LIFE AT WORK 2017: CEO Champion Albern Murty is a big advocate for Diversity and Inclusion

At last year's LIFE AT WORK 2017 Awards, Digi Telecommunications Chief Executive Officer Albern Murty was recognised for championing the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) agenda at the workplace.

Albern believes that companies will reap the rewards after adopting better work-life practices.

“Good workplace practices and employee experiences creates ownership and improves performance, and in the long run, drives business. The key is finding what works for your company and culture,” he said.

Albern has been with Digi for over 15 years with new roles every three to four years.  

“That says a lot about Digi,” he said. “It’s an organisation that’s constantly innovating as the world around us evolves, and what I most enjoy is the people I have the privilege to work with every day.”

He said that “Digizens” are an energetic and inspiring lot, and employees are encouraged to try new areas and new careers paths if they desire to.

A commitment to diversity and inclusion

One of the key commitments of the company is to build an organisation that better reflects the world we live in by encouraging D&I in all aspects of the workplace. 

“We do this by building an environment that is friendly and conducive for all Digizens, giving them equal opportunity to contribute, and the freedom to do their best at Digi and for their families. More than checking off a box or meeting a KPI, we truly believe we are a stronger company with this mix and balance,” he said. 

One aspect of how Digi does this is by supporting their people through every stage of their lives in and outside of work. 

“A key practice we’ve introduced in support of this belief is the 6-months paid maternity leave policy. This practice enables new mothers to spend time with their children in the early stages of their development and space to adjust to the different phases of their family life, with the peace of mind that their job is secure and work is taken care of until their return. We understand that this is an important time for families to spend those precious first months together,” he said. 

He said that new mothers appreciate the extended maternity period to spend time with their newborn and the continued support they receive upon returning to the workforce post maternity. 

Employees also enjoy proper nursing facilities and flexible working hours at the company.

“Mothers value the flexibility in working hours which allow them to have more time with their young child and family, while staying fully focused and dedicated to their day job. We find that these family-friendly practices encourage our employees to return fully motivated to contribute to business. More women are stepping in to fill the ranks of our leadership as well,” said Albern.

Albern says that there’s no template in implement work-life practices in a company.

“You have to find a balanced approach that both supports your employees and caters to the needs of your business. This way, you’ll create a workplace culture that uniquely works for you and your people,” he said.

Introduced in 2013, LIFE AT WORK has been enhanced in 2018 to embrace the Future of Work which impacts the Diversity & Inclusion landscape of organisations in the area of: 

WORK: Diversity and Inclusion, Learning & Development and Health Benefits

WORKPLACE: Benefits to employees, Flexible Work Arrangements, Employer/Family-Friendly Facilities and Work-life Benefits

WORKFORCE: Automation, Digitalisation, Gig economy, Usage of online mediums for Learning & Development, Usage of social media and digital channels

Award winners and participating organisations represent a network of LIFE AT WORK organisations and carry the LIFE AT WORK brandmark.

This year’s Awards will be held on 26 November 2018. For more information, visit www.lifeatwork.my.