The global health crisis is a challenge for both the business and people management. Santander Poland has adapted to these circumstances by taking measures to improve employees' quality of life. 

The coronavirus pandemic has caused us to stop and reflect on how we feel and how the crisis affects our loved ones, colleagues and customers. This is why Santander Poland has been running wellbeing programmes and initiatives based on: 

• Physical health.
• Mental health.
• Good relationships.
• Financial education.

The first initiative was a series of workshops entitled "Managing emotions during difficult times", attended by almost 400 employees who tried practical techniques for relaxation, managing negative emotions and positive thinking, to minimize the impact of stress. We also launched wellbeing webinars, which regularly involve specialists in physiotherapy, nutrition and other fields. 1,000 Santander Poland employees have benefitted from these programmes to date. 

One month, one initiative  

In June, Santander Poland set up a multidisciplinary team to develop more effective wellbeing initiatives and planned activities for the following months, each with its own theme and schedule. 

• August became the month of regeneration. We focused on relaxation and learned more about regeneration and healthy sleep. 
• In September, the focus was on the return to school, addressing children and their parents’ emotions.
• October was the perfect time to reflect on our mental wellbeing, as 8 October was World Mental Health Day. We arranged meetings and other activities throughout the month (workshops, coaching sessions, etc.) aimed at preparing for the long autumn and winter months ahead.
• In November, we focused on prophylactics and the importance of preventative action.  

Receiving a great deal of positive feedback from our employees prompted us to start regular classes with a fixed timetable. These include leisure activities on Mondays, yoga and MindSpa on Wednesdays, sessions with a physiotherapist on Thursdays and many others.  

“The morning, instructor-led classes are great for staying active while working from home”. “The afternoon classes are stimulating for the brain. It's a time to step away from the computer and take care of yourself”.

“MindSpa in the afternoon is really relaxing and makes it easier to sleep. These relaxation techniques can be applied to other situations”.

“Yoga is a great idea and the more participants, the more fun it is. The level of the classes can later be adapted to the participants’ ability”.