Australasian tech company's new scheme incentivises staff to get vaccinated
Australasian technology company UCG has announced a new scheme to incentivise workers and delivery partners across New Zealand and Australia to get vaccinated.
Universal Communications Group (UCG) is one of New Zealand and Australia's largest suppliers of telecommunication services, with an ecosystem of over 1250 employees, contractors and delivery partners contracted to carry out project management, installation and maintenance.
UCG executive chairman, Ralf Luna, says the company wants to demonstrate commitment to its Australian and New Zealand operations and support the accelerated vaccination programme, which is a crucial component in getting both economies back to work.
"Today, we've announced an incentive scheme where every employee who gets a double dose of the vaccination will receive an extra day's annual leave," says Luna.
"This is on top of the paid time off we currently provide staff in order to get their vaccination. In addition, every Delivery Partner technician will receive a $100 gift once they can demonstrate they have received their double vaccinations."
Workers already vaccinated will receive these benefits retrospectively.
"The vaccine rollout appears to be accelerating across both Australia and New Zealand," says Luna.
"Both governments are assuring us that availability is not a problem, so we want to get our recently eligible workforce protected by a double dose of the vaccine as soon as possible."
"We're also conscious that our work often involves our staff being out and about in the community, and the technicians employed by our delivery partners visit businesses and homes to install and maintain our customers broadband connections. We are always well-prepared for any outbreak with PPE and secure protocols. However, the advantage of having our total workforce vaccinated is further protection for our customers, our workforce and their families," he says.
The offer is open to the company's Australia and New Zealand ecosystem of employees and delivery partner technicians from 1 September 2021 to 31 March 2022.
Luna says UCG has a strong culture based on the shared values of being challenging in its thinking and working together to achieve success and doing what is right because it is the right thing to do.
"This is the right thing to do," he says. "We hope other companies will adopt similar approaches in incentivising staff to be part of an aggressive vaccination strategy that allows both New Zealand and Australia to open up to the world more quickly and benefit all of us."
