By James Michael Lafferty, CEO of Fine Hygienic Holding
The strength of any company comes directly from its human resources, but attracting top talent is only the beginning; to foster sustainable growth and success, businesses should focus on retaining talent. At Fine Hygienic Holding (FHH) we have always operated according to the belief that, “if we take care of our people, the business will take care of itself.” Throughout our more than 60 years of business, we have developed a progressive and well-defined employee retention policy based on this core foundation, which plays an essential role in achieving our vision of becoming the shining star in the FMCG industry in the Arab world.
The ability for a company to retain its employees stems directly from employee satisfaction, which can be impacted by a number of variables including work environment, opportunities to innovate and achieve, recognition and reward, and the scope for personal growth. At Fine, we have striven to build a company culture centered around each of these principles, demonstrating our dedication to the satisfaction and well-being of our employees.
The offices at Fine have been custom designed to be inspirational, flexible spaces that promote creativity and move people out of their comfort zones and into a mindset of endless possibilities and opportunities. Fine facilities feature a spacious, open-plan layout where employees can easily interact and collaborate throughout their workday. The modern design aesthetic prioritizes team members’ physical and mental health by utilizing bright and uplifting colors, abundant sunlight, and a wealth of fun, active features including everything from an exercise discussion space to an in-office running track – perfect for holding active meetings – to a slide connecting the first floor to the ground floor.
Some other important factors in employee retention are diversity and equal opportunity. In the past few years, Fine has been committed to increasing its female representation in leadership roles to build a more diversified workforce. FHH continues to support gender diversity by offering its employees opportunity and fairness in all internal processes, operating as a meritocracy, where career development, promotions and recognition are all based solely on performance and skill.
The company has a number of programs in place to encourage and retain female talent, including “Shine with Purpose,” a program that aims to build a pipeline of skilled and qualified females ready to assume managerial and leadership roles. The company has also launched “Fine’s Female Network,” an initiative designed to address gender diversity issues, empower women employees at the company, and offer them a safe platform to voice their opinions and concerns.
Fine also supports its women workforce by offering a world-class maternity leave that includes 16 weeks at full pay, (which significantly exceeds the standard set by local laws and the International Labor Organization) and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave if needed. Women also have the option to work from home or return to work at 60 per cent, 80 per cent or 100 per cent capacity. Fine accommodates the needs of mothers by offering flexible work arrangements, daily breastfeeding breaks and reduced working hours. All female employees at FHH are provided with an additional day of menstrual leave per month.
In addition, the company offers four-week paid paternity leave for male employees. The policy includes three weeks at full pay and one additional week unpaid, as well as flexible working arrangements.
In support of the teams during the pandemic, FHH launched an unprecedented Employee Assistance Program which provides 24/7 confidential hotline for counseling and support services available in several languages to help employees and their immediate family members to address issues and concerns, all for free. Fine also has a wellness program which includes gym co-payments, internal fitness challenges as well as free virtual exercise classes, including the addition of exercise machines, a yoga room, and a high intensity track at its corporate office in Dubai.
A comprehensive employee retention policy plays a vital role in both attracting and retaining key employees, who are the most important asset to any company. Fine employees – from office boys to executives – are the backbone of the organization, which is why FHH continuously seeks new ways to improve and develop its retention policy year after year. At its core, Fine is committed to the well-rounded health and well-being of its employees, and to creating an environment that attracts and retains the best as a company that, quite simply, “people love to join and hate to leave.”