OUR STRATEGY:
Our Employees
Key developments in FY 2024
Our employees are the cornerstone of our success in serving our members. Their creativity, dedication, and integrity form the foundation of our Fund’s achievements. We are committed to creating a workplace where our people feel valued, supported, and empowered to make meaningful contributions to our mission.
Our work environment is integral to our human capital strategy, which focuses on the entire employee journey— from attracting and retaining top talent to fostering engagement and offering comprehensive support for our employees and their families through our total rewards programme at every stage of life.
1. Occupational safety and health
In our ongoing commitment to ensuring a safe and secure work environment, the Fund placed significant emphasis on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) during the year.
Key initiatives and outcomes
Defensive driving training:
Approximately 600 Fund employees, including members of the Executive Committee (EXCO), participated in defensive driving training from Automobile Association of Uganda Consultants.
This initiative was launched in response to a concerning increase in accidents involving both Fund and private vehicles. Since the training, we have seen a significant reduction in accidents, highlighting the programme's effectiveness.
Safety measures for branches with lake operations:
Our branches near Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale and Lake Victoria in Masaka have each been equipped with two pairs of life jackets. This provision is designed to mitigate the risk of drowning and enhance the safety of our employees working in these locations.
Risk vulnerability assessment:
A professional risk vulnerability assessment was conducted by the Uganda Police for all Fund offices and branches. The assessment identified several weaknesses, which we are actively addressing to enhance security and safety.
Occupational safety and health audit:
Our OSH Champions conducted a comprehensive audit across all Fund work areas, identifying several hazards that require attention. We are actively working to mitigate these risks to enhance workplace safety.
2. Employee health and well-being
A Healthy Lifestyle for a Better Life
At the Fund, we are dedicated to cultivating a wellness culture that prioritises both the physical and mental well-being of our employees. We launched a series of initiatives to promote healthy lifestyle habits during the year. These efforts have yielded significant positive outcomes, including improved employee engagement, better health, individual empowerment, increased awareness of healthy living, reduced sick leave and absenteeism, higher productivity, enhanced teamwork, a growing wellness culture, and an overall healthier workforce.
Key wellness initiatives
Step challenge (“Walk to Paris”): From October to December 2023, we organised the "Walk to Paris" step challenge to encourage physical fitness and teamwork. The event saw enthusiastic participation from 85% of our employees, including nine members of the Executive Committee.
Wellness Champions:
We appointed Wellness Champions to lead by example, inspiring their colleagues by sharing pictorials and videos of group workouts. Currently, there are over 40 active Wellness Champions across various departments.
Fitness and gym encouragement:
Employees are encouraged to regularly visit gyms and fitness centres to participate in activities such as gym workouts, swimming, steaming, sauna sessions, and aerobics. This benefit has been highly utilised by our employees.
Annual health camp: During the annual staff conference, employees received comprehensive health check-ups. These included BMI measurements, blood pressure monitoring, random blood sugar tests, optical and dental exams, voluntary HIV counselling and testing, physiotherapy sessions, and doctor consultations.
Mental health and counselling support: We actively promoted counselling services and mental health support for employees and their dependents. We held four counselling seminars covering topics such as handling relationships, thriving in marriage, managing children and teenagers, and men's mental health.
Employee wellness townhalls:
Conducted by the company health advisors to promote healthy living habits.
Healthy meals servings:
Provided healthy meals options for employees in the cafeteria.
Personalised doctor advisory:
Personalised health advice for colleagues with high-risk health conditions, delivered by company health advisors.
Weekly wellness communication:
Circulated weekly tips on healthy living, counselling, parenting, and overall well-being.
Health awareness and celebration of health days: Sensitised staff and celebrated key health days such as World Cancer Month, World AIDS Day, World Mental Health Day, World Breastfeeding Week, and others.
Dependent care support: We provided onsite childcare facilities, supporting 70 babies, and celebrated mothers with a special Mother’s Day Dinner at the Protea Hotel. Additionally, we established a resource centre in the crèche for mothers to borrow parenting books and trained employee helpers in first aid to manage emergencies at home.
Workstation health visits: Our company health advisors conducted visits to all employees at their workstations, offering extensive sensitisation on healthy living. They assessed the quality of staff meals, inspected food providers across the branch network, and evaluated the medical facilities frequently visited by employees.
Launch of the NSSF Wellness App: Developed internally by the Technology team to monitor staff well-being.
Medical Board initiatives: The Medical Board reviewed and recommended health and wellness solutions to further promote the wellbeing of Fund employees.
3. Employee engagement and communication
Employee engagement
Our approach to employee engagement focuses on creating an environment where employees feel valued, informed, and connected to our organisational goals. In FY 2023/24, we emphasised meaningful involvement and commitment beyond mere job satisfaction.
The annual Employee Engagement Survey is central to our strategy, providing a platform for employees to share their thoughts and feedback. This input guides our leadership in aligning strategies and policies with employee needs and aspirations.
This year, the overall employee satisfaction rate was 89%, an increase from the previous year's 83%. These results reflect a powerful sense of belonging and active participation in the Fund.
Additionally, our management team undergoes a 360-degree review process, enabling employees to offer feedback on leaders, peers, and direct reports. This ensures continuous improvement in management effectiveness.
Our engagement efforts also include various activities designed to build connections, foster open dialogue, and strengthen our sense of community within the Fund.
Managing Director’s Town Halls:
Employees are updated on key business issues and given the opportunity to ask questions, promoting transparency and alignment across the Fund.
Team building activities:
Frequent team-building events help employees interact outside their daily routines, strengthening bonds and fostering collaboration.
Human resource roadshows: Our Human Resource Business Partners periodically visit all branches to connect with employees on a wide range of issues, ensuring that every employee feels heard and supported.
Annual Staff Conference:
A key event where management communicates essential information to all employees in a collective setting, reinforcing a sense of unity and shared purpose.
4. Communication
Our commitment to a positive work environment is built on trust, transparency, and teamwork. Effective communication is integral to our culture, and we utilise various online platforms to facilitate open dialogue, allowing employees to share insights and concerns. Our intranet provides daily updates on Fund operations, reinforcing our dedication to valuing every voice and fostering thriving relationships. Our policies are clear, accessible, and reviewed every two years to ensure legal compliance and alignment with our strategies.
A NEW DAY - CREATING SHARED VALUE FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH