Latest news with #employeewellbeing
Trade Arabia
27-05-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Sobha sets new industry standard with enhanced maternity leave
Sobha Realty, a leading luxury global real estate developer, has announced a significant enhancement to its maternity leave policy, reinforcing its commitment to employee well-being and workplace excellence. In a bold and people-first move, the company now offers 120 days of maternity leave to its female employees. Throughout this period, all other employment benefits will be fully retained. This progressive policy far exceeds the UAE Labour Law requirement of 60 days and marks a benchmark in the private real estate sector, the developer said. As of today (May 27), Sobha Realty stands out as the first developer in the UAE to provide such a comprehensive and inclusive maternity leave framework- one that supports the needs of working mothers while fostering a more equitable and compassionate workplace, it said. The announcement comes on the heels of Sobha Realty receiving the prestigious Great Place to Work certification consecutively for two years in a row, a recognition that highlights its dedication to cultivating a people-centric culture built on trust, care, and empowerment. The enhanced maternity leave reflects the company's ongoing efforts to not just meet expectations, but to exceed them in ways that are meaningful to its employees. 'At Sobha Realty, we have always believed that true excellence begins with our people,' said Ravi Menon, Chairman, Sobha Group. 'This new maternity policy is a statement of our values. It is our continued effort towards employees and to stand beside them during life's most important moments as a family. This is yet another initiative that embodies the core of who we are- driven by compassion, grounded in commitment, and focused on continuous improvement.'; added Menon. – TradeArabia News Service
Emirates 24/7
27-05-2025
- Business
- Emirates 24/7
Sobha Realty Sets New Benchmark with 120-Day Maternity Leave Policy in UAE
Sobha Realty, a leading luxury global real estate developer, has announced a significant enhancement to its maternity leave policy, reinforcing its commitment to employee well-being and workplace excellence. In a bold and people-first move, the company now offers 120 days of maternity leave to its female employees. Throughout this period, all other employment benefits will be fully retained. This progressive policy far exceeds the UAE Labour Law requirement of 60 days and marks an unprecedented benchmark in the private real estate sector. As of today, Sobha Realty stands out as the first developer in the UAE to provide such a comprehensive and inclusive maternity leave framework- one that supports the needs of working mothers while fostering a more equitable and compassionate workplace. The announcement comes on the heels of Sobha Realty receiving the prestigious Great Place to Work® certification consecutively for 2 years in a row, a recognition that highlights its dedication to cultivating a people-centric culture built on trust, care, and empowerment. The enhanced maternity leave reflects the company's ongoing efforts to not just meet expectations, but to exceed them in ways that are meaningful to its employees. 'At Sobha Realty, we have always believed that true excellence begins with our people,' said Ravi Menon, Chairman, Sobha Group. 'This new maternity policy is a statement of our values. It is our continued effort towards employees and to stand beside them during life's most important moments as a family. This is yet another initiative that embodies the core of who we are- driven by compassion, grounded in commitment, and focused on continuous improvement.'; added Mr. Menon. With this announcement, Sobha Realty continues to lead by example in shaping a workplace culture that values human connection and holistic well-being. In an era where talent retention and employee satisfaction are more critical than ever, Sobha's bold step sets a new gold standard for employer responsibility and progressive leadership in the region. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Socialist billionaire is accused of forcing his California winery employees into orgies and threesomes
A billionaire Democratic donor has been accused of trying to coax a couple in his employ to have orgies and threesomes with him and another woman. Hansjorg Wyss, 89, also allegedly exposed himself to Madison Busby, 30, 'brazenly groped' her and made several other unwanted sexual advances, according to a lawsuit filed in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. Busby finally decided to quit Wyss' Halter Ranch until July 2024. She now claims she deserves compensation for damages, including 'lost earnings, back-pay, future-pay, lost employment benefits and unpaid wages.' 'Madison has suffered severe motional distress from the harassment which took place over the course of many years and also from lost wages and then future damages,' her attorney, John Ly, said in a statement. 'She's been harmed immensely.' Busby's lawsuit claims she first met Wyss in 2019, when her now-husband, Bryce Mullins invited her to meet his boss. Mullins was working at Halter Ranch in Paso Robles, California as a general manager and living on the property. At that very first meeting, Busby claims Wyss - who has an estimated net worth of $4.8 billion and lives in Wyoming - 'deliberately placed his hand on Ms. Busby's butt and groped her. 'Mr. Wyss proceeded to tell Mr. Mullins, in Ms. Busby's presence, about how "good" Ms. Busby's butt looked in the dress she was wearing,' the lawsuit alleges. 'A few nights later, Mr. Wyss suggested to Ms. Busby that she wear the same dress again because it looked "sexy" on her.' At the time, Busby claims she had hoped it was a one-off statement. But soon, Wyss's creepy behavior escalated, according to the lawsuit. It says Wyss 'made several sexual propositions' at subsequent meetings, but Busby did not want to speak up at the time because she did not want to jeopardize Mullins' standing with the company. Meanwhile, Busby and Mullins' relationship grew more serious - and she moved in with him on the property in 2021. Their home life, though, allegedly became crowded as Wyss would stay in the house with them whenever he visited the Paso Robles property. On several occasions, Wyss would even undress in front of Busby and Mullins - and invite them to remove their clothing as well, she claims. Still, when she was offered a job as a project manager at the winery, Busby accepted the offer. For years afterward, Busby said Wyss would continue to make sexual advances at her - both alone and in front of Mullins. 'Mr. Wyss told Ms. Busby how much he enjoyed having a threesome, even with another man,' the lawsuit states. 'He even suggested a "foursome" and stated that it would be "fun" for the three of them and another woman by the name of "Lori."' Wyss also allegedly told Busby about his own sexual experiences, including several affairs and even a story about him and Lori meeting a man in a movie theater in his native Switzerland, initiating oral sex with him and then having a threesome at Lori's apartment. 'He further said that Americans were "too uptight" around having those affairs,' the lawsuit claims. Wyss allegedly then went on to mention Lori once again when he 'shoved his iPad in Ms. Busby's face' to show Lori wearing 'shear, black lingerie' on FaceTime. He then went on to question Mullins and Busby about their sexual preferences and even 'asked Ms. Busby about her favorite sexual preferences,' the suit claims. On a business trip in January 2021 - shortly after Busby joined the staff at the winery - he also allegedly suggested 'if Bryce is not behaving, you can join me in bed. By 2022, Wyss even allegedly told Busby 'If you ever went after me for sexual harassment, you would win.' Still, Busby says she kept her mouth shut out of concern for her and Mullins' careers. But privately, she says she spoke to Mullins after they got married and had a baby - and the two agreed to move into a smaller house on the property, which did not have enough room for Wyss to stay over. At that point, though, Busby claims Wyss began to demand they pay $1,650 in monthly rent - even though the prior tenant was only paying $300 a month, and they were living at the larger house free-of-charge. When Busby then returned from maternity leave in 2023, she claims Wyss told her and her husband they were both being overpaid - so Busby decided to voluntarily reduce her salary from $75,000 to $65,000 'fearful of any more retaliation' as she sought treatment for anxiety and stress. Busby ultimately decided to resign in July 2024, sending the company a formal complaint, denouncing the 'inappropriate behavior and misconduct' Wyss inflicted on her and her husband. Hansjorg Wyss: The low-profile Swiss billionaire who became a force in US politics Born in the Swiss capital of Bern in 1935, Wyss was raised in an apartment with his two sisters. He received a master's degree in civil and structural engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich in 1959 before going on to earn an MBA from Harvard six years later. After spells in textile engineering - including in different roles for car manufacturer Chrysler in Pakistan, Turkey and the Philippines - he worked in the steel industry and ran a side business selling planes. Through that side focus, Wyss met a surgeon who had co-founded Synthes, a medical device manufacturer. Spotting an opportunity, the Swiss founded and became president of Synthes USA in 1977. He was Synthes' worldwide CEO and chairman until his resignation as CEO in 2007, and was company chairman until Johnson & Johnson - the medical company which developed a Covid vaccine - acquired the company five years later for $19.7 billion. In 2008, he donated $125 million to Harvard University, in what was then the largest donation in its history. But he has generated controversy for his funding of groups looking to exert behind-the-scenes influence on American politics. These include the Hub Project, which seeks to 'dramatically shift the public debate and policy positions of core decision makers' by influencing media and public opinion in a 'progressive' direction. Mullins has also filed his own lawsuit against his former boss, claiming Wyss failed to honor a promise of equity in Halter Ranch that would have grown to at least $30 million, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. He describes how the Swiss billionaire coaxed him away from his life and finance career on the East Coast to help run Halter Ranch and make it profitable. Mullins said in his suit that he was reluctant at first to accept the job, as a business professor warned him 'that Halter Ranch's problems - stemming in large part from Mr. Wyss' emotional decision-making and outsized ego - were not ones Mr. Mullins would be able to remedy.' Yet Wyss's alleged promise that Mullins would 'have full control of the Halter Companies upon Mr. Wyss's death' was too enticing, and Mullins became Halter Ranch's vice president and general manager. That all ended after his wife sent her complaint email, Mullins claims. He said Wyss 'abruptly terminated' his employment and offered a severance package that required him to release his claim on the equity in the business. Wyss has not yet responded to either lawsuit, but executives at Halter Ranch have denied the claims. 'The allegations in the complaint are not true and we intend to vigorously advance the facts that surround their time at the winery and their departure,' they said in a statement. 'For almost five years, starting in 2019, Mr. Mullins and his current wife voluntarily made themselves part of the Halter Winery community and took advantage of its owner's generosity,' they continued. 'This included deciding to become employees of the winery, choosing to live at the winery rent free for years, frequently traveling with the owner to Europe, the Caribbean and elsewhere at the owner's expense, asking the owner and his wife to host their wedding party and inviting the owner to serve as Best Man. 'Through all these years, they never complained about the owner's conduct, or simply declined to spend so much time with him, until after they voluntarily left their employment at the winery in 2024.' However, this is not the first time Wyss has been accused of sexual harassment. In 2013, he settled out of court for $1.5 million with a Colorado woman who claimed she suffered sexual abuse for years as an employee at the Wyss Foundation, according to the Daily Caller. She had claimed she had to have sex with Wyss in order to get him to fund grants to nonprofits that focused on at-risk youth and sex trafficking. Years before, another former employee filed a federal suit against him, claiming he created a hostile work environment at Synthes - a medical device manufacturer he founded to make implants to mend bone fractures. She wound up losing the case claiming employment discrimination, but the judge noted that the sexually offensive incidents she cited were 'undisputed by the defendants' including Wyss, the Daily Caller reports. Still Wyss has become a major donor to left-leaning causes. His Wyss Foundation has also donated over $807million in the United States since 2016, with much of it going to either environmental causes or to support the environmental efforts of Joe Biden's presidency. The foundation has a specific arm for lobbying and political advocacy called the Berger Action Fund, which has donated $343million to groups trying to stop Republican gerrymandering efforts, as well as Democrat-aligned super PACs. In fact, over $60million of the Berger fund's $72million went to drumming up support for Biden's programs. Many of his donations also went to trying to stop President Donald Trump in his first term and his successful nomination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh The Wyss Foundation and BAF, however, have claimed that they never directly donate to campaigns or candidates - which is prohibited by federal law as it is believed Wyss is still a Swiss national with no US citizenship. His daughter Amy, though, has previously served on the board of the Wyss Foundation and is a US-Swiss dual citizen.
Forbes
14-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Meet Three Companies Making Mental Health A Core Business Priority
Businesspeople talking together around a conference table during a boardroom meeting By Jen Porter, Managing Director at Mind Share Partners What looked like a shift in investment towards worker well-being during the pandemic has, in some cases, turned out to be short-term. Employee mental health is on the decline. Ninety percent of workers, according to our new national survey, say they have experienced some level of a mental health challenge—most commonly burnout, depression, and anxiety. Much of the downward shift is happening at well-intentioned companies investing in outdated, treatment-focused mental health approaches that aren't meeting current workforce needs. Today, leaders must view mental health as an ongoing employee priority aligned with their business outcomes, rather than a health crisis served through a benefits lens. Three companies–two of which are Mind Share Partners' clients (Hyatt and OLLY)—illustrate how to take the first steps towards integrating their well-being investments, including their values, employee feedback, and products. The pandemic hit the hospitality industry hard, with travel demand plummeting and unemployment surpassing even the 2008 financial crisis, experiencing even greater impacts than both hospitals and factories. To cope with the downturn, Hyatt responded by temporarily suspending operations at many of its hotels and implementing wide-scale workforce adjustments. The company knew that to emerge strong once the industry rebounded, it needed to continue investing in its workforce (known internally as 'colleagues'). As a global hospitality company, Hyatt took a holistic approach to colleague well-being—one that transcended business models, recognizing that its application and impact would vary by country and location. As a hospitality company, well-being is a foundational aspect to Hyatt's purpose, 'We care for people so they can be their best,' and is at the