The HR Focus Africa Magazine successfully held a semi-virtual international HR Focus Conference in partnership with Vodafone Ghana.

The event, which was held at the Vodafone Ghana headquarters, was streamed live on a virtual platform and saw various professions such as HR Practitioners, Managing Directors and CEOs across industries.

The Vodafone HR Forum which was held from October 9, was packed with addresses and panel discussions around the theme 'Work and Wellness.'

Speaking on the topic “Work and Wellness,” the Chief Executive (CE) of L’AINE Services, Dr. Mrs. Ellen Hagan encouraged employers to go the extra mile in having concern for their employees.

She said, “Within the confines of the working space, workers are expected to leave their worries and struggles outside, and deliver their best; but how can one really do that? The work environment should provide the tools and policies needed to navigate difficult circumstances and yet contribute positively to the business,”

In addressing the topic: 'Implementing a World Class Wellness Program; Making Staff a Priority,' Awo Quaison-Sackey, the Regional Vice President of HR at Newmont Africa shared portions of the company’s wellness plan that spanned two years, encouraging other HR Practitioners present to always prioritise the wellbeing of their employees in order to improve the company’s wellbeing as a whole.

Awo Quaison-Sackey was then joined by the National Head of HR at OLAM Ghana; Kenneth Antwi, the CEO of Allianze Life; Gideon Ataraire, and the CEO of Nova Wellness Centre; Dr Naa Dordor to discuss how to enhance individual and organisational wellbeing in the world of work.

Dr. Elikem Tamaklo, the Managing Director of Nyaho Medical Centre shared from his experience the necessary steps needed to be taken in order to create a wellness culture in the corporate world, by incorporating wellness into every employee’s life and every organisation’s culture.

Dr Tamaklo was then joined by Hannah Ashiokai Akrong, the HR Director of Vodafone Ghana, Nkem Offonabo, Founder of The Work-Life Organisation Nigeria, and William Easmon, the People and Culture Director at Absa Bank Ghana; to discuss how to achieve the perfect work-life balance by bringing wellness to corporate culture.

In addressing the participants, the HR Director of Vodafone Ghana, Hannah Ashiokai Akrong mentioned, “At Vodafone Ghana, October is our wellness month. Each year, we organise engaging events and have conversations around the topic of wellness.

"Though we are largely working agilely this year, we still have an engagement plan to ensure our employees are enjoying the best mental and physical wellbeing there could be,”

The Director of Human Resources at Volta River Authority (VRA), Dr Irene Stella Agyenin-Boateng also addressed the audience to share her experience on employee wellness, and touched on the fact that organisations need to do better with seeking the wellbeing of their employees, whether or not employees play their part in ensuring their wellness.

She said, “a forest can only remain a forest when all the trees are well taken care of and not cut. Similarly, the strength of every workforce is in the wellbeing of each individual,”

Other companies that were present at the Vodafone HR Forum were: L’AINE Services, Old Mutual, Apex Health Insurance, Zeepay, Fitket powered by Strategic plus, Amal Medical Laboratory, to mention a few.