Massmart has stepped up, showing that the group’s values such as “good governance at the centre of everything we do” and “thoughtful choices for a better future” are more than mottos.
When COVID-19 reached African shores, the company assembled a COVID-19 response team. This team, made up of Massmart CEO and other key group-wide decision makers, swiftly implemented health and safety precautions at all stores and offices to provide a safer workplace for all employees. But they didn’t stop there. Given the potential vulnerability of pregnant persons, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Massmart made a noble decision that saw all pregnant employees across the group receiving indefinite paid special leave to assist them in reducing the risk of infection to themselves and their unborn children.
Massmart also made provision for 14 day paid COVID-19 leave in the event that any employee becomes symptomatic and being acutely aware of the unplanned financial load the pandemic brings, Massmart further expanded its employee’s medical cover to include additional services such as free COVID-19 testing.
More recently the group launched ScreenMe, a COVID-19 app that proactively tracks staff health and wellness. The apps key functionality includes a daily screening questionnaire, a health and safety induction to guide staff as they return to work, and access to key guidance documents.
As we all know retail plays an increasingly critical role in ensuring that essential goods and services are available during this time so Massmart put the wellness of frontline employees at the core of its COVID-19 response. Massmart was amongst the first local retailers to issue protective face visors for employees to wear while working in-store and fabric face masks for use when travelling in public transport. The group also acknowledged the hard work and commitment of frontline employees by making a once off special Covid-19 payment to employees that continued to work at stores across the continent that remained open for trade during governmental lockdown initiatives.
To ensure that employees get maximum leverage out of national lockdown, especially those who with jobs that are impossible to do remotely, Massmart organized virtual learning programs. These programs are available to all employees who want to learn and upskill themselves so they stay relevant for the future – something that has become paramount importance as the pandemic is changing the way we work.
Massmart is meeting the COVID-19 challenges with compassion, conveying that they are sensitive to the impacts of the pandemic on employees’ lives and work.
