Smart employees live well and more

MANILA, Philippines - Wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has launched a massive campaign encouraging Filipinos not to waste a minute of their life — in short, to “Live More.” But it has certainly not forgotten to walk the talk, making sure that its 5,000 employees live by this Live More manifesto.

Since June last year, Smart has been conducting a wide array of wellness activities for its workforce under the program called “Live Well, Live More.” The holistic wellness program includes sports festivals, workout sessions, and wellness seminars.

Wellness fairs were held at the Smart headquarters in Makati City, featuring nutrition counseling and a health bazaar. Smart also launched an internal “Lakad Tayo [Let’s Walk]” campaign, which encourages employees to use the stairs instead of taking the elevator.

The company also installed bike racks and changing facilities in its headquarters for employees who opt to bring their bicycles to work. Aside from promoting a healthier workplace, Smart’s bike-friendly practices reduce employees’ carbon footprint and support the company’s nationwide greening activities.

“Employees are the most valuable assets of any company, which is why it is important for us to ensure their well-being. Healthy and happy employees are more positive and productive, while unhealthy lifestyles among employees often translate to a less engaged workforce and decreased productivity,” says Annette Santiago, head of Smart’s human resource management and development.

Smart employees are encouraged to join any of the company’s 17 employee clubs, which include the Smart Triathlon Club, the Catholic group called Serve, Photography Club, Read-to-be-Smart, Smart Street Dance Crew, Smart Moms Club, and Smart Collecti-Club.

To further encourage employees to be well-rounded, Smart features stories about their achievements in its digital news site called SmartSpeak. The site includes commendations for high performers, important announcements, and articles on technology and wellness.

“It is important to have a news site for employees so they would stay informed about what’s happening in the company. SmartSpeak is also a venue for us to give credit where it is due — to feature Smart employees who have done exemplary and inspiring work,” Santiago adds.

Smart’s efforts to enable its employees to “Live More” were recognized at the 48th Anvil Awards ceremony. The Live Well, Live More program received an excellence award, while SmartSpeak got a merit citation.

In all, Smart was given seven excellence and seven merit awards, the highest number of awards received by a single company in the ceremony. The annual competition, considered the Oscars of Philippine PR, is organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines.