Engagement Archives

Eid al-Fitr, also known as Hari Raya Puasa or Hari Raya, is celebrated by Muslims worldwide, and if your goal is to embrace workplace diversity, this is your perfect opportunity to do so. Your employees wouldn’t want to miss out on this important holiday celebration, so why not join in and make them feel appreciated and welcomed?

You must now be wondering how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work, and that’s precisely what this guide is for. Below, we’ll provide you with plenty of ways to celebrate Hari Raya Puasa with your employees. Best of all, they’re easy, affordable, and can help build a stronger and more inclusive workplace culture.

What and when is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and Muslims around the world observe it by fasting from dawn to sunset. It’s a month of spiritual reflection, self-discipline, and empathy towards those in need.

This year, Ramadan began on 12 March 2024 and is expected to end on the evening of 9 April 2024. The date is subject to change each year as the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle. As such, Ramadan may end up being either 29 or 30 days long, depending on the sighting of the new moon.

What and when is Hari Raya Puasa?

Hari Raya Puasa, also referred to as Hari Raya or Eid al-Fitr, is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month in the Islamic calendar. Given that the literal translation of Hari Raya Puasa is “celebration of fasting”, it marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and the beginning of a new month filled with joy and celebration.

New clothes, decorated houses, delicious food, and family gatherings are just some of the highlights of Eid al-Fitr. It’s a time for forgiveness, gratitude, and strengthening relationships with loved ones.

This year, Hari Raya Puasa is expected to fall on the evening of 9 April 2024. This will depend on the sighting of the new moon, so it’s important to check for updates closer to the date. For instance, if it turns out that the moon isn’t sighted on 8 April, then Hari Raya Puasa will be celebrated on 10 April instead and Muslims would fast another day for Ramadan.

It’s also worth noting that different countries and communities may celebrate Hari Raya Puasa or Eid al-Fitr for different durations. For example, in Singapore and Malaysia, festivities may extend to a whole month, while in other countries, like Egypt, it may only be celebrated for three days.

There are three misconceptions that often arise when it comes to Eid al-Fitr. The first is that it marks the Islamic New Year, which isn’t accurate. The Islamic New Year falls on the first day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar.

Secondly, some people confuse Eid al-Fitr with Eid al-Adha, another important holiday in Islam that takes place about two months later. While both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are celebrated with prayers, feasting, and charity, they have different origins and meanings.

Lastly, some think Eid al-Fitr is another fasting period. However, fasting is actually prohibited on the day of Eid al-Fitr in Islam, and it’s meant to be a day of celebration and gratitude.

Why Should You Celebrate Hari Raya Puasa at Work?

Before planning how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work, it’s important to consider the reasons behind it. Celebrating Hari Raya Puasa/Eid al-Fitr at work can bring numerous benefits to both employers and employees, extending beyond just a day off. Here’s why you should start thinking about how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work:

Fostering diversity and inclusion

The first reason that makes celebrating Hari Raya Puasa at work such a great idea is that it promotes diversity and inclusion. Just like how companies have started to recognize other holidays, such as Christmas or Diwali, celebrating Eid al-Fitr shows that the organization values the different cultures and beliefs of its employees.

Considering that more than 76% of job seekers say that “a diverse workplace is an important factor when evaluating companies”, celebrating Hari Raya Puasa can help not only retain but also attract top talent.

You’re sending a powerful message simply by acknowledging and celebrating the holiday at work – that everyone, regardless of their background, is welcomed, respected, and valued.

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When you think of how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work and fully embrace it, you’re not only including your Muslim colleagues but also giving everyone in the office an opportunity to bond and get to know each other better.

This is because the holiday isn’t only about fasting and praying, but also about spending time with family and friends, enjoying delicious traditional food, and exchanging gifts.

By incorporating these activities into your workplace celebrations, you’re creating a social atmosphere that encourages employees to interact and build relationships beyond their usual work interactions.

Boosting employee engagement and morale

Finally, thinking of how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work can help boost employee engagement and morale. When your Muslim employees feel that you’re going the extra mile to make them feel included and appreciated, they’re likely to be more motivated, committed, and loyal. This can lead to improved team dynamics, increased productivity, and better overall performance.

Moreover, when non-Muslim employees are involved and also think about how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work, they feel more connected within the workplace. This can create a sense of unity and strengthen the overall company culture.

Ideas to Celebrate Hari Raya Puasa at Work

Now that you know the impact that celebrating Hari Raya Puasa at work can have on your team, the question is still how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work. Whether your team is in-office or virtual, here are some ideas to make your Hari Raya Puasa celebration a success.

With in-office teams, there’s more opportunity to engage in physical activities and traditional celebrations. Some ideas to consider if you’re thinking about how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work:

1. Light up the office and decorate common areas

Lighting up the office with colorful lighting and decorating common areas with traditional Hari Raya Puasa decorations (such as ketupat, lanterns, and flowers) can do wonders in creating a festive atmosphere if you’re still stuck on how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work. Encourage employees to bring their own decorations and create a collaborative effort.

2. Organize a potluck lunch

Part of Hari Raya Puasa celebrations is always centered around food, so if you’re still lost on where to start when it comes to how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work, this is your answer.

Organizing a potluck lunch can be a great way to bring everyone together to bond over food and enjoy traditional dishes. The keyword here is traditional – you want your team to be mindful of catering options. You could also offer festive treats such as Kueh Raya, Ketupat, or Bandung.

3. Host a short presentation or talk

One of the best ideas on how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work is to raise awareness and educate your team on the celebration.

Think about inviting a speaker, possibly only of your Muslim team members, or preparing a brief presentation to educate about Hari Raya traditions, customs, and significance. This can enhance cultural understanding, appreciation, and team cohesion.

4. Organize a “Duit Raya” (Hari Raya Money) exchange

One of the most popular Eid al-Fitr celebrations is Duit Raya, where money is placed in decorative packets and given to children, family, friends, or colleagues as a symbol of blessings and generosity.

For a more inclusive way on how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work, consider organizing a Duit Raya exchange among team members. This doesn’t have to involve money; it could include motivational or appreciation notes, do-it-yourself (DIY) gifts, or small treats.

5. Offer flexible working arrangements

Given the significance of Hari Raya Puasa for Muslims, it’s expected that they’ll want to celebrate with family and friends. As an employer, one of the best methods on how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work is to show your understanding and support by offering flexible arrangements or hybrid work models during this time.

6. Adjust Meeting Schedules

Finally, it’s important to avoid scheduling meetings on festive occasions, as nobody enjoys them during celebrations.

To ensure that your Muslim team members can fully participate, try to avoid scheduling important or lengthy meetings during this period. If unavoidable, keep the meeting brief and allow for breaks for prayers or meals. This demonstrates your consideration and respect for their religious practices.

For Remote Teams

Even if your workforce is fully remote, you can still celebrate Hari Raya Puasa together. If you’re unsure how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work when your employees are not physically present, here are some ways to make it possible:

1. Host a virtual Eid al-Fitr gathering

To give you a headstart on how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work with your remote team, a simple yet effective way is by hosting a virtual gathering. This could be a video call where your Muslim employees can share how they’re celebrating, their traditional foods, and even dress up in their traditional attire.

At the same time, non-Muslim employees can join in and learn more about the festival and its significance. It’s a great way to bring everyone together and create a sense of camaraderie despite the distance.

2. Spreading care through Hari Raya packs

Along with the virtual gathering consider sending out Hari Raya packs to your Muslim employees. These could contain items that are known to be part of the traditional celebrations – such as decorative ketupat, desserts that are typically consumed during Hari Raya Puasa, or even a small amount of Duit Raya (money given as gifts during the festival).

This gesture will show your team members that you’re mindful of their culture and traditions, and it will surely be appreciated. It will go a long way in demonstrating that you thought hard and long about how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work.

3. Organize a virtual charity drive

Lastly, since giving back constitutes a significant part of Hari Raya Puasa celebrations, you could organize a virtual charity drive for your team.

This could be in the form of collecting donations from employees and contributing to a charitable organization that aligns with the values of Eid al-Fitr, such as Islamic Relief Worldwide, Rahma Worldwide, Penny Appeal, Zakat Foundation of America, or Muslim Food Bank.

This is a wonderful way to spread the spirit of Hari Raya Puasa and make a positive impact in your community. Your employees will feel proud and fulfilled to be part of such a meaningful initiative, and it will further strengthen their bond with your company.

Driving Inclusion and Employee Engagement with HR Innovation

Immerse yourself in the spirit of Hari Raya Puasa with these joyous celebration ideas on how to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at work.

Book a demo with our team to learn more about how Omni can support your international workforce.

For more employee engagement ideas,

To free up HR staff to perform their more strategic role and to ensure employees receive the information they require, many of the operational tasks related to information provision activities are now performed using human resource information systems (HRIS).

An employee self-service portal (ESS) is a system that enables employees to access HR information from their end, reducing the range of administrative tasks performed by modern HR teams.

While employee self-service portals streamline information access and reduce HR workload, their benefits extend far beyond mere efficiency. These portals can improve employee engagement, creating a more connected and productive workforce. In this article, we explore the potential of employee self-service portals as a key to unlocking employee engagement. We delve into their functionalities, benefits, and how they can empower your employees.

Understanding the Employee Self-Service Portal

An employee self-service portal is a software that provides a means for a company’s employees to access its HR services and information.

With an ESS portal, employees can perform various tasks and transactions using the data stored in the HRIS system. Besides updating personal and banking information, employees can manage other aspects of their employment, such as benefits and time off, through the platform.

These portals can range from simple websites that allow employees to access static HR policies, such as safety requirements, to sophisticated softwares that allow employees to access and edit their individual information.

Functions of Employee Self-Service Portal

Employees use the HRIS system on a self-service basis to obtain personal information. For instance, they can look up paycheck information or check to see how much vacation time they have available. Training programs can be advertised via an employee self-service portal. They can enroll in any program of their choice and gain access to internal and external courses.

ESS portals are also used to bring HR tools and information to remote workforces. This enables organizations to ensure that recruitment selection, performance management, leave management and other HR activities are conducted in line with the organization’s policies and practices, irrespective of the location at which these activities are taking place.

Through an employee portal, employees can submit requests for vacation, sick leave, and other forms of time off, as well as track their remaining time balances. The portal can serve as a central hub for receiving and managing job applications, allowing candidates to easily submit their resumes and cover letters online. This eliminates the need for manual application processing and saves time for HR teams.

Employee self-service portals benefit both employees and employers. Employees can manage their work lives with more autonomy and convenience, while employers can benefit from increased efficiency, reduced administrative costs, and an empowered workforce.

Benefits of Employee Self-Service Portals for HR

Reduce administrative burden

An employee self-service portal streamlines all your processes and reduces the workload for your HR department. For example, managers and HR leaders can save time and reduce frustration by avoiding scheduling issues, time off requests, and open enrollment questions. You can easily communicate employee handbook policy changes or other updates to employees, this improves communication and collaboration at all levels.

Additional resources:

Improve data accuracy and compliance

ESS portals allow employees to review and update their personal information. This reduces the time HR spends doing data entry and further simplifies the process. By allowing employees and managers to enter their information, data entry errors and mistakes can be avoided. They can regularly review their data through the portal and identify any mistakes, which further heightens data accuracy.

Provide better insights for decision making

Employee self-service portals can collect data on employee leave usage, training completion, and performance reviews. HR can then analyze this data to identify trends, optimize staffing levels, and make informed decisions about benefits and training programs. The use of an ESS allows HR teams to create HR strategies that play a more significant role in strategic business decision-making.

Importance of Employee Engagement

An engaged workforce is one of the major drivers of organizational growth and profitability, and an employee self-service software portal could be a tool for facilitating the employee engagement process.

Highly engaged employees tend to:

Be more productive and efficient. When employees derive greater satisfaction at work, they perform better and your business grows.

Show greater creativity and innovation. Engaged employees are more likely to think outside the box, be creative, and come up with innovative ideas.

Provide better customer service. Organizations with highly engaged employees boast 10 percent higher customer metrics than those whose employees are less engaged.

Stay with the company longer. When people are engaged in their work, they’re also more likely to work hard, get better at their jobs, and stay longer at the company, reducing attrition rates and absenteeism.

Be stronger ambassadors for the company. Engaged employees are more likely to speak positively about the company culture and company mission to others, acting as brand advocates and attracting top talent during recruitment.

Foster a more collaborative and positive work environment. Their enthusiasm and dedication can be contagious, creating a ripple effect of positive energy and collaboration within teams. This positive environment further enhances engagement and organizational well-being.

Overall, your company’s bottom line depends on the satisfaction and happiness of your workforce.

Impact of ESS on Engagement

An employee self-service portal (ESS portal) can significantly impact employee engagement in several ways:

Empowerment and ownership

Increased autonomy: Employees can complete tasks and access information without relying on HR or managers, increasing their autonomy and control over their work. This software portal makes employee’s lives easier. Giving employees efficient tools to work with, reduces their dependence on laborious and manual processes, which improves their experience. More engaged employees tend to be more loyal to their company as well as more productive.

Easy access to information: Having direct access to the right information improves employee satisfaction and engagement. Benefits information, company policies, training materials, or any other resources they might need can be accessed at a time convenient to the user, without the employee coming to the office. This saves time and frustration, leading to a more positive and engaged workforce. They can also see information regarding opportunities, training and advancement, which will give them more control over their careers. Many seek out opportunities to improve themselves and their skills, making them more valuable employees and helping to reduce employee turnover.

Improved communication and collaboration

Centralized platform: An employee self-service portal is a digital hub that centralizes various functionalities and resources for employees. It acts as a central location for them to manage personal information, view and manage benefits information, check their leave entitlements, pay records, performance assessment, and professional development plans. The portal also streamlines communication by keeping employees informed about company updates and policies. This fosters transparency and trust within the organization.

Increased transparency and recognition

Performance feedback: The portal can be used to conduct training and knowledge transfer. With a directory filled with training materials, tools for acquiring new skills and internal and external courses, an employee portal helps employees become better at their jobs which improves their performance, reduces performance gaps and makes them work efficiently.

Recognition programs: Employees are no longer content with having a ‘middle man’ that speaks for them. As companies grow, it can be difficult for each voice to be heard, and accomplishments to be recognized. An employee self-service portal can be used to implement and manage recognition programs, publicly acknowledging employee achievements and contributions, which boosts morale and engagement.

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Personalized experience: Depending on the features and functionality of an ESS software, some portals can be customized to meet individual needs and preferences, providing a more relevant, and engaging experience for each employee. For example, employees can create their personal experience by selecting from a menu of options including the display of key performance indicators (KPIs) and objectives and key results (OKRs) relevant to their role, or gain quick access links to information and tools they use frequently, and personal items such as news, internet search tools and more.

Gamification elements: Gamification elements make completing tasks within the portal more enjoyable and interactive, leading to increased usage and employee engagement. Points, badges, and leaderboards in games have positive effects on learning. Trainees may be motivated by the goal, leading to higher engagement, increased attendance, and participation. Integrating gamification elements into your employee self-service portal is a great tactic to entice employees to engage, learn and grow.

Revolutionize Your Employee Engagement with HR Tools

Employee self-service portals make it a breeze for employees to tackle their HR tasks with ease. These portals not only simplify administrative tasks but also serve as catalysts for fostering a culture of transparency, open communication, and accountability within the organization.

Omni’s employee self-service portal empowers employees to submit their time off requests, which automatically routes to the appropriate manager thanks to customizable approval workflows. To make things easier, Omni seamlessly integrates with your team’s favorite work tools such as Slack, enabling managers to receive and manage time off approvals directly within the messaging platform, removing time-consuming steps from leave management with a quick push of a button.

With automated calculations, employees and managers can easily view leave balances in real-time, and track how many vacation days they have left without having to go through HR.

Book a demo with us today to learn how leveraging Omni’s powerful automation and ESS portals can create a more engaged and productive work environment, leading to improved employee retention and overall business success.

Managing growing teams of people can be overwhelming, especially when there are many ways to stay connected.

Recently, Slack has been progressively replacing email for internal communication within workplaces, and for good reasons — a high degree of customization and a broad set of collaborative features.

For many remote workforces, Slack is at the forefront of enhancing their remote team communication. Whether remote or not, employees and HR teams use it as often as emails, hence the need for easy-to-use HR hacks for Slack.

If you’re looking to increase productivity as an HR team, here are our top 10 Slack tips that will help you stay ahead of the game.

Let’s dive right in.

Slack has become one of the most widely used workplace communication platforms since its 2013 public launch. Their report shows that over 100,000 organizations, including 77 Fortune 100 companies, use Slack.

Its instant messaging capabilities provide faster and often more casual communication than email, making it gain traction. Slack has earned a reputation for its integration. Over 2,000 integrations exist, including Omni, Salesforce, Google Calendar, GitHub, and Loom.

Besides internal communications, you can use Slack for employee onboarding, conveying company culture in a virtual space, collaborating with other companies, and managing project workflows.

What are Slack Channels?

Slack channels are one of Slack’s main features and the simplest way to organize teams around a shared goal. With channels, you and your team get a shared view of the work done, making progress easier to track.

The two types of channels on Slack are public channels and private channels.

In the public channels, everyone on the team can view the messages. Public channels can be things like #General, for general work-related conversations, or #Random, which can be used for non-work related activities.

Private channels — identified with a padlock icon in front — are not open to all team members. They are primarily for specific teams within the company; someone must invite you to the private channel before you can access it.

Channels are created based on their relevance in building a good workspace atmosphere, especially for fully remote teams and employees working from home. Slack tips can make navigating these channels easier, especially for new employees.

Ways to Make the Most Out of Slack for HR Team Productivity

Now that we’ve established the basics, let’s dive into the Slack tips curated for HR teams. These tips are great for enhancing productivity and fostering collaboration, ultimately improving the efficiency of HR operations.

1. Establishing dedicated channels

An effective practice in Slack is to create channels tailored to specific projects, topics, or teams. This approach brings together relevant people and information, making it easier for idea-sharing, decision-making, and moving work forward.

For example, creating a private channel dedicated to employee onboarding can provide new hires with a platform to get more information regarding the process or ask questions. To create a new channel, simply click on the “add channel” button and provide details about the channel’s purpose and members.

Not sure what to include in your employee onboarding channel?

2. Integrating HR features with Slack

Slack’s real-time messaging and collaboration features make it easier for employees to communicate and collaborate on HR-related tasks.

Integration is a crucial feature that every HR software must have. For example, Omni integrates seamlessly with Slack. This integration allows managers to receive and manage time off approvals directly within the platform, simplifying leave management with just a click.

These features not only streamline HR processes but also boost productivity and efficiency across the entire team.

As remote work becomes increasingly prevalent, work calls are on the rise. With Slack, it’s easier to join huddles, sort out issues, provide updates, and catch up with team members.

Huddles allow for quick discussions and the gathering of multiple perspectives, speeding up the decision-making process. They are also more engaging than long meetings, encouraging employee participation and boosting employee engagement.

Additionally, you can use the huddle feature to easily share your screen for real-time visual guidance. This feature can be beneficial for HR professionals during the onboarding process as it allows them to guide new hires through company policies, software tools, and other essential information virtually. It can also be a fantastic way to host brainstorming sessions.

For desktop users, a useful Slack tip is to use the shortcut “Ctrl + Shift + H” to initiate a huddle instead of clicking the huddle button on a person’s profile, saving time and streamlining communication.

4. Implementing workflow automation

Another valuable Slack tip on our list is to take advantage of Slack’s Workflow Builder, which simplifies daily tasks for you and your modern HR team by automating repetitive tasks and streamlining workflows.

HR teams can create workflows for various tasks such as onboarding, leave requests and performance evaluations.

For example, a workflow can be set up to welcome new employees with personalized messages and links to relevant resources and information upon joining a team channel, saving time on manual introductions.

Additionally, connect Workflow Builder to Google Sheets and get automated updates on employee information or track progress on onboarding tasks within a shared spreadsheet, improving data visibility and collaboration.

5. Conducting advanced searches

Mastering advanced search techniques in Slack can be a great boost for HR team productivity by enabling quick information retrieval in the vast pool of data. This feature saves time and effort, ensuring that important information is easily accessible when needed.

Here’s a Slack tip for finding information quickly across:

Slack channels

For Mac: “Command + G”
For Windows or Linux: “Control + G”

To search within a channel or direct message:

For Mac: “Command + F.”
For Windows or Linux: “Control + F”

You can also use search filters such as people, dates, and conversations to refine your search results. In the “More filters” section, you can leave out bots, apps, and workflows to prevent other apps’ updates from cluttering your search results.

Additionally, combine keywords with Boolean operators such as “AND,” “OR,” and “NOT” to refine searches further. For example, search for messages containing “marketing” AND “experience” but NOT “intern” to identify candidates with relevant marketing experience excluding internship roles.

6. Leveraging polls and surveys

One of the essential ways to build workplace culture is by directly asking for feedback from team members.

Surveys are vital for representing your team’s views, measuring effectiveness, and clarifying expectations. It also provides a platform to explore development opportunities, ensuring that employees’ voices are heard.

For example, HR teams can conduct employee satisfaction surveys to improve performance. While Slack doesn’t offer a built-in polling or survey feature, you can easily create a poll using emojis as a simple Slack tip. Here’s how:

Write the question for the poll you want to conduct.
Format the text appropriately for better readability.
Send the poll to the channel, allowing everyone to respond with their reactions.
To initiate the vote, reply to the message with the available emoji options first and encourage others to participate.

By using Slack for polls and surveys, it allows for real-time feedback and promotes employee engagement. This data collected can help drive informed decisions, and integration with other tools ensures seamless workflows.

7. Setting up or pausing notifications for focused work time

Managing notifications is key to staying focused. You can pause notifications and mentions as needed to minimize distractions and concentrate on tasks at hand. Another helpful Slack tip is to schedule notifications for specific times, allowing you to control interruptions.

When you resume notifications, you can review messages received during your focused time. Team members will see a “do not disturb” icon next to your name if they message you, but they can send urgent messages that will override the pause once a day.

To switch on this feature:

Click on your profile picture.
Then click “Pause notifications.”
Select a timeframe from the list, or click Custom to set your own. To turn it off, use this same step and select “Resume notifications.”

Alternatively, use the command “/dnd” followed by the duration you want to pause notifications for.

8. Personalize settings to highlight unread channels

One of Slack’s most beloved features is its high level of customization, allowing users to personalize virtually every aspect of their experience.

Sorting unread messages is a particularly useful Slack tip for enhancing productivity.

You can do this on your desktop by:

Clicking the “menu” at the top of the “Unread messages” bar to sort messages into a sidebar.
The messages are displayed in descending order, from newest to oldest.

9. Using commands to boost productivity

Shortcuts are invaluable for boosting efficiency, and these Slack tips and tricks will help in your navigation:

/invite [@username] [#channel]: To invite someone to a specific channel
/collapse: To collapse long messages, making them easier to read
/mute: To temporarily put all messages in a channel on mute
/who: To show the members of a channel and their status
/status: To set your status easily
/expand: To expand all collapse message
/remind: To remind yourself, someone else or the whole channel about something

When you need to recall available shortcuts, simply use: /shortcuts to display all keyboard shortcuts.

10. Updating your status to indicate if you’re OOO

Showing that you’re “out-of-office” on Slack has become simpler, as you can now easily set your status to inform colleagues that you’re unavailable. Here’s how:

Click your profile picture in the sidebar and select “Set a status.”

Choose “Out of office” from the list
Select when your out-of-office status should be removed under “Remove status after… “
Optionally, tick the box next to “Pause notifications” to switch off notifications until your status clears.
You can also add an “Out-of-office message” to display on your profile or when someone mentions you in a channel.
Click Save.

Another helpful Slack tip is to use the shortcut “Ctrl + Shift+ Y,” to quickly bring up the pop-up.

Importance of Communication Tools for HR Teams

Effective communication is essential for modern HR teams to operate effectively. Communication tools like Slack can significantly enhance HR productivity by streamlining communication, fostering collaboration, and enabling quick access to information.

Slack’s well-loved features, such as channels, direct messaging, and integrations with other HRIS tools like Omni, can help HR teams stay organized, informed, and responsive.

Omni frees HR teams from administrative cycles by offering HR automation for the entire end-to-end employee lifecycle — from recruitment and onboarding to employee engagement and payroll — allowing you to redirect your time to strategic work that drives business growth.

Omni also seamlessly integrates with Slack, enabling managers to receive and manage time off approvals directly within the messaging platform, removing time-consuming steps from leave management with a quick push of a button. With automated calculations, employees and managers can easily view leave balances in real-time without the intervention of HR.

Book a demo with us today to learn more about how Omni can transform your processes, saving you time, reducing administrative burdens, and enhancing overall efficiency.

A Gallup survey found that when it comes to enforcing change in the workplace, 41% of respondents want to improve engagement or culture at work, 28% are focused on pay and benefits, and 16% prioritize wellbeing. This comes as global employee engagement has reached a record high of 23% globally.

Employees are still keen on improving the engagement and culture in the organization. That’s where monitoring employee engagement and satisfaction levels becomes instrumental. The eNPS score serves as a metric to gauge these levels, allowing organizations to take relevant steps before the situations worsen and lead to employee turnover.

Employee stress levels are also at an all-time high, which is concerning. As much as employees might love their jobs and the culture, excessive stress and employee burnout can diminish their likelihood of recommending the organization as a great place to work. To help you keep these areas in check, here’s a guide to calculating eNPS and using it to make your organization a place employees want to vouch for.

What is an Employee Net Promoter Score?

The Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) is a crucial metric for organizations to monitor the satisfaction and engagement level of employees. It goes beyond mere employee satisfaction surveys by focusing on whether employees would actively advocate for their company, recommending it to their acquaintances, friends, family, or even strangers inquiring online. The score reflects on employees’ underlying sentiments and loyalty towards their organization.

One of the most critical advantages of eNPS lies in its ability to serve as an early warning system. Early identification of a low eNPS score can help you address underlying issues proactively before they escalate. Such quick measures towards these issues retain employees and mitigate potential risks to the company’s reputation and productivity.

How To Calculate eNPS?

To calculate eNPS, you need employees to openly and honestly answer one crucial question—“On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend this company to your friends, family, or people you know?”

Based on the responses, you divide employees into three categories:

Promoters(9-10): enthusiastic about your brand, employees readily recommend your company.

Passives(7-8): content with the company but may not actively endorse it.
Detractors(0-6): unhappy with the company and may spread negative word-of-mouth.

While promoters would go above and beyond to get top talent in the organization, it’s the detractors we need to keep in check. Once you categorize employees, calculate the eNPS score using the following formula:

eNPS: (percentage of promoters) - (percentage of detractors)

The eNPS score can be anywhere between +100 to -100.

Let’s say you are surveying 300 employees. Prepare the survey around a key question: the likelihood of recommending the organization. Include an open-ended question to gather qualitative feedback on the reasons behind employees’ likelihood or reluctance.

Out of 300 respondents:

Promoters: 150 or 50%

Passives: 100 or 33.33%
Detractors: 50 or 16.67%

eNPS = 50% (percentage of promoters) – 16.67% (percentage of detractors) = 33.33

In this example, the eNPS score is +33.33, indicating a positive sentiment among employees.

How to Interpret eNPS Results?

Once you’ve calculated your eNPS score, it’s time to interpret the results and create an actionable strategy to tackle dissatisfied employees. Here’s how:

1. Calculate the score

Calculate the eNPS score by subtracting the percentage of detractors (those rated 0-6) from the percentage of promoters (those rated 9-10) in the survey responses. For example, if 30% of respondents are promoters and 15% are detractors, the eNPS score would be 30-15 = 15.

Instead of calculating eNPS for the entire organization, you can calculate it for specific departments or teams within the company. For instance, your tech department has an eNPS of +50, indicating high employee satisfaction and loyalty.

At the same time, the marketing department has an eNPS of -20, demanding immediate improvements. This approach will lead to targeted interventions and a better understanding of the employee sentiments in different departments.

2. Understanding the range

As mentioned earlier, eNPS scores can range from -100 to +100, with positive scores indicating a higher proportion of promoters relative to detractors and negative scores suggesting the opposite. A score above 0 is generally considered positive, while a score below 0 indicates more dissatisfied employees.

An eNPS score ranging from 10-30 is considered satisfactory. Scores exceeding +50 are typically regarded as excellent, indicating that employees are thriving under the current work setup and practices. Conversely, if the score falls to -50 or below, it is a cause for concern and suggests significant organizational issues.

eNPS score range:

Below Zero: alarming; more dissatisfied employees

0: neutral

10 to 30: satisfactory

Above 50: excellent; employees thriving

3. Analyze responses

eNPS scores are often interpreted alongside qualitative feedback provided by respondents to understand the strengths and underlying issues. Analyzing this feedback involves identifying common themes or patterns in the responses, such as references to leadership, work environment, communication, or career development.

4. Creating benchmarks

Analyzing responses is crucial for understanding the current situation. To establish benchmarks, compare your organization’s eNPS score to industry averages or competitors’ scores.

Perceptyx benchmark research, based on data from over 15 million employees in global organizations, shows that the global eNPS benchmark increased from 13.8 in 2021 to 14.9 in 2022. The current average eNPS score across all companies measuring eNPS is 14. Here’s an industry-wise breakdown to assist you in benchmark setting.

Industry: eNPS score

Professional Services: 28

Healthcare: 23

Manufacturing: 17

Retail trade: -1

Finance and insurance: 22

Omni Tip on eNPS score:
Conduct your own research and benchmark against organizations of similar size and type to get meaningful comparisons and deeper insights into typical eNPS ranges within your industry!

5. Taking action

Once you have analyzed the data and established benchmarks, develop actionable strategies to address identified issues. Prioritize these issues based on their severity and impact, focusing on high-priority areas with the greatest potential to positively impact employee satisfaction in the short term.

For example, if employees are highly dissatisfied with current leadership tactics, prioritize conducting leadership development programs or coaching sessions to improve managerial skills.

Similarly, if collaboration appears to be a problem, create opportunities for employees to interact outside of their immediate work teams. The goal is to take action to improve the situation before it escalates.

Why Should HR Leaders Advocate for eNPS?

A Gartner survey found that over 75% of employees now value manager support even more, even as managers tackle 51% more responsibilities than they can handle. This shows the need for HR leaders and managers to proactively demonstrate care for employees’ expectations, growth, and well-being. Here are additional reasons why advocating for eNPS is essential:

Obtain data-driven insights

eNPS offers HR leaders with data-driven insights into employee engagement, satisfaction, and sentiment. For instance, if many employees rate the company poorly on work-life balance, HR can investigate further to uncover underlying issues, such as heavy workloads or inflexible scheduling. It’s crucial to note that survey results are just the beginning of a deeper exploration into the root causes of employee dissatisfaction.

Improve employee engagement

Analyzing eNPS surveys can reveal varying levels of engagement among different departments or teams. For instance, HR leaders may find that the marketing team has lower eNPS scores compared to the sales team. This insight allows HR to develop personalized engagement strategies tailored to each department’s unique needs. For example, they might organize team-building activities for the marketing team to enhance collaboration and morale.

Additionally, if employees feel undervalued or unappreciated, HR can implement rewards and recognition programs. To illustrate, a peer-to-peer recognition program where employees nominate their colleagues for recognition. This approach helps HR identify ways to provide employees with what they need to feel more engaged and satisfied in the organization.

Want to take your employee engagement initiatives to the next level?

Reduce employee turnover

A report found that nearly six in ten employees are psychologically disengaged from work, showing up but feeling clueless and disconnected. These employees are essentially “quiet quitting”, often leaving organizations due to a perceived lack of growth opportunities.

High attrition rates result in additional costs for recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivity. eNPS surveys can assist HR leaders in identifying reasons for turnover, such as dissatisfaction with leadership, limited growth prospects, or poor work-life balance. Proactively addressing these issues can help retain top talent and reduce turnover rates, saving valuable time and resources for other organizational aspects.

Strengthen company culture

eNPS surveys highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the company culture. Positive feedback about the collaborative environment indicates a strength, while concerns about diversity and inclusion point to a weakness.

These surveys also help HR leaders gauge if the company lives up to its company values. For example, if the organization promotes integrity and innovation, eNPS feedback reveals if employees perceive these values in daily operations. If there’s a disconnect between words and actions, HR can bridge the gap and reinforce the desired cultural norms.

Relevant reads:

eNPS surveys are conducted periodically to track trends in employee engagement and satisfaction. For example, if the initial survey shows a low score in career development opportunities, you can introduce training programs to address this.

Subsequent surveys help track the impact of these programs, highlighting whether satisfaction in this area has been improved. This allows HR to identify areas of progress and those needing further attention.

How can eNPS Increase Employee Engagement?

eNPS scores highlight factors that hinder employee engagement. Understanding these dissatisfactions and disengagements enables you to take necessary actions to improve the situation.

Identify areas of improvement

eNPS surveys allow employees to share feedback anonymously. By gathering feedback alongside the score, organizations can identify patterns and areas of improvement. For example, if the survey consistently identifies unrealistic deadlines and overwork, changes are necessary. Implementing mental health days at work and launching initiatives like fitness classes and meditation sessions can help address these issues.

Encourage ownership and participation

eNPs surveys demonstrate that the organization values employees’ opinions and experiences, fostering a sense of participation and ownership. Employees recognize that their input can drive improvements, empowering them to actively find solutions to identified problems.

To illustrate, in a company with many remote employees, workers may feel overwhelmed by constant check-ins and meetings. They may prefer an asynchronous work environment. Through eNPS surveys, they can raise such issues and actively participate in bringing about the desired change.

Invest in employee-wellbeing

eNPS scores indicate where organizations should invest to address employee well-being challenges like high stress, burnout, or work-life balance issues. Initiates like wellness programs, flexible work hours, and mental health resources demonstrate a commitment to meeting employees’ needs. In Singapore, various mental-well being programs are available to improve workplace mental health.

Focus on building a positive work culture

eNPS survey responses, especially the qualitative feedback, can reveal employees’ sentiments towards the company culture. Positive feedback indicates a supportive culture where employees feel valued. Negative feedback may indicate toxicity, such as gender discrimination in the workplace or a lack of psychological safety.

The ratio of promoters to detractors in eNPS scores also provide clarity on company culture. A high number of promoters indicates an excellent culture, while a predominance of detractors suggests a need to define and improve the company culture.

Read next:

Transform Employee Experiences with Omni

eNPS scores offer valuable insights for HR leaders to gauge employee engagement, satisfaction, and overall sentiment towards the organization. The insights gathered from surveys can help identify areas of strength and weakness in the company’s culture and work environment. However, to truly harness the power of eNPS data, HR tools like Omni are the perfect tool.

Omni offers real-time graphs and easily exportable reports, streamlining employee analytics and reducing calculation times and errors. This equips you with the necessary data to understand the trends within your organization. These tools empower HR teams to monitor trends over time, compare results across various departments, and proactively identify areas for improvement.

By leveraging Omni’s powerful automation alongside eNPS surveys, organizations can create a more engaged and productive work environment, leading to improved employee retention and overall business success.

International Women’s Day is a global observance held annually on 8 March. It celebrates the achievements of women in social, economic, cultural and political spheres.

Each year, International Women’s Day has a specific theme, the theme for 2024 is “Inspire Inclusion: Empowering Changemakers”. It focuses on individuals and organizations working to foster a more inclusive world for women and girls.

International Women’s Day serves as a significant event to raise awareness about gender equality and the challenges faced by women worldwide. It provides a platform to celebrate women’s achievements in various fields and amplify their voices. The day also hopes to inspire action towards creating a more just and equitable world for everyone.

What and when is Women’s History Month?

Formally recognized by US Congress in 1987, Women’s History Month has evolved into a commemoration of the diverse contributions and accomplishments of women across history. It highlights their significant roles in shaping societies, cultures, and economies worldwide.

Women’s History Month seeks to recognize the contributions of women that have often been excluded or marginalized in historical narratives. It also aims to raise awareness about the ongoing struggle for gender equality and to inspire future generations of girls and young women to pursue their dreams and achieve their full potential.

Reasons to Celebrate International Women’s Day at Work

In need of inspiration to boost employee engagement?

Ways to Celebrate International Women’s Day at Work

Now that we’ve covered the fundamentals of International Women’s Day and its significance in the workplace, let’s dive into how to celebrate International Women’s Day at work.

1. Highlight achievements

To kick off our list on how to celebrate International Women’s Day at work, consider dedicating a physical or virtual space in the office to showcase ongoing projects, initiatives, and achievements led by women in the organization.

Recognizing women’s contribution in areas like leadership, innovation, and mentorship is crucial, and this can be effectively achieved through an awards ceremony.

Omni Tip on how to celebrate International Women’s Day at work:
Be sure to showcase success stories and accomplishments from various departments to underscore the diverse impact of women within your organization!

Read next:

Organizing internal or external networking events is a fantastic option on how to celebrate International Women’s Day at work. These events offer women from different levels and departments the opportunity to foster collaboration and share knowledge. Inviting female mentors and role models can provide younger employees with valuable insights and connections.

Additionally, consider offering sessions on topics such as career development, negotiation skills, or confidence building to empower women in the workplace.

3. Invite a guest speaker

To further enrich International Women’s Day celebrations at work, organizing panel discussions featuring diverse voices can shed light on the challenges and opportunities for women in your industry, fostering a deeper understanding of current issues. Consider inviting guest speakers to address relevant topics such as gender equality, unconscious bias, or women in leadership. These speakers can offer valuable insights and inspire meaningful conversations among employees.

Omni Tip on how to celebrate International Women’s Day at work:
How about hosting a film screening for International Women’s Day? Pick films that resonate with the theme, and then chat about them afterward. Choose films with subtitles or in multiple languages for everyone to enjoy!

Next up on how to celebrate International Women’s Day at work is hosting a women’s history trivia challenge. This fun and engaging activity not only raises awareness about the remarkable achievements and contributions of women across history but also promotes a positive company culture that values diversity and inclusivity.

By celebrating the legacy of women who have shaped our society, this trivia challenge encourages participants to learn more about inspiring individuals and deepen their understanding and appreciation of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

5. Create an inspiration wall

Creating an inspiration wall to celebrate International Women’s Day is a fantastic way to honor the achievements and contributions of women. The aim of the inspiration wall is not only to celebrate the success of women but also serve as a source of inspiration for others.

Encourage employees to share their favorite inspirational quotes, their own stories or share how they have been inspired by women in their lives. This activity can foster a sense of community and empowerment among employees, encouraging them to support and uplift one another.

6. Host a book club

An enlightening way on how to celebrate International Women’s Day at work is to host a book club. Choosing books written by female authors or focusing on themes related to women’s experiences, achievements and challenges can spark meaningful conversations among employees. It also provides an opportunity for readers to broaden their perspectives, empathize with different cultures, and appreciate diverse voices.

Additionally, a book club can promote a culture of continuous learning and inclusivity within the organization, creating a supportive and positive environment for all employees.

7. Donate to charity

Donating to charity is an impactful way to celebrate International Women’s Day and support causes that support women and girls globally. Some notable organizations include World Association of Girl Guides & Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), Room to Read, AWARE SG and The Asia Foundation.

By contributing to movements that focus on issues such as gender equality, education, healthcare, and economic empowerment for women, employees can make a positive impact on the lives of women in need.

8. Provide learning and development initiatives

Another powerful way on how to celebrate International Women’s Day at work is to invest in learning and development initiatives tailored to address skill gaps among women.

By offering training programs and workshops focused on leadership, technical skills, and personal development, organizations can empower women to advance their careers and bridge the gender gap. These initiatives benefit both individual employees and the organization by fostering a more diverse and inclusive workplace culture.

9. Examine pay parity

Examining pay parity is an impactful way to celebrate International Women’s Day at work. By analyzing and taking concrete actions to address any gender pay gaps, it demonstrates the organization’s commitment to gender equality and fair compensation practices.

This process involves evaluating salary structures, promotion practices, and bonus allocations to ensure that women are not disadvantaged. By sharing the findings and taking correct actions, it not only promotes fairness but also boosts employee trust and morale.

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10. Promote work-life balance

Last but definitely not the least on our list on how to celebrate International Women’s Day at work is to promote work-life balance. By implementing flexible work arrangements, providing childcare support, and offering resources for mental health and wellness, organizations can empower women to achieve a better balance between their professional and personal lives, reducing the risk of employee burnout.

Recognizing the importance of work-life balance not only benefits women but also contributes to a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment for employees. It highlights the commitment to gender equality and acknowledges the diverse responsibilities and priorities that women often juggle. Ultimately, promoting work-life balance in the workplace can lead to increased job satisfaction, productivity, overall well-being and reduced attrition rates among employees.

Leveraging HRIS to Champion Women at Work

Celebrating International Women’s Day in the workplace is not just about recognizing women’s achievements and impacts, but also about promoting gender equality and diversity. By referencing our list on how to celebrate International Women’s Day at work, organizations can create a more inclusive and supportive work environment where women can thrive.

HRIS like Omni can play a crucial role in bridging the gap by providing tools for tracking gender diversity metrics, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing policies that promote work-life balance and gender equality.

Omni’s streamlined leave management module allows easy administration of inclusive leave policies and benefits administration, supporting parental leave, managing L&D benefits, and administering wellness stipends to help promote work-life balance and tools to uplift the women within your organization.

Our comprehensive payroll solution provides impactful insights to seamlessly review, address, and prevent pay parity issues. Advanced performance management modules provide real-time performance data, helping HR teams swiftly identify and address skill gaps, so you can provide your teams with the training and tools they need to help boost overall performance and nurture talent.

Creating a healthy, supportive and positive work environment not only enhances workplace experience but also enables employees to realize their full potential and stay engaged. This approach enhances your company’s competitiveness in today’s ever-changing market conditions. Omni’s scalable, all-in-one employee management software can help your business automate and streamline the most complex administrative HR functions so you can consistently build high-performing, diverse, and inclusive teams.

Join the 83% of Omni customers who have unlocked new, actionable insights after using our modern HR solution, book a demo with our team today.

A physically and mentally well workforce is more productive than those torn between unrealistic deadlines and pressure. Workplace wellbeing initiatives aim to create such work cultures where employees thrive, grow, and are satisfied with their jobs.

In fact, according to a 2020 Deloitte survey on workplace wellbeing, 80% of executives claimed that well-being was their top priority. Yet, the Human Capital Trends report stated that nearly 90% of employees feel their work life is getting worse.

The data illustrates that despite the current efforts of Singaporean companies to invest in workplace wellbeing, their strategies are falling short. This disconnect is a contributing factor to the necessity of Singapore’s Workplace Wellbeing Champions Network, a government-backed initiative to help create a more positive work environment for Singapore employees.

What is Workplace Wellbeing?

Workplace wellbeing refers to optimizing employees’ health, satisfaction, and overall fulfillment within a professional setting. It extends beyond the traditional notions of health and safety by incorporating elements of physical, mental, emotional, social, and professional dimensions. At its core, workplace wellbeing seeks to create an environment that not only protects employees from physical harm but helps them navigate stress, career dilemmas, and other work-related issues.

Some examples of workplace wellbeing initiatives are as follows:

Allowing employees to work remotely or provide flexible working hours
Offering gym memberships, fitness classes, or wellness workshops
Providing access to counseling services and stress management workshops
Organizing team-building activities, social gatherings, and other group activities
Conducting regular one-on-one meetings between employees and managers
Encouraging the use of vacation days and time off to prevent employee burnout
Offering training programs, mentorship, and other opportunities for career advancement

Implementing a blend of these wellbeing initiatives is crucial, as physically and mentally well employees are likely to be more focused, energetic, and productive in their roles. Such a positive culture that prioritizes employee wellbeing also attracts top talent and reduces organization’s attrition rate. This is becoming increasingly important as 59% of employees would consider leaving their current role for a company offering better wellbeing benefits.

Role of a Workplace Wellbeing Champion

A workplace wellbeing champion is a trusted individual within your organization whom employees feel comfortable turning to when they need support. Instead of internalizing their concerns, these wellbeing champions bridge the communication gap between leaders and team members. With this, timely action can be taken, preventing a surge in employee turnover rates and serving as a value add and benefit to attract new talent.

As Mr. Aslam Sardar, Chief Executive of the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, states, “When you have very good well-being programs, you are attractive to an employee and are more likely to attract talent, especially the younger generations.”

According to WHO, creating a healthy workplace requires including initiatives in four crucial areas—the physical work environment, psychological environment, personal health resources, and enterprise involvement in the community. Based on that, here are some specific duties of workplace wellbeing champions:

Provide resources and information: Create a centralized hub for employees to quickly get resources, articles, and information on various aspects of wellbeing, such as mental health support, fitness programs, and healthy eating.

Organizing wellness programs: Planning and implementing wellness challenges, such as step-count competitions, yoga sessions, or mindfulness programs to encourage physical activity and stress reduction. These programs reduce absenteeism by 14-19%, and 80% of employees claim to enjoy their work days when wellness programs are in place.

Facilitate open discussions: Create a safe space for colleagues to discuss their concerns, challenges, or ideas about well-being openly. This can be done through regular meetings, informal gatherings, and offering mental health days at work.

Mental health advocacy: a 2019 Cigna wellbeing survey revealed that a staggering 92% of employed respondents in Singapore were stressed, and 44% of them believe that their existing workplace programs did not address mental health. A sentiment that has only intensified in a post pandemic world. Running awareness campaigns on mental health, providing resources on coping strategies, and reducing the stigma around mental health support have become crucial in supporting employees.

Collaborate with relevant stakeholders: Collaborate with management, Human Resources, and other stakeholders to integrate well being into your overall organizational strategy. They may also collaborate with external partners, such as wellness experts or healthcare providers.

Collecting feedback and suggestions: Asking for feedback via surveys is another crucial area in enhancing your wellbeing initiatives. You can use this information to tailor programs and meet employees’ specific needs, helping to identify specific pain points within your organization.

While the role is often voluntary, wellbeing champions should have the time to attend meetings, organize events, and stay informed about relevant wellness topics.

Who can be a ‘Workplace Wellbeing Champion’?

Any employee within an organization who is passionate about promoting a positive work environment can become a workplace wellbeing champion. The role is typically voluntary, and individuals interested in their colleagues’ well-being often take on this responsibility.

However, according to Gan Siow Huang, the Minister of State for Manpower, “wellbeing champions are typically management level employees, who can rally senior management to implement policies to support employees’ mental wellbeing.”

Some characteristics and qualifications that make people well-suited to be workplace wellbeing champions include:

Passion for wellbeing: Wellbeing champions should genuinely care about the health and happiness of their colleagues. It isn’t just a title but a desire to walk people through their distressing times and lead them to better paths.

Good communicator: Wellbeing champions must communicate information about wellness initiatives, resources, and events to their colleagues effectively. Sometimes, people who need these initiatives the most need a little convincing to become a part of it. That’s where strong verbal and written communication skills would help.

Approachable and supportive: The wellbeing champion should be the first person colleagues turn to when they are in need of support. This ensures that seeking advice or discussing concerns isn’t difficult for those dealing with significant issues.

Enthusiastic and positive: A positive attitude can be contagious. Wellbeing champions who approach their role with optimism can motivate others to prioritize their own wellbeing. At the same time, champions should empathize with the challenges for providing meaningful support and guidance.

Respect for privacy: Wellbeing champions deal with sensitive information related to the health and wellbeing of their colleagues. They must prioritize privacy and maintain confidentiality to create a safe space. To ensure employees share the needed information, asking the right question becomes essential. Prepare a list of employee satisfaction survey questions that equally focus on job satisfaction, work environment, communication, work-life balance, and professional development.

The Wellbeing Champions Network is Singapore’s largest network for workplace mental health and wellbeing, supported by the Tripartite Alliance Limited. They focus on three things— feeling well, functioning well, and connecting well, providing a 360-degree wellbeing experience.

Feeling well focuses on both physical and emotional wellbeing. It includes breathing techniques for better awareness, incorporating physical movements in the busy work schedule, focusing on emotional intelligence, and creating a sense of belongingness in the workplace community.
Functioning well focuses on creating a sense of work fulfillment, which remains extremely important to bring the best out of employees. It includes boosting skills and opening the mind to new ideas and experiences to lead employees in the right direction
Connecting well helps in strengthening the relationship with the community and the environment. It focuses on contributing to others in both small and large ways and adding value to life by building meaningful relationships.

Comprising 50 founding members from renowned organizations, the Wellbeing Champions Network aims to create a safe space and culture of sharing without the fear of discrimination.

The network was formed based on research showing that a significant number of employees fail to deal with work demands and pressures. These employees took a lot of medical leave and were prone to accidents much more than other employees. So, focusing on mental wellbeing became critical for both productivity and safety.

So, as part of Singapore’s National Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2023, employers are recommended to have wellbeing champions within their teams. However, the concept of workplace wellbeing is new. That’s where a community-based approach via the network could help, as you can learn from experiences and expert insights.

The whole idea of Singapore’s Workplace Wellbeing Champions Network is to create a unified and collaborative space where every employee is heard, seen, and respected for their issues, big or small.

How to Join the Workplace Wellbeing Champions Network?

Joining the workplace wellbeing champions network is free, and champions and other nominated employees can join the network with no fee. All you need to do is email Kaleidoscope Labs at hello@kaleidoscope.sg, the official vendor appointed by the Workplace Safety and Health Council.

The Expansion of Tripartite Advisory on Mental Health

The subject of mental health has long been somewhat of a taboo in Singapore as Singaporean society believes in hard work and resilience. However, we observed a significant shift after COVID-19 with a growing emphasis shifted to the importance of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

The Tripartite Advisory on Mental Health was then launched in 2020 to provide employers with knowledge and skills to better support their employees’ mental health and well-being. The initiative collaborates with the government, employers, and workers’ unions.

In 2023, the Tripartite Advisory was expanded to include new measures such as the Workplace Wellbeing Champions Network. The network successfully connected individuals dedicated to promoting well-being practices in the workplace.

The Advisory also included new measures to eliminate stigmas and implement a peer support system of trained staff to create a supportive and positive work environment. We also observed an increased focus on hiring individuals with mental health conditions to create a more inclusive workplace.

Empowering Teams for Health and Wellbeing

The Workplace Wellbeing Champions Network has numerous benefits for your employees and organization. It’s important to emphasize the benefits, showcase their positive impact, and create a compelling narrative around the initiative to facilitate stakeholder and employee buy-in.

To empower more employees to join the network, focus on conveying personal benefits such as enhanced leadership skills, increased job satisfaction, and the opportunity to positively impact workplace culture. You can also provide examples of successful wellness programs and initiatives within the organization or from other companies.

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Remember that the key is to personalize your communication and tailor your approach to your organization’s unique characteristics and culture.

How Omni Supports Singapore Businesses

Localized payroll

Manual payroll is made easier with tools like our payslip template Singapore. For companies at risk of common errors such as miscalculations, typos, and missed deadlines, automating your payroll with Omni offers a comprehensive payroll solution tailored to Singapore’s specific requirements. With features like support for SGD, automated tax calculations, and managed CPF contributions, Omni can help HR teams simplify their payroll processing and ensure compliance with ease.

With automated payroll outsourcing services, digitized and secure payslip distribution and records keeping, and dedicated support teams to guide your team and ensure compliance, Omni’s payroll processing reduces common payroll errors as well as the administrative burden of your HR team and frees up valuable time to dedicate to more impactful business processes.

E Pass salaries and other regulatory changes are a common reality for Singapore businesses, technology can help manage the various documents and E Pass salary requirements needed to support your foreign talent.

Omni allows your organization to securely and centrally manage employee information such as proof of qualifications and written consent necessary to obtain a Singapore E Pass. Our employee-portal makes it easy for employee’s to upload and update their information, centralizing critical information such as E Pass numbers, expiry dates, and renewal reminders, helping ensure your E Pass management meets the regulations set by the Singapore government.

Benefits administration

Omni’s time off management capabilities help managers and HR teams swiftly navigate employee leave management, promoting wellbeing and work-life balance. Omni’s platform allows you to approve leave applications on the go and keep track of who’s in and out of the office with at-a-glance scheduling.

Our employee self-service portal empowers employees to submit their time off requests, which automatically routes to the appropriate manager thanks to customizable approval workflows. With automated calculations, employees and managers can easily view leave balances in real-time, and track how many vacation days they have left without having to go through HR.

Our localized solutions and inter-connected system integrates your leave management efforts with payroll processing, facilitating automatic, accurate calculations and compliance with local regulations for various regions.

According to a PwC global survey of 3,200 workers, “the majority (69%) of senior leaders credit much of their success during the pandemic to culture.” Additionally, 72% emphasize the role of culture in facilitating change initiatives. Notably, as much as 67% of respondents view culture as more important than strategy or operations.

These findings underscore the importance of defining culture in the workplace. In this article, we’ll explore the significance of culture building and offer strategies and tools to help define workplace culture effectively.

What is Culture Building?

Culture building is the art of building a specific atmosphere, particularly the organizational or company culture, which significantly influences how employees and managers operate.

Defining culture in the workplace encompasses a set of shared values, behaviors, beliefs, attitudes and norms that characterize your business. This includes formal rules like policies and traditions, as well as informal practices such as unwritten norms and attitudes. For example, creating a separate chat on your company’s messaging software where employees exchange memes or engage in playful banter, fostering a lighthearted atmosphere.

Why Does Workplace Culture Matter?

Culture building is crucial because it boosts employee engagement, enhances performance and employee well-being, attracts top talent, and hones innovation. This results in lower turnover and absenteeism rates, lower recruitment costs, and a stellar company reputation.

A strong company culture not only fosters client loyalty but also enhances employee performance in customer service, leading to higher revenue and improved client retention.

Identifying Your Company’s Unique Culture

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to company culture. Here are some pointers for defining culture in the workplace that will assist you in creating your own unique cultural blueprint.

Observe daily interactions

Begin by observing the everyday interactions within your business. You’ll notice the essence of “culture” reflected in employee communication, the way they commend each other’s contribution, and in all aspects of daily interactions and workflow. That includes management practices, recruitment, terminations, promotions, employee recognition, resolving conflicts, and interactions across various organizational levels.

Consider how management acknowledges the team’s achievements when monthly targets are met. Additionally, observe how teams engage with one another. These interactions offer insight into the level of support and positivity within your work environment, contributing to the definition of workplace culture.

Evaluate employee behavior

Another effective method for defining culture in the workplace is through employee behavior, which can be gauged through metrics such as employee engagement and employee retention rates. Conduct regular employee engagement surveys to evaluate employee engagement levels and identify areas of improvement.

This aspect also intersects with the previous one, as observing daily interactions provides insights into employee behavior. For instance, high levels of absenteeism may indicate a disengaged work environment.

Review company values and mission

Company values and mission play an important role when it comes to defining culture in the workplace, as culture serves as a means through which these values and missions are communicated and achieved. Mission statements articulate the organization’s purpose and goals. Since they are typically documented, it is also easily accessible by employees.

For instance, if transparency is a core value in your company, it may manifest as open communication between employees and the management team. Consequently, this transparency will be reflected in honest marketing practices for your products and services, thereby solidifying client trust.

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Collect employee feedback

We previously mentioned the importance of gathering employee feedback through employee satisfaction surveys. Another way of defining culture in the workplace is by directly asking for feedback from team members.

For example, employees may express sentiments that confirm the presence of a supportive company culture, such as:

“I feel comfortable asking for help.”
“I’m satisfied with my career growth here.”

In contrast, they might give feedback that signifies a less engaging work environment, such as:

“I feel stuck in my career.”
“It doesn’t feel the same anymore.”

Be sure to employ various methods to gather employee feedback and see how they describe your company culture.

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Analyze physical workspace

The physical workspace refers to elements like size, location, layout, and furnishings. From the office floor plan to the lounge area and even the plant by the window, every aspect contributes to defining culture in the workplace.

The idea revolves around whether your workspace is welcoming, as it directly influences employee well-being, a key factor in defining culture in the workplace. To illustrate, open-plan offices create a collaborative culture, whereas closed-office plans offer more privacy.

Strategies for Establishing Workplace Culture

Having gained insight into your company’s unique culture, the next step in defining culture in the workplace involves determining which aspects to retain or discard. Consider the following strategies to enhance and strengthen your cultural building process.

Define core values

What are the core values, mission, and vision that define your organization? What is its purpose? These are the basics of culture building, outlining your business objectives, methods of achieving them, and principles to follow throughout the process.

Define them as a team to ensure these values align with team goals and resonate with others. Bear in mind that this is a continuous process, as your values may shift and develop over-time. Utilize regular cultural assessments to stay attuned to these changes.

Lead by example

Embodying the core values and leading by example is key to defining culture in the workplace. Demonstrate to your employees how they can embody these values through your interactions with them.

For example, if you aim to foster a culture of diligence, begin by committing fully to your individual tasks. When colleagues observe your dedication, they may feel compelled to uphold their own standards, creating a positive ripple effect throughout the workplace.

Encourage open communication

Open communication is at the heart of culture building. Observing teams with strong communication and collaboration fosters a thriving work culture.

Clearly and consistently communicating your values and mission throughout all levels of the company hierarchy is pivotal. This communication shapes employee behavior within the evolving culture and reinforces community bonds.

It’s important to offer employees opportunities to provide feedback, practice active listening, and provide prompt responses. Utilize internal communication methods such as company newsletters, communication apps with diverse channels, and regular check-ins, particularly beneficial for remote workers, to enhance communication.

Establish clear expectations

Get everyone on the same page by establishing clear performance expectations. What do you need from them in terms of culture building? Address how work is accomplished, the reasons behind tasks, and the expected interactions among team members. These expectations should align with the company mission and core values, defining culture in the workplace.

To exemplify, you might aspire to foster a laid-back atmosphere with work-life balance as a core value. Alternatively, you may aim to cultivate a high-performance culture suited for ambitious individuals willing to invest extra hours. Clear communication of these expectations is key in both scenarios.

Foster team building

Culture thrives with teamwork, yet team-building activities shouldn’t be mandatory. How else can you promote teamwork or collaboration? Consider arranging engaging competitions, off-site retreats, investing in collaborative software tools, and initiating cross-functional projects to encourage cooperation among departments.

Recognize and reward desired behaviors

When employees excel or behave in a way that’s in line with your desired company culture, it is important to recognize and reward them. By doing so, team members are encouraged to repeat such behavior and with others joining it, a positive ripple effect is obtained which helps in defining culture in the workplace.

Wondering how you can craft an effective employee recognition program? Consider implementing reward systems such as “Employee of the Month” initiatives, publicly celebrating exceptional employees in newsletters or weekly gatherings, and utilizing platforms to facilitate peer recognition.

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Invest in employee development

Providing employees with opportunities for career advancement significantly enhances their commitment to the company, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

To support employee growth, provide a range of technical and non-technical skill programs, courses, training, and mentorship opportunities. Also, consider recommending qualified team members for promotions when positions become available. Last but not least, develop customized learning plans tailored to each employee’s career trajectory.

Useful Tools for Defining Culture in the Workplace

By streamlining your administrative HR tasks with HRIS, HR professionals can allocate more time to culture building activities, enhancing employee value and engagement.

An example of how HRIS can help with defining culture in the workplace is through the automation of employee onboarding. During employee onboarding, streamlined paperwork and administrative tasks facilitate the People team in instilling your business’s core values and welcoming new hires efficiently.

Employee Feedback Tools

Utilizing employee feedback culture building tools that include sentiment analysis, automated reporting and data visualization can help you collect and analyze employee opinions on their work experience.

Another added benefit of empowering team members to submit feedback anonymously is encouraging openness and honest opinions. This aids in defining culture in the workplace by providing insights into the current work environment and assisting in its improvement.

Collaboration and communication tools

Online collaboration tools for internal communication should support real-time communication and user experience. Video conferencing apps and online forums that allow everyone to share their perspectives can boost employee engagement, aiding in culture building and defining culture in the workplace, regardless of where your team members are geographically located.

Performance management software

Performance management software supports goal setting and regular check-ins, analytics generation, quarterly reviews and assessment of employee performance using Objective and Key Results (OKRs). This enables rewarding outstanding performance and re-engaging disengaged employees, contributing to culture building.

Furthermore, it establishes workplace culture centered on continuous career development, allowing you to create a personalized career plan for your team.

Culture Survey Platforms

Last but not least, culture survey platforms fall under the category of employee feedback tools. They play a crucial role in defining culture in the workplace by enabling employees to express their sentiments about their work environment.

