32 www.hrreporter.com
WHY PERKS STILL
MATTER IN THE
'NEW NORMAL'
CINDY XING brings Venngo to every organization
with which she works. The global head of total
rewards at ABC Technologies has been partnering up
with Venngo and its WorkPerks program since she
was director of compensation and benefits at Citi
Canada in 2012.
In the wake of the global pandemic and the huge
difficulties facing ABC Technologies, a leading plastic
auto parts manufacturer, Xing is doubling down on
Venngo, using its updated perks program to motivate
staff facing day-to-day challenges and existential
uncertainty in our "new normal."
Xing says that, over the course of the pandemic,
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
LEADERSHIP SERIES
Total rewards head at auto parts manufacturer shares why,
in the wake of the pandemic, she's doubled down on her
company's WorkPerks program
ABC's global operations and long-term outlooks took
serious hits. Within Canada, its team of 2,000 was
put in tough positions. The roughly 500 salaried staff
members at its head office in the Greater Toronto Area
were shifted to working from home while roughly
1,500 hourly factory workers in plants across the GTA
were furloughed.
Now some of those workers are back at work, but
the company is having to make serious, hard decisions
about its future. ABC, like so many organizations, is
in survival mode. Yet for Xing, maintaining a Venngo
WorkPerks program is still essential.
"We still want employees to be motivated by more
than a paycheque," Xing says. "In the midst of this
whole pandemic cutting mode, the total rewards
toolbox is limited. Normally, you can offer a higher
salary, a better pension or a high incentive, but all of
these are not possible around all the cuts… In this
situation, I think Venngo WorkPerks becomes even
more important."
In an environment where employee hours might be cut
or pay reduced, many of those still working are facing
reduced disposable income, she says. The savings offered
by Venngo's WorkPerks program creates a benefit almost
tailored to the current reality, helping employees afford
basic necessities and creature comforts crucial to staying
healthy, motivated and dedicated.
As well, the benefit and connection for employees are
every day. Every time they save on groceries, takeout
or an online order with a WorkPerks discount, the
employee is reminded of their organization and the care
being shown to them, even in these hard times.
Xing first partnered with Venngo during a difficult
time for her organization. Citi, where she worked in
2012, was in a cutting mode of its own. Morale was
getting low at the bank and they needed a means
to reward employees for digging deep and keeping
the company going, she says. Venngo offered a low-
cost option to reward employees for their hard work
without diving too deep into the company coffers.
With organizations across Canada feeling that
same pressure now, Venngo is making a similar value
proposition. It's retooled its program, too, to line up
with the dramatic changes in consumer behaviour
caused by this pandemic.
Cindy Xing is global head of total rewards at ABC Technologies
