Back before the coronavirus changed all our lives, they used to gather every Monday evening, braving the wintry drizzle, the cold and the dark. There were twenty of them and their coach, all PwC staff, all runners, ranging from partners to trainees. Their goal: to build up to the 10k or half-marathon City-Pier-City (CPC) Run in The Hague. Those Monday evenings were a double blessing, according to one of the initiators, Senior Consultant for Financial Due Diligence (FDD) Sven Tettelaar. “We were taking physical exercise, which was good for our health. But we were also boosting our team spirit. It was great spending time with so many different PwC colleagues in a completely different setting.”
Be well, work well
The CPC Run initiative is typical of PwC’s attitude to the wellbeing of its employees. “PwC wants to take good care of its people, help them make the most of themselves, help them grow in every way,” says Bas Vliegenthart, Wellbeing Leader at PwC. “Our approach is holistic. Wellbeing is certainly related to your physical condition, but it’s also about your emotional, mental and spiritual energy.”
Sven explains that it is important to remain in top condition at all four levels. “Working in PwC’s M&A practice is a lot of fun, but can also be quite demanding. We sometimes put in long hours, especially towards the end of a major project. Our business has its peak times, after all. So it’s important for us to recharge our batteries. I think it’s remarkable that PwC invests so much in its employees’ wellbeing.”
Energy through technology
Other examples include special wellbeing webinars in which guest speakers, experts or PwC colleagues share their knowledge of a specific topic, such as emotional health. “Social distancing is of paramount importance at the moment, and yet our emotional wellbeing depends on contact with others,” says Sven. “A webinar can help us explore smart ways to connect with others.” What does Sven recommend we do to re-establish our connection with other people during the pandemic? “We’re all using technology to organise business meetings, but why not use the same technology to get together with a small group of your colleagues, for example on a coffee break? And don’t talk about work then, but ask how everyone’s doing. Trust me, it will boost your energy levels!”
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