Conducting a culture survey gives you an understanding of your employee satisfaction with the work culture, which informs your culture building strategy. Sample questions may include:

Are you satisfied with the current work culture?
Which aspects of the work culture should be improved upon?
Do you feel safe in this work environment?
Do you feel that management acts upon your feedback?

Empowering Teams for Health and Wellbeing

A strong culture nurtures a fulfilling atmosphere where employees are satisfied and fully involved, resulting in increased productivity and favorable results. The optimal focus for defining culture in the workplace lies in the employee onboarding process, with HR solutions like Omni serving as the ideal tool.

Omni’s all-in-one employee management software unifies the tools, workflows, and data you need to streamline your HR functions while you build an award-winning culture.

Omni offers a solution that combines people and performance management and workflow automation to manage the end-to-end employee lifecycle. Wherever you are in your journey, Omni has a module that suits your needs. With our customer care supported implementation process, you can tap into increased engagement levels for your new hires, setting the stage for their long-term success within your organization while receiving world-class support from our attentive support team.

Let Omni help you build a culture that increases productivity and drives impactful business outcomes. Book a demo with our team to learn more.

In 2022, the average employee attrition rate across Asia Pacific was 13%, compared to 13.7% in 2021. Globally, attrition rates have followed this same trend of slight decreases, according to a Statista survey. Low employee turnover is key to a healthy company. But experts suggest aiming for less than 10% attrition to maintain a stable and productive workforce. This sweet spot minimizes disruptions and talent shortages, keeping your team running smoothly.

Achieving this ideal range of attrition is attainable with the right tools and strategies. Here, we’ll review how to calculate attrition rate of employees, as well as strategies for decreasing attrition. Decreasing attrition can help minimize hiring costs, identify areas of improvement in your workforce planning, and improve your organizational culture.

What is attrition rate?

Before we learn how to calculate attrition rate of employees, let’s explore what exactly companies mean when they talk about attrition rate. In simple terms, attrition rate is a metric for the number of employees or clients that you lose over time and don’t replace, and is a percentage of the total workforce or customer base.

In this article, we’re looking at the attrition rate for employees, known as the churn rate. This rate is a metric for the permanent decrease of staff numbers in an organization.

Whereas the turnover rate refers to the overall loss of employees, the attrition rate refers to the loss of employees that you don’t make up for with new hires over time.

Why are attrition rates important?

As an HR leader, understanding how to calculate attrition rate of employees and knowing how many employees leave your company is an important metric to help understand your employee experience, company culture, and the overall health of your organization.

This rate can help you estimate the effectiveness of your retention efforts, how loss of staff impacts organizational dynamics, and the number of vacant or removed positions. This way, you can identify development opportunities.

High attrition rates can signal a serious issue and a need for systematic changes, such as leadership changes, company culture rebrands, or adjustments to your people strategy.

Not to mention, the recruitment process and backfilling costs that come with losing employees are expensive and time consuming, making understanding and tackling attrition an essential part of HR.

Aside from how to calculate attrition rate of employees, distinguishing the four main types of attrition is helpful in understanding the motivations behind employee attrition, proving HR teams the insights to tackle attrition head on.

Voluntary: Voluntary attrition is when an employee willingly decides to leave the company, this can be due to personal reasons such as moving or health concerns, retirement purposes, or problems within the company such as poor leadership or dissatisfaction with company culture.
Involuntary: Involuntary attrition is when an employee leaves the company involuntarily, often by termination or layoffs. This could happen for various reasons, including organizational restructures, performance issues, or economic reasons such as a loss of company funding.
Internal: Internal attrition doesn’t necessarily mean an employee has left the company, but has moved departments or divisions, vacating their previous role.
Demographic-Related Attrition: If a specific group of a certain age, ethnicity, gender, or demographic leaves suddenly and unexpectedly, that’s a demographic-related attrition. This type of attrition is a major red-flag, as it indicates there’s a form of discrimination within the company, or a broader company culture that is non-inclusive or welcoming.

Common Causes of Attrition

Now that you know the types of employee attrition, it’s equally important to understand the root causes of attrition before you learn how to calculate attrition rate of employees. Understanding the common causes of attrition equip you with the information needed to address the systemic or one-off issues within your organization, helping to reduce your attrition rate.

Personal reasons: There are countless personal reasons an employee may choose to leave their role. Ranging from life circumstances such as marriage, care-taking, health challenges, or pursuing a career change. Personal reasons are often outside of an organization’s control, and are less concerning than other causes of attrition. However, HR teams should observe and monitor for patterns. For example, if employees are leaving your organization after becoming parents, it could be an indicator that your policies and benefits are not supportive of working parents, and warrant an evaluation.
Job dissatisfaction: Job dissatisfaction is another common reason for attrition. Employees may find their jobs unfulfilling due to negative environments, low compensation, lack of growth opportunities, misalignment with the company’s goals and their own professional goals.
Promotions: One of the more positive reasons for attrition, if an employee is promoted to a new role, this would be considered attrition.
Retirement: Another typically non-concerning cause of attrition is retirement, also called natural attrition.
Poor performance or misconduct: A company might let go of an employee for disruptive or poor performance, which is a functional form of attrition.
Economic conditions: Economic conditions (like recessions) might force you to reduce your workforce, freeze salaries, or pause recruitment and hiring efforts.
Industry shifts: Changes in the business landscape can alter staffing requirements, such as the replacement of certain positions with automation tools.

Calculating Your Team’s Attrition Rate

Learning how to calculate attrition rate of employees is more straightforward than you may think, and understanding how employee data is determined can help you better understand the contributing factors and how these numbers can affect your organization. Let’s take a look at how you can approach calculating your company’s attrition rate.

Determine the time-period you’d like to calculate for, this can be done by quarter, month, year etc.
Add the number of employees you started the period with to the number of employees you ended the period with.
Divide the sum by two to get the average number of employees for that period.
Now divide the number of employees who left the company (you’ll calculate this by subtracting the number of employees at the end of the period from the number of employees at the beginning of the period) by the average number of employees that you calculated in step 3.
Multiply the number by 100 to get the rate as a percentage.

Let’s say you want to calculate attrition rate for the year 2023. If you started the year with 300 employees and ended it with 288 employees, here’s how to calculate attrition rate of employees in that case:

300 + 288 = 588
588/2 = 294 (the average number of employees for 2023)
(300 – 288)/294 = 12/294 ≈ 0.04
0.04 x 100 = 4%
Your attrition rate for 2023 was 4%

Tools and Strategies to Improve Retention

High rates of attrition are opportunities to review your organization, People strategy, and performance management processes to find areas of improvement for your company. As retention is one of the leading indicators of a positive organization, it’s understandably an important initiative for HR teams.

Let’s take a look at some of the tools your team can use to help decrease attrition rate and thus improve employee retention.

HRIS

A Human Resources Information system (HRIS) can be a powerful tool in improving retention, boosting productivity, and cultivating a strong company culture.

Automated workflows and employee feedback systems help HR teams to stay on top of initiatives like employee training and development, acknowledging engagement opportunities such as work anniversaries through automated reminders, conducting consistent and smooth onboarding and performance review cycles, and equipping HR teams with real-time data on employee performance and engagement.

HRIS can help determine employee performance gaps, identify trends, and calculate attrition rates, so HR teams can react swiftly and effectively to get ahead of issues that may increase attrition rates.

Not to mention, HRIS are often equipped with employee self-service tools, allowing employees to manage their time and benefits, which has been shown to improve engagement and boost employee satisfaction.

Employee Feedback Tools

Employee feedback is something organizations should prioritize regardless of attrition, however in the cases where you learn how to calculate attrition rate of employees and find that it’s concerningly low, employee feedback is one of the best ways to figure out where you’re going wrong.

Feedback tools are a great way to give employees a platform (often anonymous) to voice their concerns, opinions, and experiences in a constructive and strategic way. This gives HR and CEOs a direct eye into what is and isn’t working within their organization, and can help identify pain points or potential issues before they grow.

Asking for feedback shows employees that you care about their happiness and growth, which boosts morale, improves employee satisfaction, helps you identify issues before they escalate, ultimately increasing employee retention rates. Of course, these tools only work if you take action based on the feedback you receive.

Employee Recognition Platforms

Employee recognition is an effective way to keep employees motivated and engaged, helping reduce attrition rates. In fact, a survey found 65% of employees said recognition would incentivize them to work harder.

Employee recognition platforms are great tools to facilitate recognition programs, streamlining efforts and providing a platform to easily celebrate the wins of your team. These platforms help you recognize employee successes and milestones, such as outstanding performances, birthdays, and anniversaries.

Such platforms make that possible via reward points, gift cards, virtual clapping, digital badges, appreciation messages, and recognition certificates. Ultimately, they support employee recognition and, sometimes, peer recognition, which strengthens the culture and improves retention.

Learning and Development

Learning and development (L&D) is a process to help your employees improve their skills and provide them with opportunities for professional growth, and is an important initiative to keep employees engaged and happy in their roles. These growth-oriented programs create a value-based company culture, which helps promote loyal and committed employees.

L&D tools can gamify and streamline development initiatives, with various tools and tactics to keep employees engaged. By automating your growth program, you can track course completion and engagement, helping you ensure employees are getting the most out of the program.

Flexible Work Arrangements

Another way to decrease your attrition rates is by providing flexible work arrangements, a trend with growing popularity among employees due to the work-life balance they enable.

Flexible work arrangements can range from fully remote to hybrid work models, and can even exist in in-person environments that have flexible hours or time-off policies. Flexible work attracts high-performing employees, increases retention rates, inclusivity, diversity, and productivity, and can minimize overhead costs, making it a win-win for employees and their employers.

Employee Onboarding

Once you learn how to calculate attrition rate of employees, the results may surprise you. Lack of employee engagement can begin as soon as the onboarding process. As the first impression for new hires, onboarding is a crucial moment in the employee lifecycle, contributing to engagement and determining the success of employees.

Consistent, comprehensive onboarding programs help set employees up for success, immediately aligning them with the goals of your organization, setting expectations for performance, communicating benefits and feedback channels, and laying the foundation for a positive and productive work environment.

Whether in-person or remote onboarding, your program can have a significant impact on your attrition rate, and can be a great place to start when determining strategies to improve your retention.

HR software can help streamline onboarding efforts, giving your new hires an enhanced employee experience, and ensuring consistent, timely, and effective onboarding.

HR Analytics

HR analytics measure the successes and failures of how well your company is performing when it comes to its employees. Analytics is a broad term, and can measure just about anything from the demographics of your workforce to engagement rates, performance gaps, goal completions, and ROI of your employees.

Accordingly, HR analytics tools can help you with how to calculate attrition rate of employees. To increase retention, you can dig into HR analytics software to generate the data that helps you determine factors such as employee engagement, morale, and performance. These are all useful indicators for determining attrition rate, forecasting potential pain points that can contribute to attrition, and identifying where you are excelling in your People management.

How Omni Helps Modern Companies Lower Their Attrition Rate

Real-time employee data and analytics

Keeping your finger on the pulse of your workforce helps mitigate attrition rate risks such as dips in employee engagement or performance skill gaps. Omni centralized and tracks a wide range of employee data, from attendance records to attrition rate, automatically within our platform. Real-time graphs and easily exported reports simplifies employee analytics and cuts down on calculation times and errors, arming you with the data you need to understand the trends within your organization.

Employee attrition rate can be easily accessed for monthly, quarterly, annually, or any custom range of dates within minutes, making it easier for HR leaders and CEOs to keep track of their churn rate and address pain points at the first sign of trouble, helping to reduce your attrition rate and improve employee retention.

Automated performance management tools

Omni’s performance management tools bring consistency, organization, and accountability to your organization without the need for disjointed systems or spreadsheets. Set and track employee goals, set up automated reminders and monitor progress of performance review cycles, collect anonymous feedback from peers and managers, and create learning and development tracks all within one, centralized platform.

Omni simplifies the performance management process, reducing the time it takes to manage employee performance and boosting engagement to help manage attrition rate.

Customized employee experience

Customization that allows you to meet the unique needs of your business, Omni is built to personalize your employee’s experience with deepened engagement and promote a strong organizational culture.

