Grupo Hunan is one of the most recognized restaurant chains in the country and its success is not only due to the dishes or the service, but also due to the well-being practices that it has with its working people.
These strategies focused on supporting their workforce in various axes led them to be part of the award-winning firms in Factor Wellbeing 2022, which recognizes these efforts of the business sector.
The initiatives for each member of the Hunan Group and the results go beyond internal perception; impacts the clientele that visits its more than 20 organizations throughout the country and in the United States.
Laura Ramírez, manager of Wellbeing and people, and Jordi Ferrán, financial director (CFO) of the group, explain in an interview for Business Insider Mexico the importance of these plans.
The projects
The demand in each Grupo Hunan restaurant is high, but Ferrán comments that, given this, there are various programs to support its workforce.
«You must always have all five senses working and waiting for any mistake that may be made, see how creatively it is resolved. That philosophy is transferred to all corporate areas to do things well and quickly, such as accounting closings and planning », he comments.
*Reforestation
Among the projects, whose momentum began in 2016 with the institutionalization of the company, was planting trees.
“One (of the first actions) is the issue of reforestation; we have a program with the National Reforestation Commission (Conafor) (…); Several times a year we do it. It is a very important exercise because, in addition to contributing to the environment, we are responsible in that sense (…). It is not only an instrument to generate return for owners, but a vehicle to contribute to society. Our idea is to not generate a carbon footprint by 2050 », he explains.
This also helps build and improve teamwork, as people support each other in this task.
«The first edition I went to had no idea how to plant a tree, some couldn’t climb mountains. But there were people who helped you with it; They were from different restaurants and places. It was a healthy competition between managers to see who sends more people to it, “says the financial director of the group.
*Education programs
Another of Grupo Hunan’s strategies is the program with the National Institute for Adult Education (INEA), of the Ministry of Public Education (SEP), with which they promote the academic training of their staff.
“We have strengthened employee retention. It is a sector with a lot of rotation; you will find in restaurants and cruise ships (this situation) (…). The people who have been with us for years did not have the opportunity to study; He went to work to support his family (…). We implement the (plan) with official validity; It allows those who could not (go to primary or secondary school), to attend it, “says the financial director of the firm.
When they finish that training, the participants are awarded a degree.
“There are people in their 50s or 60s who bring their children and it is a pride for them to see that their parents finish high school, for example,” he mentions.
*Volunteering
In this regard, the manager of Welfare and people specifies the volunteer work of the corporation.
“We have an alliance with associations such as Drawing a Tomorrow and we make collections to give toys to children in vulnerable situations. We implemented it last year and we had a very good response,” he reveals.
Due to that success, they want to replicate it this 2022 and in the coming years.
*Health care
For the financial director of the Hunan Group, observing the physical and mental health of each collaborator is essential and they do not intend that the workload prevents them from meeting their needs.
“The pandemic was a before and after for this sector and for others. We live and suffer the death of key people for our team; we lost accountants, the maintenance manager, kitchen equipment, among others », he recalls.
Based on these eventualities, they sought ways to support their staff in this matter. One of the actions was the “Viva Bien Plus” Health and Wellness Plan, carried out in the middle of this year.
“It has several edges. The first part is a medical issue, where we obviously want to do check-ups on all the staff; We are negotiating with the general management of the IMSS the type of cancer prevention in women and men (…). We need to strengthen the issue of health and prevention », she narrates.
In addition to that, twice a year eye exams are given to working people.
“In the most wellness, we have alliances with gyms and we participate in dynamic activities. Two weeks ago we were in class spinning, with people running; it was a very important exercise », he highlights.
*Protocol against labor abuses
In Grupo Hunan, it has mechanisms to deal with labor abuses, such as theft of tips, excessive work, among others.
«There is a line (5580127712) and an email called ‘We want to hear you’, where you can say that your boss treats you badly, that there is bad management or aggression; we have implemented it in this sense”, emphasizes Ferrán.
The challenges
For the financial director of the Hunan Group, one of the challenges to overcome is that people, from leaders to the rest of the members, take these measures seriously and set aside time for them.
“What we have also done are webinars to raise awareness not only among managers, but also throughout the world. You can enter the staff of management, restaurant. This has allowed us to have direct contact with people, maintain the spirit of the group and the motivation and vibe of people », he points out.
Vision to the future
«The idea is to continue moving up in positions every year because we are achieving more and more indicators in Human Resources. There are certain areas where we must continue working, such as Communication (…), but there are other types of metrics where we score very well, which is diversity and inclusion, we are a global and representative company”, adds Ferrán.
The expert affirms that the relationship between the people who work at Grupo Hunan and the brand is strong due to these advances.
«There is a general pride of our team to belong to a company like ours (…). This business is not so much about food, but about people, about memorable experiences that our collaborators create every day », he ponders.
Grupo Hunan is one of the projects that obtained the Factor Wellbeing 2022 distinction prepared by the Institute of Wellbeing and Happiness Sciences in collaboration with Business Insider Mexico.
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