Vodafone Malta has won the award for being the best company to offer family-friendly measures during this year’s edition of the Worker of the Year National Awards.

Organised by the European Affairs and Equality Ministry, the awards laud best practice and the improvement of the worker’s personal and professional development at the workplace.

The award for best family-friendly measures was introduced this year and aims to recognise companies which support their employees by giving them the peace of mind to raise their families and by helping them find a healthy work-life balance. Equality Minister Helena Dalli praised those companies who were helping more people to keep on working while raising children or caring for elderly parents.

Vodafone Malta’s head of human resources, Dollsy Darmanin, said that Vodafone recognised the importance of supporting its employees and their families to cope with their personal and family responsibilities, minimise stress levels and burnout and to consequently maximise work performance.

“We have pioneered flexible working and mobile working, allowing employees to alter their start and finish times as well as to work from home or anywhere with internet access,” Ms Darmanin said.

Vodafone has also revolutionised maternity leave by offering 17 weeks of fully paid leave to new mothers – an extra three weeks over and above the statutory entitlement. Upon return from maternity, female employees benefit from six months on reduced hours of 30 hours per week while maintaining full salary and benefits applicable for 40 hours. This allows the mother to maximise the time spent with her newborn until the child reaches one year of age.

In addition, through the ‘Mummy Roster’, mothers with children under the age of eight who work in departments which operate on shifts are exempted from working the evening shifts. This initiative was very well-received by employees who work shifts as they can cope better with their children’s school hours and extracurricular activities.