How Sony Pictures Networks solved for fluid days and stretched working hours in the New Normal
Sony Pictures Networks introduces mandatory leaves and mandated zero hours for employees. The leaves and scheduled downtime were launched under a unified wellness umbrella, ACE.
Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) announced the launch of its umbrella employee wellbeing brand, ACE: Act. Care. Engage., to foster wellbeing for its workforce in the new normal.
Through the wellbeing brand which comprises mandatory quarterly leaves and scheduled focus times among other initiatives. In a joint note, CHRO Manu Wadhwa and CFO Nitin Nadkarni announced the initiative, stating that employee wellbeing “is our foremost priority at all times. Through this banner, we aim to build a culture of agile dialogue and feedback on what matters to employees, thus fostering trust, pride, and care.
Since the advent of the lockdown, pulse surveys consistently revealed a disconnect among employees and stretched working hours. Employees demanded solutions for seamless connectivity and collaboration, and respite from the reality of working stretched hours.
To address these concerns, a slew of initiatives were launched keeping employee-centricity, customization and agility at the fore.
To tackle issues concerning work-life imbalance, SPN introduced Mandies: employees are compulsorily required to take 3 leaves per quarter in a calendar year. SPN also introduced Zero Hours – scheduled organizational downtime for focused work. With an organization-wide scheduled “Zero Hour” between 2-3 pm every day, and the avoidance of meetings post 6 pm as well as weekends, employees have quickly picked the pace of collaborating efficiently during work hours.
The wellness brand generated positive buzz among the employees, with many taking to the internal communications platform to express their delight.
Once again, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) exhibits its people-first philosophy and aims to build a happy, healthy workplace and remain an “employer of choice”. By trying to maintain inclusion and agility on the go, SPN helps its people unleash their full potential and tell stories beyond the ordinary.
