Regarding the protection and support of employees, the company proceeded with the following actions in the period March-June 2020:
Instantly implement and facilitate telecommuting to 80% of employees (~13,000 employees) within ~3 business days. Availability of VPN access, collaboration tools and provision of supporting equipment (laptop, headphones, etc.), where necessary.
Establishment of a OTE Group's COVID-19 Crisis Management Team with the aim of protecting employees and ensuring the business continuity of the company (in constant communication with EODY & Civil Protection, to implement measures and support employees).
Basic actions to protect workers' health:
Creation of a medical telephone line Health & Safety HOT LINE (13166) and an email account for the direct communication of employees with the company's Occupational Doctors.
Complete incident management process in collaboration with the State by the Medical Nursing Team of the Group
Supply of all necessary equipment (antiseptics, masks, gloves, special uniforms) and distribution to the whole group in the first days of the pandemic.
Detailed and continuous information for all employees (posting instructions & videos on the company intranet, sending direct emails & sms, creating a video for the correct use of masks and gloves).
Creation of separate instructions per business unit depending on the object (Call Centers, stores, technicians, B2B, etc.). Creation of telecommuting instructions for managers & employees.
Care for the immediate granting of a 14-day special leave in cases of suspected cases - after evaluation by the Clinic - (special leave for employees who belonged to vulnerable groups and special purpose for working parents).
Additional actions for frontline workers:
A new process of informing the customer before the appointment with the Technician was put into effect, in order not to plan visits to the homes of customers who had symptoms or had been ill, but also to take protection measures by and for the customer in the event of a visit. Created customized videos for the technicians with special instructions.
The opening hours of the stores were adjusted based on the official instructions to meet the needs of the customers, with a provision for the observance of all the necessary protection measures (e.g. special posters, appropriate signage and informative videos, keeping a distance, maximum number of coke customers).
In addition, special written protection instructions were given for Store and Technician workers, and all the necessary personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, disinfectant gel, special uniforms) were provided from the first moment.
Digital sessions of occupational physicians were held nationwide in stores and technical departments (Sales/Technicians) to better inform and protect frontline workers and their families.
Additional actions of psychological support & physical health & well-being:
Adaptation of the "Next to you" psychological support telephone line, with a theme adapted to the requirements of the lockdown period (Nationwide coverage, 24 hours * 7 days, anonymous and confidential for all OTE Group employees and their family members, in cooperation with the company Hellas EAP.).
Creation of the digital action #wellness #apotospiti: creation of a series of Home Videos and display on the company's intranet, in collaboration with the Group's specialized partners (gyms, nutritionists, physiotherapists), to cover three themes: exercise, musculoskeletal health, nutrition. Throughout the lockdown - ~ 3 to 6 videos with fitness & yoga sessions, nutrition and correct posture tips / week - a total of 33 videos). Corresponding live digital sessions were also held between June and July.
Emergency Financial Support Measures:
Grant of an extraordinary cash payment of 1.6 million euros to >1,800 employees in Stores and Technicians. Provision of feeding rations earlier than planned to employees and additional feeding rations to employees through third-party companies.
Zero charges from company mobiles to everyone
The return of workers to the workplace was completed in three phases, for the period from 18/5/20 - 1/7/2020, based on the instructions of the State:
A gradual return to the office plan was drawn up, in accordance with the official instructions and suggestions of the Occupational Physicians. The return communication was framed with the following actions:
Contact Chief HR Officer for gradual return to offices and send sms with detailed instructions.
Creation of a special back to office communication campaign entitled "We Stay Strong, We Stay Safe" for protection measures & the correct use of personal protective equipment (Covid Q&A's with articles on the company intranet, direct emails, videos, leaflets & signs with instructions per area, such as meeting rooms, wc, offices, canteens, common areas, elevators, company bus coolers, etc.), LED screens in large buildings, sending sms).
To enliven, inform the employees and prepare for their return, a video was created for all the actions the company did for its people, customers and society.
All workers were provided with two cloth masks initially and then additionally.
The opening of the stores was carried out by taking all the necessary measures to protect our customers and our employees (eg installation of special plexi glass at the cash registers and at the service points of the sellers as well as special distance-keeping markings).
The frequency of cleanings was increased in all facilities nationwide, while preventive disinfection of all the company's large facilities - as the case may be - and parameterization of the air conditioning units (with instructions for use) were carried out. A special report was developed to capture the presence of employees -per building and operational function-, respecting the percentage defined, per phase, by the return plan.
Additional prevention & protection actions / initiatives:
Health care: in collaboration with specific diagnostic centers, the Group has secured preferential rates for employees and their protected family members, for carrying out, if they wish, a preventive SARS Covid-19 molecular control test.
Care for mental health & balance: in collaboration with specialized partners of Hellas EAP, realization of specially designed informative live webinars, with the aim of well-being, self-improvement and maintaining work-life balance (topics related to parental role and resilience).
Care for the society: implementation of the established voluntary blood donation, which takes place every six months, observing all the required safety measures (June & November 2020).
Strengths and challenges:
The OTE Group employs 16,000 workers throughout Greece. The design & activation of the required prevention mechanisms and the taking of the appropriate protection measures, had a positive impact on society and of decisive importance:
To protect the health of workers
For the smooth operation of the Group's companies and, by extension, the preservation of jobs
To protect the health of our customers (those who came to the stores - those who needed technical support in their place), but also overall the care of all customers who had unhindered access to the good of communication.
For the protection of society as a whole (taking protective measures & continuous information - raising awareness of employees > contribution to reducing the spread of the coronavirus).
Taking different measures for each separate category of employees (e.g. front line, back office, on call etc.) and based on local epidemiological data (before the creation of the map in October 2020)
Supply of large quantities of personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, etc.), at a time when there was not enough in the market / Mobilization of mechanisms for immediate dispatch to all buildings and shops, throughout Greece. As an example, we mention that during the critical two months of April - May we supplied: 232,000 masks - 1,100 special uniforms - 3.7 tons of disinfectant gel
Safe return to the new "normal": successful planning of the next day's plan for such a large number of employees nationwide, which varies by organizational unit, due to the nature and workplace. The biggest challenge was the seamless continuity of the company's operation with digitization of all activities - where this was possible - in combination with teleworking with zero response time nationwide.