Here’s a look into just a few of the ways Omni helps personalize your HR functions for maximum engagement:

Automated calendar reminders so you never miss a birthday, work anniversary, or holiday. Calendars can be personalized and localized to your team’s location, helping you keep your finger on the pulse of local happenings to capitalize on opportunities to engage your employees.

Bespoke onboarding programs mean HR can build out unique and tailored experiences for your employees. Think templates for remote onboarding, exec onboarding, and hybrid onboarding at your fingertips to easily provide a personalized experience to new hires in a matter of minutes. Automated fields make it easy to input personalized touches such as names and position titles for large batches of employees without the hassle of manual entry.
Employee self-service tools mean your employees are empowered to access and manage their benefits (a key driver of engagement) without the intervention of HR. Automated leave allowance calculations, time-off request workflows, profile management and more help put your employees in the driver’s seat.

Lunar New Year is just around the corner! While you might still be packing up the last mistletoe from Christmas decorations, it is time to start thinking about spreading the Lunar New Year cheer around the office! If you’re in need of some inspiration, here are eight auspicious and joyful ideas on how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work.

Access 12 months of employee engagement activities and ideas

What is the Lunar New Year?

Lunar New Year is a festive season celebrated by billions of people primarily across East and Southeast Asia, marking the beginning of a new year on the lunar calendar. It’s a joyous 15-day celebration filled with traditions, family reunion, and welcoming new beginnings!

In the vibrant tapestry of Chinese culture, the 12-year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac reigns supreme. Each year, the spirit of an animal reigns throughout the entire year and 2024 marks the Year of The Dragon, symbolizing power, nobility, honor, and luck in Chinese culture. This ancient system weaves traditions, legends and even a dash of fortune-telling into a fascinating way to understand ourselves and those around us. The question of how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work, is one that will help you honor the Chinese culture and create memorable moments for your team.

Why Should You Celebrate the Lunar New Year in the Workplace?

Celebrating Lunar New Year in the workplace is a fantastic way to foster diversity, inclusion and team spirit, enriching your company culture in many ways. Before diving into how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work, let’s take a look at the various ways incorporating festivities can boost your company culture.

Embrace cultural diversity and build bridges

Acknowledging and appreciating the cultural heritage of employees who celebrate Lunar New Year demonstrates respect and inclusivity, making everyone on the team feel valued and welcomed. Aside from that, educating the team on traditions and significance through presentations and decorations can spark curiosity and break down cultural barriers within the workplace.

Boost team spirit and morale

Lunar New Year is a festive occasion filled with joy, optimism and fresh beginnings. Celebrating it at work can translate into a positive and energetic atmosphere, boosting morale and fostering a sense of camaraderie. Furthermore, Lunar New Year team-building activities can be a fun and engaging way to break down silos, encourage collaboration and build stronger relationships between team members, ultimately enhancing employee engagement.

Enhance employer branding and attract talent

Showcasing your company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion through Lunar New Year celebrations can send a powerful message to potential employees. This can attract a wider talent pool and help your company stand out as an employer of choice!

Last but not least, positive word-of-mouth from employees who feel valued and appreciated for their cultural heritage can go a long way in attracting top talents and building a strong employer brand.

Joyful Ideas for How to Celebrate Lunar New Year at Work

Now that we’ve covered the ‘why’, let’s dive into exactly how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work for both in-person and remote teams.

For Office Teams

Spring cleaning and decorating the office

Spring cleaning for Lunar New Year in the workplace is one of the best ways to usher in good luck, prosperity and fresh beginnings along the new year. This is an opportunity to boost team spirit, celebrate diversity, and create a vibrant, welcoming environment.

With a clean, fresh slate, it’s time for decorations! The quickest and easiest way to kickstart the festive atmosphere is by transforming your workspace with vibrant red lanterns, paper cuttings, auspicious symbols and photos representing different zodiac animals.

Omni Tip for how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work:
Get the whole team involved by hosting a red envelope (Hong Bao) origami competition and hang the finished products around the office for a unique and personalized festive feel.

Lunar New Year team luncheon

As the saying goes, ‘food brings people together’, teams that dine together tend to forge stronger bonds, and gathering around cuisine is a great hack for how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work. Encourage team members to bring dishes from their cultural backgrounds related to Lunar New Year traditions. This is a delicious way to learn about different cultures and share a meal together.

If your workspace offers a kitchen setup, take it a step further and host a dumpling making session. In Chinese culture, dumplings symbolize wealth and prosperity as they resemble the Chinese ingots used as a form of currency during the Ming dynasty. An alternative option for how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work with food is an in-person or virtual cooking class, and have an expert guide you through the tedious step of dumpling folding as a team-building activity!

Another must-have on the menu is the Yee Sang which comprises raw fish strips (traditionally salmon or tuna) and shredded vegetables, along with a variety of sauces and condiments. Gather the team around and toss the salad together, a practice known as Prosperity Toss. The aim is to toss higher each time while wishing each other good fortune of the year. It is believed that the blessings are woven into the salad with each toss, before being enjoyed by all.

Finally, end the Lunar New Year team luncheon with fortune cookies! Crack open fortune cookies together and discuss the meaning of your messages. Feel free to insert some cheeky liners for a fun and lighthearted moment together.

Exchange lucky red envelopes

Another joyful tip for how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work is by exchanging lucky red envelopes.

A red envelope (Hong Bao) is a gift of money inserted into an ornate red pocket of paper, which is given during important occasions such as Lunar New Year, birthdays, and weddings as a way to send good wishes. The color red symbolizes energy, happiness, and good luck in Chinese culture.

Exchanging red envelopes within the team can serve as an excellent means to promote cultural understanding and inclusion. It not only enhances team spirit but also spreads good luck and well wishes. However, be mindful of diverse cultural backgrounds, ensuring that everyone feels included without any sense of obligation. Additionally, establishing a fixed or maximum amount for the contents of the envelopes is important to prevent unintended discomfort arising from comparisons. Take into account logistical challenges and the potential for unequal participation during the exchange as well.

Omni Tip for how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work:
Swap out money for compliments or written well wishes inside your Hong Bao. Educate the team on the tradition but take a work-friendly approach by replacing the monetary exchange.

Next up on how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work is hosting Lunar New Year trivia. This is also a great opportunity to share interesting facts, stories and customs associated with Lunar New Year.

To make things easier, consider platforms like kahoot, Mentimeter and Quizlet when creating and hosting your trivia as it allows for automatic score calculations and theme customizations to fit the theme.

Lion/Dragon Dance performance

Another great idea for how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work is to hire a Lion or Dragon Dance to perform at the office building.

The historical background of the Lion Dance can be traced back to the Han Dynasty. According to the legend, Nian was terrorizing villagers for years until one day, a lion came and defeated Nian, chasing him away. Since then, villagers would dress up as a lion to scare Nian away. Thus, the Lion Dance was born.

Throughout the years, this performing art has evolved to have its own unique twist all over Southeast Asia. In Chinese culture, the lion symbolizes power, wisdom and superiority. People perform lion dances at Chinese festivals or big occasions as a way to bring good fortune and chase away evil spirits. The Lion Dance is considered one of the most important traditions in celebrating Lunar New Year. It is performed to bring prosperity and good luck for the upcoming year. Not only that, the Lion Dance is also a way to create a festive atmosphere and bring happiness.

Similarly, the Dragon Dance is also an important part of the Lunar New Year celebrations. From the start of Lunar New Year to the last day, known as the Lantern Festival, dragon dances can be seen in many places around the world. They are believed to be a way to scare away evil spirits and bring about good luck to the people. It is considered lucky if one is touched by the dragon during the dance!

For Remote Teams

As remote work becomes more prevalent, maintaining employee engagement during festive seasons can pose a challenge. Nevertheless, here are three great suggestions on how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work, even when the team is miles apart.

Learn more:

For remote teams scattered around the globe, celebrating Lunar New Year can feel like a fragmented experience. With different time zones, cultural variations, and individual preferences, it can be challenging to navigate how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work in a way that fosters a sense of shared joy and connection.

According to the Association for Psychological Science, the right music can bring teams together. This is where a global Lunar New Year playlist comes in, weaving a harmonious thread of festive music to engage and unite your remote team during this festive season.

Create a playlist that celebrates the rich tapestry of cultures that observe Lunar New Year. Be sure to include traditional tunes from the different countries and cultures of your team, offering a multicultural musical experience.

Once the playlist is curated, schedule virtual jam sessions during work hours or create a collaborative playlist platform where team members can contribute their own picks and share their own favorites with their colleagues. This interactive approach fosters connection while celebrating individual preferences.

Zoom costume contest

Another cheeky and fun idea for how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work while being remote is by hosting a Zoom costume contest.

A Lunar New Year-themed Zoom costume contest ignites imagination and encourages everyone to embrace their inner fashionista. Participants can dress up as zodiac animals, embody auspicious Lunar New Year symbols, or even showcase their cultural attires. This lighthearted competition breaks the ice, sparks laughter, and is sure to create a joyful atmosphere that lasts! Be sure your team understands the nuances of cultural appreciation vs appropriation, to ensure this activity remains respectful.

Add a layer of excitement with a virtual awards ceremony. Come up with a few categories such as ‘Most Creative’ or ‘Most Colorful’ and crown the winners after a team vote. Prizes can be virtual like gift cards or bonus coffee credits, or even a fun team lunch for your next meet in person.

Omni Tip for how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work:
Encourage your team to explore their creative side by using props, make their own costumes or even create team-themed costumes! This adds a personal touch and injects even more fun into the occasion.

Lunar New Year movie watch party

Last on our list on how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work is to host a Lunar New Year movie watch party.

Choose a Lunar New Year- themed movie to watch together virtually. This could be a heartwarming family comedy such as “Over the Moon”, a thrilling martial arts film like “Ip Man”, or even classics including “Kung Fu Hustle” and “Shaolin Soccer”. Make it interactive by setting up live chat rooms where everyone can share their thoughts, reactions and laughter throughout the film. This creates a sense of shared experience and fosters real-time connections.

Take the movie watch party to the next level by hosting a virtual snack potluck. Encourage the team to bring their favorite Lunar New Year treats, like dumplings, spring rolls or sweet rice cakes, to share virtually and enjoy the diverse flavors together! Alternatively, consider organizing a fun trivia session related to Lunar New Year traditions, symbolism or even the movie itself. This encourages learning and cultural exchange, making the experience more enriching and memorable.

Omni Tip for how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work:
Choose a movie with subtitles or dubs in different languages to cater to the diverse backgrounds of your team and make the experience an inclusive one for everyone!

Deepen Employee Engagement With HR Tools

Dive into your Lunar New Year festivities with these eight auspicious and joyous celebration ideas for how to celebrate Lunar New Year at work.

Stay on top of every upcoming festive celebration with Omni’s customizable dashboard which allows your teams to set and manage calendars pre-loaded with country or region specific holidays and timezones. Book a demo with our team to learn more about how Omni can support your international workforce.

Want more employee engagement ideas for the year?

As the new year rolls in, HR professionals are gearing up for another round of initiatives and celebrations that build stronger bonds, boost team morale and ramp up on employee engagement. Whether it’s Employee Appreciation Day or National Pet Day, there’s a monthly excuse for a coffee break chat or calls for celebration!

To keep things breezy for you and your HR team, we’ve put together a comprehensive HR Calendar 2024. It’s got all the important holidays, special events, and the nitty-gritty details on annual payroll and tax compliance that you should keep tabs on. That’s not all, we’ve compiled a full list of employee engagement ideas throughout the year to keep the spirits and energy high all through the year. Let’s dive right in!

First up on our HR Calendar 2024, January is the perfect time to set the pace for the new year. Start the year strong with your team by reaffirming your company’s vision and values. Engage in a company-wide vision board activity and spruce up the office with a little spring cleaning action for a clean slate on Clean Off Your Desk Day (8 January 2024)! Cap it all off by delighting your team with some delicious fresh bagels on Bagel Day (15 January 2024).

Omni Tip: January frequently sees new hires coming on board, and providing a positive onboarding experience is key to boosting employee engagement and retention. Explore our complete employee onboarding checklist or new hire training plan template to ensure a smooth onboarding journey for your new team members.

