MAPFRE and Bank of Valletta partnered with the Chamber of Commerce to put together a conference that drove at the heart of employee wellbeing. The presentations delivered collectively contributed to an insightful discussion on employee retention at today’s workplace, aligned with the company’s mission and vision to foster employees’ engagement.
Ines da Silva, the HR Chief Officer of MAPFRE Malta, expressed immense pride in spearheading this conference, uniting experts and stakeholders to address critical employee well-being issues. The conference was held at the Chamber of Commerce, hosted by its President Chris Vassallo Cesareo with the participation of leading employers in Malta.
Etienne Sciberras, CEO of MAPFRE MSV Life, in his opening address, emphasized that a holistic approach towards employee wellbeing is required. The diverse composition of today’s workforce calls for a more proactive and considerate management of our human capital. Traditional benefits, such as health, life and pension benefits need to be complemented with wellness programs encompassing, among others, physical, mental and work-life balance initiatives. Having a comprehensive, employee-centred wellness approach improves engagement and longevity.
Ray Debattista, Chief People and Culture Officer focused on the importance of employee engagement within the organisation, highlighting the Bank’s commitment towards being People-First, and the benefits this strategy reaps in customer interactions. Mr Debattista touched upon several initiatives including the Bank’s efforts to continue developing clear career paths, and a plethora of financial and non-financial benefits. He also emphasised that putting in place a focused corporate wellness programme, that looks at the individual employee holistically, taking into account both mental and physical health is key.
The conference featured distinguished experts including Josef Said from Expedition 42, who shared insights on the Maltese labour market and modern work practices, FHRD Chairman Noel Debono who shared his views on how to achieve the highest returns in employees' well-being toward healthy organisations. Ines da Silva shared MAPFRE’s experiences on how critical it is to look inside the company, foster a trust-based culture and build an employee value proposition to achieve employees' wellbeing and engagement. Ray Debatista, BOV Human Resources Officer explained how BOV engages with its employees and the importance of appreciation and respect in building trust and engagement.
Joseph Camilleri from Farsons shared their best practices and how Farsons recognizes employees for noted qualities of excellence in their daily work life. Fiona Spiteri, head of Corporate Business at MAPFRE explained how companies can become the Employer of choice by attracting and retaining high-quality employees through added benefits such as group life, group health, and occupational pension schemes. Tonia Parascandalo, Lead, BOV Insurance Services & Pensions Unit, highlighted the vital importance of providing occupational workplace pensions as a tool to invest in its people's future.
Bernard Attard and Victoria Muscat from PwC offered valuable insights into the accounting and tax implications of workplace pensions.
The panel discussion that followed these engaging presentations was moderated by Mark Grech from PWC and featured the active participation of Josef Said, Joseph Camilleri, Ray Debatista and Ines da Silva. Together, they added depth and insight to the conference, making it a truly enlightening and forward-thinking event.
