What it takes to maintain a culture of well-being in a dispersed workforce

At Ragan’s inaugural Workplace Wellness Conference, Sara Ng, vice president of communications for ING Americas bank, shared how the company maintains a culture of well-being with a dispersed workforce.

Ng explained that when the pandemic hit, a lot of things changed for ING Americas and its employees. The company’s offices closed in March 2020, routines were upended, colleagues were on the move, and communication became more critical than ever. ING worked to maintain a culture of well-being with a dispersed workforce.

“So now we had this added extra layer of complexity of trying to engage with employees that were now dispersed even more,” Ng said. “As a small team of four for the Americas, that is really not an easy feat.” She explained that all the company could do at the time was drive home the culture and community they had already built.

“We found a new rhythm,” Ng said.

The bank launched hybrid mode in October 2022, which added flexibility and mobility to their employees’ lives. An increased focus was placed on wellness and well-being with the introduction of virtual yoga, online meditation and nutrition sessions. Benefits such as paid days off for wedding leave, birthdays and volunteer days were amplified.