heart of everything it does. In 2022, Hyatt introduced well-being as a company-wide value – one of six that guide colleague behaviors, which are posted back-of-house in hotels, celebrated on quarterly town hall meetings, and serve as the basis for colleague recognition. Hyatt also added well-being questions into its engagement survey to better understand and action on colleague feedback. In 2024, we helped guide Hyatt on a global listening tour to understand how mental health is perceived across regions and roles. This process uncovered a varied understanding of mental health across cultures, inherent challenges working in a 24-7 industry, and a high level of trust in the company's commitment to care. Building on these insights, Hyatt launched a company-wide well-being strategy aimed at embedding mental health more deeply into the colleague experience. Hyatt convened a cohort of global colleagues to shape messaging and resources that would resonate across cultures and roles. Senior leaders, including Hyatt's President and CEO, are sharing their own mental health stories through an internal video series, with plans to extend storytelling opportunities to global colleagues later this year. Moving forward, Hyatt remains committed to leaning into its purpose and values as it navigates the challenges and opportunities involved in designing for a global population on this deeply personal topic. The end goal? To continue building a culture where mental health is understood, valued, and supported. The airline industry faced similar challenges during the pandemic. As Delta began their response to the physical health crisis, they also tackled the challenges with access to mental health care for their employees. To gather more data about the problem, Delta sought feedback from employees. 'Our culture puts our people first, which requires us to listen,' said Dr. Alyson Smith, Managing Director of Health and Wellness at Delta. Delta instituted the company-wide Flourishing Index, and sent a data analysis expert into each company hub where she interviewed hundreds of employees. Employees shared challenges in the process to access the EAP, finding care during non-work hours, and matching providers to an individual's cultural needs. In response, Delta focused its efforts on changes to mental health resources to improve the experience of care as well as access and quality. In order to best support employees who don't work typical business hours, Delta expanded the hours for in-house therapists in airports and reservations centers, and changed their EAP provider to have round-the-clock appointment options. They integrated their EAP with their health insurance plan, allowing a seamless transition for employees who need longer care. OLLY, a Bay-Area based vitamin and supplement company, has made mental health its north star. The brand is focused on three pillars of this social mission, including destigmatizing the conversation around mental health, expanding awareness of resources and transforming the modern workplace. The company's CEO, Hanneke Willenborg, is passionate about prioritizing mental health in the workplace, and sees it as true team effort. 'Culture is our biggest competitive advantage, and true culture change around mental health must be built together,' Willenborg wrote to her team. OLLY has continued to prioritize mental health in its benefits, and day-to-day workplace. Notably, the brand has monthly Mental Health Fridays, a day off every month for each employee to take time to care for themselves. In order to take this effort to the next level, OLLY implemented all-team trainings to increase awareness and build skills for navigating mental health at work. They have prioritized recruitment and retention by highlighting mental health in job descriptions and onboarding, created a yearly roadmap for how to improve the culture of work and conduct annual employee surveys. The company also launched an internal Mental Health Advisory Committee, as a continued step in driving important change. Having data is a key element to driving change and evaluating progress. OLLY's 2023 survey, for instance, uncovered challenges in mental health awareness of benefits, hesitancy to talk about mental health at work, and trust in the company's commitment. But in the company's survey a year later, almost half of employees had talked about mental health at work (up from 38%). A majority of employees knew how to seek mental health support at work (up from 39% in 2023). Mental health is an ongoing journey, and one that OLLY is committed to navigating. As the modern workplace continues to experience change, workers at organizations with cultures grounded in well-being will be better equipped to handle the stress and uncertainty that often accompany it. To keep pace, mental health and well-being strategies must move beyond short-term fixes and be treated as long-term business priorities—like Hyatt, Delta, and OLLY demonstrate above. Employers making the shift towards long-term investment in employee well-being see increased trust and better retention among their employees, including in leadership roles. When organizations invest in the well-being of their workforce, they're not just supporting individuals—they're investing in the long-term strength and success of their business.
Harvard Business Review
12-05-2025
- Business
- Harvard Business Review
Research: Are You Penalizing Your Best Employees for Unplugging?