Key dates and holidays

New Year’s Day – 1 January 2024
Data Privacy Day – 28 January 2024

Employee Engagement Ideas

Clean Off Your Desk Day – 8 January 2024
Bagel Day – 15 January 2024

February

Chinese New Year is just around the corner! Decorating the workplace with festive decorations not only adds a touch of celebration but also makes employees feel appreciated, lifting their spirits. Additionally, consider spreading some love on Valentine’s Day by stocking up the pantry with chocolates for a sweet treat. Finally, mark Random Acts of Kindness Day (17 February 2024) by encouraging employees to nominate someone who demonstrated a random act of kindness during the week. Let’s keep the positive vibes flowing all year round!

Key dates and holidays

Chinese New Year – 10 -12 February 2024
Valentine’s Day – 14 February 2024
National Day of Brunei Darussalam – 23 February 2024
Leap Day – 29 February 2024

Employee Engagement Ideas

Random Acts of Kindness Day – 17 February 2024

March

As we wrap up the first quarter, March not only provides an excellent opportunity to evaluate your processes and initiatives but also serves as an ideal time to celebrate small wins on Employee Appreciation Day (1 March 2024). Acknowledging these wins is a powerful way to increase employee morale and engagement!

Omni Tip: This month is also a strategic period to prepare for the upcoming mid-year performance review. Omni’s total performance review kit is the perfect resource to kickstart the process and elevate your team’s performance to new heights!

Furthermore, March is recognized as Women’s History Month! Consider these significant days and events in mind when planning your HR Calendar 2024.

Key Dates and Holidays

International Women’s Day – 8 March 2024
Good Friday – 29 March 2024
Performance Review Preparation

Employee Engagement Ideas

Women’s History Month
Employee Appreciation Day – 1 March 2024

Compliance, Tax & Payroll Information

Philippines: Deadline for companies to file annual income tax returns – 31 March 2024

April

Entering April in our HR Calendar 2024, we joyously usher in Hari Raya celebrations! Infuse the workplace with festive spirit by adding appropriate decorations. Additionally, observe Earth Day by inspiring eco-friendly practices among your team, fostering a culture of sustainability and environmental awareness.

Celebrate National Pet Day (11 April 2024) by encouraging employees to share adorable pictures of their pets. If circumstances allow, consider allowing pets in the office for the day to create a lively and pet-friendly atmosphere!

Key Dates and Holidays

April Fool’s Day 1 April 2024
Hari Raya Aidilfitri – 10 April 2024
National Pet Day – 11 April 2024
Songkran Festival 13-15 April 2024
Administrative Professionals’ Day – 18 April 2024
Earth Day – 22 April 2024

Employee Engagement Ideas

National Volunteer Month
April Fool’s Day – 1 April 2024
National Pet Day – 11 April 2024

Compliance, Tax & Payroll Information

Hong Kong: Deadline for individuals to file salaries tax returns – 15 April 2024
Philippines: Deadline for individuals to file income tax returns – 15 April 2024
Malaysia: Paper filing deadline for individual income tax returns – 30 April 2024

May

It’s important to establish a supportive environment for your team to voice their thoughts, express concerns, and seek camaraderie within the workplace. Celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month by encouraging peer-to-peer shout outs, introducing mental health days, setting up zen spaces in the office, and conducting informative mental health workshops.

Key Dates and Holidays

Labor Day – 1 May 2024
Mother’s Day – 12 May 2024
National Bike to Work Day – 17 May 2024
Wesak Day – 22 May 2024

Employee Engagement Ideas

Mental Health Awareness Month
World Password Day – 2 May 2024
Star Wars Day – 4 May 2024

Compliance, Tax & Payroll Information

Malaysia: E-filing deadline for individual income tax returns – 15 May 2024

June

Hooray, we’re halfway there in our HR Calendar 2024! Brighten your team’s day by indulging in sweet treats on National Donut Day (7 June 2024)!

Omni Tip: As you gear up for mid-year performance reviews, rest assured with our ultimate performance review template and a collection of 200 performance review phrases for managers. Gain a well-rounded understanding of what constitutes a comprehensive performance review and find inspiration for crafting the best performance review questions and answers.

Key Dates and Holidays

Dragon Boat Festival – 10 June 2024
Philippines’ Independence Day – 12 June 2024
Father’s Day – 16 June 2024
Hari Raya Haji – 16 June 2024
Mid-Year Performance Reviews

Employee Engagement Ideas

Leave the Office Early Day – 2 June 2024
National Donut Day – 7 June 2024

Compliance, Tax & Payroll Information

Hong Kong: Deadline for companies to file profits tax return – 15 June 2024
Malaysia: Deadline for companies to file paper annual audited accounts and tax return – 30 June 2024

July

Embrace July with a delightful and popular concept – honoring the deliciousness of chocolate on World Chocolate Day (7 July 2024)! Take this moment to encourage your team to unwind and rejuvenate for the second half of the year with a dedicated Self-Care Day (24 July 2024).

Key Dates and Holidays

Parents’ Day – 28 July 2024

Employee Engagement Ideas

World Chocolate Day – 7 July 2024
International Self-Care Day – 24 July 2024
National Intern Day – 25 July 2024

Compliance, Tax & Payroll Information

Malaysia: E-filing deadline for companies to submit annual audited accounts and tax return – 15 July 2024

August

Books have a way of bringing people together. Switch things up from the usual happy hour and snacks by encouraging your team to exchange their favorite books in celebration of Book Lovers Day (9 August 2024). Consider organizing a book club, providing colleagues with an opportunity to connect through their shared love for reading.

Need some recommendations? Explore our curated list of the best books for HR professionals!

Key Dates and Holidays

Singapore’s National Day – 9 August 2024
Indonesia’s National Day – 17 August 2024
Malaysia’ National Day – 31 August 2024

Employee Engagement Ideas

International Cat Day – 8 August 2024
Book Lovers Day – 9 August 2024
National Financial Awareness Day – 14 August 2024
National Dog Day – 28 August 2024

September

September promises a blend of cultural richness and professional appreciation, making it a vibrant and significant month for both personal and career milestones. Consider organizing a festive gathering during Mid-Autumn Festival (17 September 2024), encouraging colleagues to share their favorite mooncake flavors, or even hosting a lantern-making competition to infuse the workplace with the spirit of this cultural celebration.

Key Dates and Holidays

National Day of Vietnam – 2 September 2024
National Heroes Day – 16 September 2024
Mid-Autumn Festival – 17 September 2024

Employee Engagement Ideas

National Working Parents Day – 16 September 2024
IT Professionals Day – 17 September 2024
HR Professional Day – 26 September 2024

October

As the final quarter of our HR Calendar 2024 rolls around, this is a great time to assess team dynamics and be vigilant for signs of employee burnout, ensuring a supportive work environment. Mark World Mental Health Day (10 October 2024) by fostering discussions on mental well-being, organizing workshops, and providing resources to bolster the mental health of your team.

This month also brings the joyous celebration of Deepavali. Embrace the cultural diversity within your workplace by decorating the workspace with vibrant decor, creating an inclusive atmosphere that enhances employee engagement and fosters a sense of belonging.

Key Dates and Holidays

World Mental Health Day – 10 October 2024
Deepavali – 31 October 2024
Halloween – 31 October 2024

Employee Engagement Ideas

Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Month
World Mental Health Day – 10 October 2024
Halloween – 31 October 2024

November

In November, seize the opportunity to foster gratitude and kindness during National Gratitude Month. Set up gratitude walls around the workplace, providing spaces for employees to share their appreciations openly. Alternatively, host luncheons to bring the team together, allowing them to share a meal and express gratitude towards one another.

Professionally, November also signifies National Career Development Month. Embrace this occasion by arranging skill-building workshops, engaging in career or networking events, and facilitating impactful 1-on-1 career development conversations. It’s also the perfect time for year-end reviews and goal setting, allowing for reflection on personal milestones and strategic planning for the new year.

Key Dates and Holidays

World Kindness Day – 13 November 2024
Year-End Review and Goal Setting

Employee Engagement Ideas

National Gratitude Month
National Career Development Month

Compliance, Tax & Payroll Information

Singapore: Deadline for individuals to file income tax returns – 15 November 2024
Singapore: Deadline for companies to file annual audited accounts and tax returns – 30 November 2024

December

You’ve made it til the end of our HR calendar 2024! December is the time to sit back, unwind and reflect on the year’s accomplishments, and celebrate milestones. Plan fun activities for your team to discuss the highlights of the year, and consider hosting a festive Secret Santa gift exchange to get your team in the festive spirit!

Key Dates and Holidays

Christmas Eve – 24 December 2024
Christmas Celebration – 25 December 2024
Year-End Break and Holidays
New Year’s Eve – 31 December 2024

Employee Engagement Ideas

Holiday Celebrations

Planning Your HR Calendar 2024

That’s a wrap on our comprehensive HR Calendar 2024! Bookmark this calendar to plan your key events and holidays. If you would like the printable version with an added bonus of employee engagement ideas applicable throughout the year, and reap the engagement benefits that come from these occasions,

Omni’s intuitive, all-in-one HRIS helps HR teams and managers keep track of key dates, engagement opportunities, and manage employee schedules easily with automated reminders and at-a-glance scheduling. Omni’s platform allows you to create bespoke calendars for your employees around the globe, with pre-loaded holidays and cultural happenings based on your employee’s location, and automated alerts so you never miss a holiday, work anniversary, or opportunity to engage with your team or prepare for your next important HR initiative.

With a full suite of modules to support every aspect of your business, Omni’s platform offers an intuitive and fully customizable platform that integrates with your team’s favorite tools for a seamless and timely adoption. If you’d like to learn more about how Omni’s all-in-one HR software automates the entire end-to-end employee lifecycle, book a demo with our team today and explore the features tailored to enhance your HR experience in 2024!

What and when is Ramadan?

What and when is Hari Raya Puasa?

Why Should You Celebrate Hari Raya Puasa at Work?

Fostering diversity and inclusion

Strengthening team relationships

Boosting employee engagement and morale

Ideas to Celebrate Hari Raya Puasa at Work

For Office Teams

1. Light up the office and decorate common areas

2. Organize a potluck lunch

3. Host a short presentation or talk

4. Organize a “Duit Raya” (Hari Raya Money) exchange

5. Offer flexible working arrangements

6. Adjust Meeting Schedules

For Remote Teams

1. Host a virtual Eid al-Fitr gathering

2. Spreading care through Hari Raya packs

3. Organize a virtual charity drive

Driving Inclusion and Employee Engagement with HR Innovation

Understanding the Employee Self-Service Portal

Functions of Employee Self-Service Portal

Benefits of Employee Self-Service Portals for HR

Reduce administrative burden

Improve data accuracy and compliance

Provide better insights for decision making

Importance of Employee Engagement

Impact of ESS on Engagement

Empowerment and ownership

Improved communication and collaboration

Increased transparency and recognition

Enhanced user experience

Revolutionize Your Employee Engagement with HR Tools

What is Slack?

What are Slack Channels?

Ways to Make the Most Out of Slack for HR Team Productivity

1. Establishing dedicated channels

2. Integrating HR features with Slack

3. Jump on a huddle and share your screen with ease

4. Implementing workflow automation

5. Conducting advanced searches

6. Leveraging polls and surveys

7. Setting up or pausing notifications for focused work time

8. Personalize settings to highlight unread channels

9. Using commands to boost productivity

10. Updating your status to indicate if you’re OOO

Importance of Communication Tools for HR Teams

What is an Employee Net Promoter Score?

How To Calculate eNPS?

How to Interpret eNPS Results?

1. Calculate the score

2. Understanding the range

3. Analyze responses

4. Creating benchmarks

5. Taking action

Why Should HR Leaders Advocate for eNPS?

Obtain data-driven insights

Improve employee engagement

Reduce employee turnover

Strengthen company culture

Continuous improvement

How can eNPS Increase Employee Engagement?

Identify areas of improvement

Encourage ownership and participation

Invest in employee-wellbeing

Focus on building a positive work culture

Transform Employee Experiences with Omni

What and when is International Women’s Day?

What and when is Women’s History Month?

Reasons to Celebrate International Women’s Day at Work

Ways to Celebrate International Women’s Day at Work

1. Highlight achievements

2. Host professional networking events

3. Invite a guest speaker

4. Women’s history trivia

5. Create an inspiration wall

6. Host a book club

7. Donate to charity

8. Provide learning and development initiatives

9. Examine pay parity

10. Promote work-life balance