatives and services for our customers to bank from the comfort and safety of their own homes. They have shown such resilience and commitment in these trying times.”
“We are indeed proud to be working together with all our employees to overcome the current challenges and we remain hopeful to come out of this challenging period stronger as a team.”