The blurring of boundaries between people's jobs and personal lives, exacerbated by the pandemic, can make it feel like the workday never ends. The burnout that results from never quite feeling unplugged has become a major drain on workers and businesses, reducing employee well-being and productivity. Employers have responded by promoting wellness programs and encouraging work-life balance—initiatives proven to increase productivity, reduce turnover, and boost job satisfaction. But our research reveals a hidden contradiction at the heart of these efforts: While companies say they want employees to unplug, they may be quietly punishing those who actually do. In new research, published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, we found that even when leaders recognized that detaching from work boosts employee well-being and improves job performance, they still penalized employees who engaged in these behaviors when they were up for a promotion or being considered for a new role. This is because these workers were seen as less committed than those who worked around the clock, even if their job performance during working hours was perceived to be higher than their 'committed' counterparts. But we also found that there are structural changes organizations can make to help protect workers' boundaries without also penalizing them: creating a culture that both mitigates burnout and rewards strong work. The Research Across 16 studies with 7,800 of participants, we explored a simple question: How are employees who try to switch off from work during non-work hours perceived? In controlled experiments, we presented managers with profiles of employees who were identical in quality (i.e., past annual evaluations) but varied in their use of detachment strategies. For example, one employee left an out-of-office reply during a weekend getaway while the other employee did not. Managers consistently reported that the employee who disconnected from work over the weekend would be more recharged and more productive upon their return, thus recognizing the benefits of detachment on employee performance. However, they also penalized that same employee in evaluations, consistently rating them as less committed and less promotable than their colleague. This penalty persisted even when the detaching employee was a manager's direct report, when the detaching employee was objectively better at their job, when neither of the employees actually did any work during their time off, and when the reason for detachment was virtuous (e.g., caring for a sick family member). Perhaps our most eye-opening finding? The effect was just as strong among managers who say they value work-life balance as it was among those who do not. Even managers who report having explicitly encouraged detachment in their organizations penalized detaching employees in our studies. That is not just inconsistent and unfair, it is a recipe for a burnout culture. Why It Happens The issue lies in how we, as leaders, interpret effort and commitment. We are trained, often unconsciously, to value visibility and responsiveness as a proxy for dedication. Employees who respond late at night or skip vacations are seen as 'going the extra mile.' Meanwhile, those who protect their non-work hours are viewed as less passionate, less committed, and therefore less promotable, even when they are equally or more effective on the job. This mindset ignores our own lay theories and years of supportive research showing that people who detach from work come back more energized, more productive, and less likely to burn out. This detachment paradox reinforces a damaging culture, rewarding those who constantly stay plugged in and, over time, creating a leadership pipeline that undervalues work-life balance. The result is a self-perpetuating cycle of overwork and burnout is increasingly difficult to break. Ultimately, everyone loses: Employees suffer, organizations pay the price in lowered productivity and increased turnover, and the broader economy feels the impact through rising healthcare costs due to work stress. What Leaders Can Do Our findings suggest that executives and managers must be intentional about how they communicate around work-life balance and must implement concrete policies so their organization are practicing what they preach. Vague or half-hearted efforts to promote balance may do more harm than good if the evaluation system rewards the performance of constant availability. We offer leaders the following recommendations to help them break their teams out of the damaging cycle of overwork: Ask yourself: Who are you rewarding? Are your highest-rated employees those who seem most 'available' or those who are actually doing the best job? If your top performers feel they must sacrifice rest to prove commitment, your evaluation system may be broken. Redefine commitment. Start separating performance from presence. Being constantly available should not be equated with dedication. Make it clear that outcomes, not responsiveness or hours logged, are the benchmark. Stick to working hours. Discourage managers from contacting employees outside of work hours unless necessary. Many email programs have built-in alerts that can remind managers and employees when they are sending messages outside of standard hours. When off-hours work is expected, offer overtime pay or compensatory time. Implement policies that encourage detachment. Clear, formal policies change norms. In one of our studies, which included 200 U.S. managers, we found that simply showing them a company policy that encouraged email-free weekends significantly reduced managers' subconscious bias against those who disconnect. Make sure your company has policies to help reinforce stated values. Train managers. Penalizing those who unplug—or favoring those who do not—is often done unconsciously. Help your managers spot these biases and counteract them during performance reviews and hiring conversations by reminding them of company values and policies around work-life balance. Whatever steps you take, ensure buy-in from leaders across the organization. Clear, consistently enforced policies are more effective than broad statements of support. . . . Expectations about when and how employees should be available for work have permeated our workplace culture. Our research shows just how hard these assumptions are to shake, even when people recognize the value of greater work-life balance and support well-being in theory. To build a high-performing and sustainable organization, we must eliminate the bias against employees who are willing to set clear boundaries around their work and instead hold them up as models for others. We need to redefine commitment not as self-sacrifice, but as the ability to show up energized, focused, and ready to contribute. If your company claims to value employee well-being, your promotions and policies must reflect that. In the long run, your best employees are not the ones who burn out trying to prove their worth. They are the ones who know when to switch off so they can consistently show up at their best.
