- in South Africa, AIDS-HIV prevention and screening sessions are also held every year, and during Wellness Days, workshops are open to all employees on the classic themes of well-being at work, with discovery sessions on meditation (mindfulness). With lockdown and working from home, many online programs have been made available to all employees, with particular attention to the stress caused by the pandemic due to the economic uncertainty caused across the country. Faced with the difficulties of certain families affected by the sudden cessation of certain activities, putting at risk the sometimes fragile family balance, in 2020 the Groupe set up a Solidarity Fund, a mechanism which has provided temporary financial support for 70 employees to help them get through these periods;
- in Australia and New Zealand, the internal flexibility program, “Publicis Liberté”, is accessible to all employees and was improved in 2021 to offer more individualized solutions, which must be supported by means and tools adapted to the needs of each individual, by leadership that listens, and through trust. The program has been enhanced to give employees more leave time in the event of gender change, fertility treatment, miscarriages or the death of a loved one. The Mental Health & Well-being policy was supplemented to reinforce best practices such as encouraging total disconnection. Finally, as part of the partnership with Thrive, the agencies offered managers for the second year, a program promoting energy, which was particularly appreciated, in addition to continuing recurring actions around nutrition, sleep and mental health. Lastly, 107 employees were trained in first aid.
4.1.3.3 Disease prevention
In this pandemic context, the major health guidelines were determined by the Groupe at headquarters, with each country then putting in place a specific action plan according to local constraints. In all countries, agencies set up local and/or national plans for their employees to screen for or fight against certain diseases or health threats (e.g., influenza vaccination). Regarding the fight against Covid-19, depending on the health situation in each country and local arrangements and their evolution over time, the Groupe has left its offices open to allow those who so wished to come to work, with strict prevention instructions (masks, hydroalcoholic gel, reinforced cleaning in the offices, gauges, etc.); the Groupe also facilitated access to tests and/or self-tests and vaccination.
These provisions are in line with programs that have been in place for years, particularly in the area of flu vaccination in many countries. Preventative health measures are occasionally subject to specific conditions in countries with collective or occupational agreements. All employees in these countries benefit from these collective or occupational agreements where such agreements exist. Based on the local health situation, agencies decide whether to promote screening campaigns for chronic diseases (cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, etc.) in addition to traditional and annual schemes.
